Platform Overview

Welcome to YNET StudyHub - your all-in-one learning platform designed for students, instructors, and institutions across Kenya and beyond. Whether you're a high school student preparing for exams, a university student accessing course materials, or a professional seeking career-level courses, YNET StudyHub has everything you need.

What You Can Do on YNET StudyHub

YNET StudyHub brings together learning tools, AI assistance, community features, and a content marketplace in one place.

For Students

• Browse and enroll in courses across multiple levels
• Access study materials, past papers, and unit notes
• Take quizzes and prepare for exams with AI assistance
• Track your learning progress and earn certificates
• Connect with peers through forums and messaging

For Instructors

• Create and publish professional courses
• Upload and manage learning materials
• Monitor student progress and issue certificates
• Access analytics on course performance

For Admins

• Manage all users, roles, and permissions
• Oversee all content, courses, and materials
• Access financial and marketing dashboards
• Configure platform settings

Platform Structure

The platform is organized into several key areas:

Accessing the Platform

Visit ynetstudyhub.com in any modern web browser. The platform works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Tip: You can browse some content as a guest without creating an account. However, enrolling in courses, saving materials, and using AI tools require a free account.

Guest Access

You can explore YNET StudyHub without creating an account. Guest access lets you browse available content before deciding to sign up.

What Guests Can See

As a guest (not logged in), you can:

• Browse the full course catalog
• View course descriptions and outlines
• Read public blog posts and news articles
• View the community question list
• See pricing and subscription plans
• Access the platform's public pages (About, Services, Careers)

What Requires an Account

Some features are only available after creating a free account:

Navigating as a Guest

Top Navigation Bar

The top navigation bar always shows:

• Logo - click to return to the homepage
• Courses - browse the course catalog
• Community - view public discussions
• Login - access your existing account
• Register - create a new account

Browsing Courses

1. Click Courses in the top menu
2. Use filters to browse by category, level, or subject
3. Click any course card to see full details including curriculum and instructor info

When you click Enroll or any protected action, the platform will prompt you to log in or create an account.

Ready to get started? Creating an account is free and takes less than 2 minutes. See Creating Your Account for step-by-step instructions.

Creating Your Account

Creating an account on YNET StudyHub is free and gives you access to courses, study materials, AI tools, and the learning community.

Step-by-Step Registration

Step 1 - Go to the Registration Page

Click Register in the top navigation bar, or go to /register.

Step 2 - Fill in Your Details

Complete the registration form with the following information:

Step 3 - Agree to Terms

Check the box to agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy before creating your account.

Step 4 - Click "Create Account"

Click the Create Account (or Register) button to submit your form.

Step 5 - Verify Your Email

After registering, you will receive a verification email. Click the link inside to confirm your email address.

Tip: If you don't see the verification email, check your spam/junk folder. You can also request a new verification link from the login page.

Sign Up with Google

You can also create an account instantly using your Google account - no password needed.

1. On the registration or login page, click Continue with Google
2. Select your Google account
3. Grant the requested permissions
4. You will be automatically logged in and your account is created

After Registration

Once your account is confirmed, you will be taken to your Dashboard where you can:

• Complete your profile
• Browse and enroll in courses
• Explore study materials
• Set your learning preferences

Account Types

When you register, you start as a standard Student account. If you need an Instructor or Organization account, contact the platform administrator or select the appropriate option during onboarding.

Logging In

Sign in to your YNET StudyHub account to access your courses, materials, and personalized learning experience.

Standard Login

Step 1 - Go to the Login Page

Click Login in the top navigation bar, or go to /login.

Step 2 - Enter Your Credentials

Enter the email address and password you used when registering.

Step 3 - Click "Sign In"

Click the Sign In button. If your credentials are correct, you will be taken to your dashboard.

Login with Google

If you registered with Google or want to use Google Single Sign-On:

1. Click Continue with Google on the login page
2. Choose your Google account
3. You will be logged in automatically

Staying Logged In

Check the Remember Me box on the login form to stay signed in on that device. This is useful on personal computers but avoid this on shared or public computers.

