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Effective content organization makes it easier for learners to find and navigate educational materials. This guide covers strategies for adding and structuring content in your channels.

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Content hierarchy

Studio organizes content in a tree structure using the Modified Preorder Tree Traversal (MPTT) algorithm: 
Channel (root)
├── Topic
│   ├── Resource (video, document, etc.)
│   ├── Resource
│   └── Subtopic
│       ├── Resource
│       └── Resource
├── Topic
└── Topic

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Node types

  • Topics: Containers that group related content (like folders)
  • Resources: Actual learning materials (videos, documents, exercises, etc.)
Learn more about the content node structure.

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Adding content

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Method 1: Import from the public library

The fastest way to populate a channel is by importing existing content.
1

Open the clipboard

Click the Clipboard icon (bottom right corner) to open the content browser.
2

Browse the library

Switch to the Library tab to see all public channels. Use search and filters to find relevant content:
  • Subject: Math, Science, Literacy, etc.
  • Language: Filter by content language
  • Format: Video, document, exercise, etc.
3

Add to clipboard

Click the + icon next to any topic or resource to add it to your clipboard. You can add multiple items.
4

Copy to your channel

Return to the Clipboard tab, select items, and click Copy to Channel. Choose where in your tree to paste them.
Imported content retains its original metadata, license, and files. You can edit metadata after importing if needed.

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Method 2: Upload new content

1

Navigate to the parent topic

In your channel tree, click on the topic where you want to add content.
2

Click Add

Click the Add button and select the content type:
  • Upload files: Videos, documents, audio, etc.
  • New exercise: Create interactive questions
  • New topic: Create a container for organizing content
3

Fill in metadata

For each resource, provide:
  • Title: Name of the resource
  • Description: Summary of what learners will find
  • Language: Language of the content
  • License: Copyright license
  • Tags: Keywords for searchability
4

Upload files

Drag and drop or browse for files. Supported formats:
  • Video: MP4 (H.264), WebM
  • Document: PDF, ePub
  • Audio: MP3
  • Subtitles: VTT, SRT
  • Thumbnails: JPG, PNG
5

Save

Click Save to add the resource to your channel.
File size limits: Individual files should be under 500 MB. For larger videos, consider compressing them or splitting into multiple parts.

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Method 3: Create exercises

Exercises are interactive assessments with multiple question types.
1

Add a new exercise

Click Add → New exercise.
2

Enter exercise details

Provide a title, description, and metadata.
3

Add questions

Click Add question and select a question type:
  • Single selection: Multiple choice with one correct answer
  • Multiple selection: Select all that apply
  • True/False: Binary choice
  • Input question: Numeric or text input
  • Perseus question: Advanced math questions with LaTeX
4

Configure mastery criteria

Set how many questions a learner must answer correctly to complete the exercise (e.g., “3 in a row” or “5 out of 5”).
5

Save the exercise

Click Save to add it to your channel.
Learn more about content types.

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Organizing topics

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Creating topics

Topics help structure your content into logical sections.
1

Add a new topic

Click Add → New topic from the parent location.
2

Name the topic

Give it a clear, descriptive name (e.g., “Introduction to Fractions”, “Unit 1: Cells”).
3

Add a description

Explain what content is in this topic and how it relates to the overall channel.
4

Set a thumbnail (optional)

Upload an image to represent this topic visually.

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Nesting topics

You can create subtopics within topics to build a hierarchy: 
Mathematics
├── Number Sense
│   ├── Place Value
│   ├── Rounding
│   └── Estimation
├── Fractions
│   ├── Understanding Fractions
│   ├── Adding Fractions
│   └── Multiplying Fractions
└── Geometry
Recommended depth: Keep your tree 2-4 levels deep. Deeper trees are harder to navigate on small screens.

