Course Title: Planning Center Certification: Course Setup and Management

Duration: 4 hours

Course Description:

This 4-hour certification course is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the Planning Center platform, specifically tailored for managing courses, events, and group activities. Whether you’re an administrator, event coordinator, or instructor, this course will equip you with the skills to efficiently set up and manage courses, assign instructors, upload and distribute curriculum, and handle student registration and check-ins. Through hands-on exercises and guided instruction, participants will learn how to navigate the Planning Center interface and optimize it for smooth course management.

By the end of this course, participants will be certified in Planning Center course management and equipped to handle all aspects of course setup and execution with ease.

Course Outline:

1. Introduction to Planning Center (30 minutes)

• Overview of the Planning Center platform and its key features.
• Understanding the interface and navigating different modules.
• Overview of its applications for course management, event coordination, and tracking.

2. Course Setup and Management (45 minutes)

• Step-by-step guide to setting up a new course.
• Customizing course details: descriptions, start/end dates, and participant limits.
• Assigning rooms or virtual spaces for course activities.

3. Instructor Assignment (20 minutes)

• Adding and assigning instructors to courses.
• Managing instructor roles and permissions within Planning Center.
• Communication tools for instructors (email and messaging integration).

4. Curriculum Upload and Distribution (30 minutes)

• Uploading course materials, handouts, and curriculum files.
• Distributing materials to students through the platform.
• Options for organizing and categorizing course content.
• Setting permissions for access to curriculum and materials.

5. Student Registration and Check-In Procedures (45 minutes)

• Setting up online registration for courses.
• Creating custom registration forms and fields.
• Managing student lists and registration status.
• Utilizing check-in tools for attendance tracking, including QR code options.
• Handling walk-ins and adjusting registration on the fly.

6. Communication and Notifications (30 minutes)

• Setting up automated email reminders for instructors and students.
• Creating and sending out announcements to registered participants.
• Managing communication preferences and contact lists.

7. Printing and Reporting Options (20 minutes)

• Generating printable course schedules, registration lists, and reports.
• Customizing printing options for attendance sheets, name tags, and sign-in sheets.
• Reviewing attendance data and course analytics.

8. Final Review and Q&A (20 minutes)

• Reviewing key takeaways from the course.
• Open Q&A session for additional clarification.
• Final assessment and certification information.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the fundamental components of Planning Center and how to navigate its interface.
• Be able to set up, manage, and assign instructors to courses.
• Upload, organize, and distribute curriculum and course materials efficiently.
• Manage student registration and implement effective check-in procedures.
• Utilize printing and reporting tools for administrative efficiency.
• Handle course communications and notifications effectively.

Target Audience:
This course is ideal for administrators, instructors, event coordinators, or anyone involved in managing courses, events, or group activities who want to streamline operations using Planning Center.

Certification:
Upon successful completion of the course and all assessments, participants will receive a Planning Center Certification in course management, validating their ability to use the platform to set up and manage educational or training programs effectively.