This article explains how to build, configure and publish a Rapids activity in a course. It is for authors creating micro-learning content directly in the browser.
What is a Rapids activity?
A Rapids activity is a single, self-contained page of micro-learning content that you build yourself, directly in the browser, using a drag-and-drop editor. There is no need to create SCORM packages or brief a designer: you lay the page out in blocks, add text, images and video, and publish.
It is a good fit for:
- A short explainer page introducing a topic
- A policy or health and safety refresher with a couple of check-in questions
- A quick knowledge check between longer pieces of content
- Communications-style content, such as an announcement or a campaign page
📌 Note: A Rapids page is one screen the learner scrolls through. It is not a substitute for a full course, a multi-page course, or long-form assessment.
Adding a Rapids activity to a course
Before you start, open the course and turn editing on.
- Select 'Add an activity or resource'.
- Choose 'Rapids' from the activity picker.
- Complete the settings form (see below), then save.
Settings form fields
There is nothing Rapids-specific on this form beyond naming the activity. You configure all content, appearance and completion settings inside the Rapids editor itself.
- 'Name' (required): what learners see as the activity link on the course page, and what your reports refer to it as.
- 'Description' (optional): tick 'Display description on course page' if you want this shown above the activity link.
- 'Visible': 'Show' or 'Hide', the same as any activity.
- 'Restrict access': the standard access controls, by date, group, grade, or requiring completion of another activity first.
- 'Activity completion': Rapids marks the activity complete only when the learner views it. There are no quiz-score or time-based completion options.
The Rapids editor: how a page is built
A Rapids page is built from three levels, all drag-and-drop:
- Sections: horizontal bands running down the page. Choose a layout for each section: one full-width column, two equal columns, three equal columns, four equal columns, or an uneven two-column split (roughly a third / two-thirds).
- Containers: the individual columns within a section, based on the layout you picked.
- Widgets: the content you drop into a container (see 'Available content blocks (widgets)' below).
You can reorder sections and widgets by dragging them, and you can set each section to run the full width of the page or stay within a fixed content width.
⚠️ Warning: There is no undo. Deleting a section or widget is a one-way action, confirmed with a prompt. Sketch your page structure before you start building.
Everything saves automatically as you work: there is no separate 'Save' button inside the editor. You need to save once when you are finished.
Available content blocks (widgets)
Click the + icon to add content to a container. Choose a layout first, then select a widget type:
| Widget | What it is for | What you can configure |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Rich-text content: headings, paragraphs, quotes, lists and links | Full formatting toolbar: headings, bold and italic, bullet and numbered lists, indenting, block quotes, links |
| Image | A single image | Upload an image, paste an image, or add a random image. Supported formats are .gif, .png, .svg, .jpg and .jpeg. Rapids rejects other URLs. |
| Video | An embedded video | Paste an embed code from YouTube, Vimeo or Brightcove. Other providers do not work. |
| Text on image | A heading or statement overlaid on a background image, good for section openers | Image; font; background and text colour; vertical space; padding; whether the image stretches to fill the space |
Appearance settings
Click the cogwheel (⚙) in the top-right corner of the editor to open the appearance panel. From here you can set:
- 'Background colour'
- 'Text colour'
- 'Interaction colour': used for buttons and interactive elements
- 'Font': a choice of common web-safe fonts
Launching and viewing content
Once you are happy with your content:
- Turn editing off.
- Click 'Launch' on the activity page.
📌 Note: Content displays within a pop-up window. There is currently no configuration option to open it in a new browser tab.
Before you publish: quick checklist
- Plan your section layout before you start: there is no undo on deletes.
- If you are using the Video widget, confirm the link is from YouTube, Vimeo or Brightcove.
- If you are using the Image widget, confirm the URL ends in .gif, .png, .svg, .jpg or .jpeg.
- Preview the page and scroll all the way through it yourself before sharing the link.
- Turn editing off, then click 'Launch' to test the learner experience.