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Moving and reordering content

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Drag and drop

The easiest way to reorganize content:
  1. Click and hold on a content node in the tree
  2. Drag it to a new position
  3. Drop it where you want it to appear

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Move operation

For more control, use the Move operation:
1

Select content

Click the checkbox next to one or more content nodes.
2

Click Move

Click the Move button in the toolbar.
3

Choose destination

Navigate to the target topic in the tree.
4

Confirm

Click Move here to complete the operation.

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Copy vs. move

  • Move: Removes the content from the original location and places it in the new location
  • Copy: Creates a duplicate in the new location while keeping the original
Copying content creates a reference to the same underlying files. Both copies share the same storage.

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Editing content

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Edit metadata

1

Open the content editor

Click on any content node in the tree to open its details panel.
2

Make changes

Update any field:
  • Title and description
  • Language and license
  • Tags and categories
  • Thumbnail
3

Save changes

Click Save to update the content.

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Replace files

If you need to update a video or document:
1

Open the content editor

Click on the resource in the tree.
2

Go to the Files section

Scroll to the Files section in the details panel.
3

Remove the old file

Click the X next to the file to remove it.
4

Upload the new file

Drag and drop or browse for the replacement file.
5

Save

Click Save to apply the change.
Replacing files in a published channel will only affect future versions. Existing Kolibri installations won’t update until they reimport the channel.

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Deleting content

1

Select content

Check the box next to one or more content nodes.
2

Click Delete

Click the Delete button in the toolbar.
3

Confirm deletion

Confirm in the dialog. Deleted content moves to the trash.

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Recovering deleted content

Deleted items are moved to the Trash:
1

Open trash

Click Channel → Trash in the top menu.
2

Find the item

Browse or search for the deleted content.
3

Restore

Click Restore to move it back to its original location.
Items in the trash are permanently deleted after 30 days.

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Metadata and tags

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Required metadata

Every content node must have:
  • Title: Clear, descriptive name
  • License: Copyright license (inherited from channel default if not specified)
  • Description: Explain what the content covers and who it’s for
  • Language: Specify the language of the content
  • Tags: Keywords for search and filtering
  • Thumbnail: Visual representation

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Using tags effectively

Tags help users discover content. Consider tagging by:
  • Subject: math, science, literacy, history
  • Grade level: grade-1, grade-6, secondary
  • Topic: fractions, cells, grammar, world-war-2
  • Resource type: tutorial, practice, assessment, reference
Use consistent tags across your channels for better discoverability.

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Best practices

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Structure for navigation

  • Group related content under topics
  • Use clear, descriptive names
  • Keep similar items at the same tree level
  • Order content logically (e.g., from simple to complex)

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Chunk content appropriately

  • Break long videos into shorter segments (5-10 minutes)
  • Create separate resources for each lesson or concept
  • Use topics to group a sequence of related resources

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Provide context

  • Write descriptions for every topic and resource
  • Explain how content fits into the broader learning path
  • Include prerequisites if learners need prior knowledge

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Balance depth and breadth

  • Don’t create too many top-level topics (5-10 is ideal)
  • Don’t nest too deeply (2-4 levels max)
  • Group small, related resources together

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Example: Well-organized channel

High School Chemistry
├── 1. Introduction (topic)
│   ├── What is Chemistry? (video)
│   ├── Lab Safety (video)
│   └── Scientific Method (document)
├── 2. Matter and Energy (topic)
│   ├── States of Matter (video)
│   ├── Physical vs Chemical Changes (video)
│   ├── Practice: Identifying Changes (exercise)
│   └── Energy in Reactions (video)
├── 3. Atomic Structure (topic)
│   ├── Parts of an Atom (video)
│   ├── Periodic Table Introduction (video)
│   ├── Electron Configuration (video)
│   ├── Practice: Atomic Structure (exercise)
│   └── Periodic Table Reference (document)
└── ... (more topics)

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Next steps

Content Types

Learn about all supported content formats

Publishing

Make your channel available in Kolibri

Licensing

Understand content licensing requirements

Content Nodes

Deep dive into the content tree structure

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