Overview
Kira's course editor now has two modes: Edit mode for preparing your content and Teach mode for running your class. This update also adds new content access controls and student exceptions, so you can pace your whole class while letting individual students move ahead.
What's new:
Edit mode: a dedicated space to create, revise, and publish your content.
Teach mode: a dedicated space to grade, set content access, and launch live sessions for each class.
Content access controls: unlock lessons as your class moves forward and close lessons you've already covered.
Student exceptions: let specific students go further than the rest of the class.
Your existing courses and content carry over, and unscheduled lessons are still closed by default.
Edit mode and Teach mode
Use the Edit / Teach toggle at the top of the course, lesson, and activity editors to switch between modes.
Mode | Use it to | What you see |
Edit | Add and customize content, restructure your course, tag standards, use Ask Kira, change the theme, preview, publish, assign, share, duplicate, export, or save a local copy | Your draft, including changes you haven't published yet |
Teach | Grade, set content access, start a live session or present, and check class progress | The latest published version your students see, with a read-only outline |
Which modes you'll see
Teachers who can create content get both Edit mode and Teach mode.
Teachers who can assign content but don't have authoring permissions open directly into Teach mode. The toggle is turned off for them.
Org admins get the same controls as teachers if they can create or assign content.
Running your class in Teach mode
Teach mode is organized by class. Everything you do there applies only to the class you select.
Switch to Teach using the toggle at the top of the editor.
Select the class you're teaching from the dropdown. Each option shows the class name and number of students.
Grade, set content access, start a live session, or check progress for that class.
What you can do in Teach mode
Grade: The Grade button opens the gradebook for that class. It shows how many submissions are ready to release (if AI auto-grading is on) or how many items need manual grading. Grading now happens only in Teach mode.
Set content access: A summary of your current access rules appears at the top, so you don't have to scroll through the outline to check them. See Setting content access below.
Start a live session or present: Live sessions now start from Teach mode, for the class you've selected.
Check class progress: See how your class is progressing, even outside a live session.
Setting content access
Content access is set separately for each class. You can set it from Teach mode or while assigning content.
Choose how far your students can go:
Open the whole lesson or course. Students can work through everything you've assigned at their own pace.
Restrict access past a point. Students can reach everything up to a step or resource you choose, and nothing beyond it. Click or drag to set the point, then move it forward as your class progresses.
Close lessons you've already covered. Students can't go back to closed lessons, and they see a note that the class has moved on.
Moving the lock backward
If you move the lock to an earlier point, you'll first see a warning showing how many students and resources will be affected. Student work is always saved and comes back when the content reopens.
Student exceptions
Student exceptions let specific students go further than the rest of the class, without opening content for everyone. You can apply one rule to several students at once.
Choose how students with an exception unlock more content:
As they finish: Each next resource opens when the student completes the one before it.
At a passing score: The next resource opens when the student reaches a score you set. Ungraded work counts as zero until you grade it, and items marked "not graded" don't count toward the score.
Through a specific resource: Everything up to a resource you choose opens for the student.
Things to know about exceptions
Exceptions only let students go further. They can't keep a student behind the rest of the class.
Exceptions don't change due dates or release dates.
Exceptions apply to whole resources, not individual steps within a resource.
Student preview shows the class view, so it won't reflect an individual student's exception.
What students see
Students see which content is open, which is locked past the class point, and which lessons are closed behind them. Closed lessons show a note that the class has moved on.
Access appears the same way everywhere: in the course, on the student's dashboard, and in completion tracking. Students with an exception can reach further than the rest of the class. Students can't change any access settings themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't I see my latest changes in Teach mode? Teach mode shows only the published version of your course. Publish your changes from Edit mode, and they'll appear in Teach mode.
Why can't I switch to Edit mode? You can assign content but don't have authoring permissions, so you'll open directly into Teach mode. Contact your admin if you need authoring access.
Where did grading go? Grading is now in Teach mode. Select your class, then click Grade to open that class's gradebook.
How do I start a live session? Switch to Teach mode, select your class, then start a live session or present.
Can I use an exception to keep one student behind the class? No. Exceptions only let students go further than the class.
Why doesn't student preview show a student's exception? Student preview always shows the class view. It doesn't reflect individual exceptions.
What happens to student work if I lock content again? Student work is saved and comes back when the content reopens.
Do exceptions change due dates? No. Exceptions control which content a student can open, not when it's due.