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How to Build a Lesson Template

In Using Modules you added a single module to an existing page. In practice, most BeaverDash work happens in Beaver Themer templates — one layout that applies to every lesson on your site automatically, pulling in the correct data for each one.

This tutorial walks through building a complete lesson template from scratch.

Prerequisites

1. Create a new Themer layout for lessons​

Go to Beaver Builder > Themer Layouts and click Add New. Set the type to Singular and the location to LearnDash > Lessons. Click Launch Beaver Builder to open the editor.

Beaver Themer new layout screen configured for LearnDash Lesson singular pages

2. Add a lesson header​

Add a row at the top. Add a standard Beaver Builder Heading module and connect it to the lesson title: click the connect icon on the heading text field and select BeaverDash - Lesson > (none available directly — use Post title) or use the [bdash_lesson_title] shortcode in an HTML module.

Then add the BeaverDash Video module below the heading. This pulls the lesson's featured video from LearnDash automatically. If a lesson has no video, the module renders nothing.

3. Add the lesson content​

Add the BeaverDash Content module. This renders the body content of whichever lesson the learner is viewing — the text, images, and embeds entered in the WordPress editor for that lesson.

Beaver Builder lesson template with Video module and Content module placed in a column

4. Add lesson navigation​

Add a row below the content. Place the BeaverDash Lesson Navigation module in a sidebar column. This shows the learner the topics within the current lesson, with completion status icons updating as they progress.

In a separate column, add the BeaverDash Mark Complete button. This appears automatically when the lesson can be marked complete and hides once it is done.

5. Add previous/next navigation​

Below the main content row, add the BeaverDash Navigation module twice in the same row — one set to Previous, one to Next. Each resolves its target automatically from LearnDash's course sequence. Both hide automatically when there is no item in that direction.

Lesson template with navigation sidebar, mark complete button, and previous/next buttons

6. Save and preview​

Save the layout. Visit any published LearnDash lesson — the template should render with that lesson's content, video, and navigation. Visit a different lesson to confirm the data changes automatically.

What you've accomplished​

You built a complete lesson template that applies to every lesson on your site. The modules pull the correct data for each lesson automatically — no per-lesson configuration needed. To apply the same approach to topics, create another Themer layout targeting LearnDash > Topics and follow the same steps.