rootnode-academy/docs/RUNBOOK_SELF_PACED_ENROLLMENT.md

Runbook: Self-Paced Programs & Enrollment

Covers managing programs and enrollments from /admin → Programs. See docs/PHASE5B_SELF_PACED_ENROLLMENT.md for the underlying design and docs/WEBSITE_ENROLLMENT_INTEGRATION.md for the separate website-driven path.

Create a program (Programs → Create program, admin/owner only):

Program ID is a slug (e.g. root-linux-fundamentals) and can't be changed later. Pick a family (init_/compile_/root_) and delivery mode. New programs default to curriculum_path: rootnode-path — the only curriculum content that exists today. A program for init_/compile_ can be created now as a placeholder and wired to real content later without a schema change; it just won't have real lessons behind it yet.

Activate/deactivate a program (Programs → [program] → Activate/Deactivate):

An inactive program can't accept new enrollments (admin-manual or via the website integration endpoint) but existing enrollments in it are untouched — students already enrolled keep their access exactly as it was.

Manually enroll a student (Programs → [program] → Enroll a student):

Enter the student's ID (find it on the Students tab). Choose pending (the default — the student sees the enrollment but can't start until you Activate it) or active (skip that step). Optional start/end dates enforce access windows server-side — a future start date hides Lab access until then; an end date cuts off new Lab launches after it while leaving prior progress visible.

Activate a pending enrollment (Programs → [program] → Enrollments table → Activate):

Only needed if you enrolled as pending. This is the moment a student actually gains entry.

Cancel an enrollment (Programs → [program] → Enrollments table → Cancel, or Enrollments list on a student's own page):

Immediately blocks new Lab launches. Does not touch the student's progress/achievements/attempt history — those are permanent regardless of enrollment status. Cancelling is final for that enrollment; if the student should have access again later, enroll them again (a new enrollment row) rather than trying to "reactivate" a cancelled one.

Check a student's enrollment history (Students → [student] → "Enrolled programs" card):

Shows every program the student has ever been enrolled in — pending, active, completed, cancelled, expired — with progress and last activity. A plain instructor sees this scoped to enrollments they created or that belong to a student sharing one of their cohorts; owner/admin see everything.

A student says "Continue Learning" isn't working / shows the wrong thing:

1. Check their enrollment status on the Programs or Student page. pending → activate it. expired/cancelled → that's working as intended; enroll them again if they should continue.
2. If active and still stuck, check /api/admin/students/:id/environment for a stuck Lab — same troubleshooting as any other Lab issue (docs/RUNBOOK_STUCK_LAB_CLEANUP.md). Destroying the Lab never loses their program progress; a fresh launch resumes from the same place.

A student's completion didn't register:

Completion is detected the next time their program status is read (their dashboard, or an admin viewing their enrollment) after they finish the capstone — not pushed instantly. Refresh the page or reopen their student detail in /admin; if it still doesn't show completed after that, check GET /api/achievements for that student for a capstone_completed record matching the program's configured capstone — if that's missing, the capstone itself wasn't actually finished, not an enrollment bug.