Forgot Your Password?

If you can't remember your password:

1. Click Forgot Password? on the login page
2. Enter your registered email address
3. Click Send Reset Link
4. Check your email for a password reset link
5. Click the link and enter a new password

Note: Password reset links expire after 60 minutes. If yours has expired, request a new one.

Login Issues

Two-Factor Authentication

For added security, you can enable two-factor authentication (2FA) from your Account Security settings. Once enabled, you will be asked for a verification code after entering your password.

Logging Out

Always log out when you're done - especially on shared or public devices.

How to Log Out

Method 1 - From the Navigation Bar

1. Click your profile avatar or name in the top-right corner of any page
2. A dropdown menu will appear
3. Click Log Out

You will be immediately signed out and redirected to the homepage.

Method 2 - From the Profile Page

1. Go to your Profile or Settings page
2. Scroll to the bottom
3. Click the Log Out button

After Logging Out

• You will be redirected to the homepage
• Your session data is cleared
• Your progress and settings are automatically saved before logout

Logging Out of All Sessions

If you think your account has been accessed from another device, you can log out of all active sessions at once:

1. Go to Settings > Security
2. Find the Browser Sessions section
3. Click Log Out Other Browser Sessions
4. Confirm with your password

Security Tip: If you're on a public or shared computer, always log out after your session and clear your browser's cookies and cache.

Profile & Settings

Your profile is your identity on YNET StudyHub. Keep it up to date so instructors and peers can recognize you, and so your certificates display the correct information.

Viewing Your Profile

Click your name or avatar in the top navigation, then select Profile. Your public profile shows:

• Profile photo
• Full name
• Bio/About section
• Learning statistics (courses completed, streak, badges)
• Public activity

Editing Your Profile

Step 1 - Open Profile Settings

Go to Profile > Edit Profile or navigate to /user/profile.

Step 2 - Update Your Information

Step 3 - Save Changes

Click Save Profile to apply your changes.

Notification Preferences

Control what emails and in-app notifications you receive:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications
2. Toggle on/off:
   • Course updates and new lessons
   • Forum replies and mentions
   • Messages from other users
   • Platform announcements
   • Weekly learning digest

Theme & Display Settings

Customize how the platform looks:

1. Go to Settings > Appearance
2. Choose between Light Mode and Dark Mode
3. Select your preferred language

Privacy Settings

Control who can see your profile and activity:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy
2. Set profile visibility: Public, Registered Users Only, or Private
3. Control whether your activity feed is visible to others

Account Security

Keep your YNET StudyHub account secure by regularly reviewing your security settings.

Changing Your Password

1. Go to Settings > Security (or /user/profile → Security tab)
2. Find the Change Password section
3. Enter your current password
4. Enter your new password (min. 8 characters)
5. Confirm the new password
6. Click Update Password

Password Tips:

• Use at least 12 characters
• Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
• Don't reuse passwords from other websites
• Use a password manager for best security

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. After enabling it, you'll need both your password and a code from your phone to log in.

Enabling 2FA

1. Go to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication
2. Click Enable Two-Factor Authentication
3. Scan the QR code with an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy, etc.)
4. Enter the 6-digit code shown in your app to confirm setup
5. Save your recovery codes in a safe place

Disabling 2FA

1. Go to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication
2. Click Disable and confirm with your password

Active Browser Sessions

See all devices where your account is currently signed in:

1. Go to Settings > Security > Browser Sessions
2. Each session shows the device type, browser, location, and last activity time
3. Click Log Out Other Browser Sessions to end all sessions except your current one

Account Activity Log

Review recent activity on your account to detect unauthorized access:

1. Go to Settings > Activity
2. See a log of logins, profile changes, and key account events

Suspicious activity? If you see logins you don't recognize, immediately change your password and enable 2FA, then contact support.

Deleting Your Account

If you wish to permanently delete your YNET StudyHub account, follow the steps below. Please note that this action is irreversible.

Before You Delete

Before deleting your account, consider:

• All your enrolled courses and progress will be permanently lost
• Your certificates and achievements cannot be recovered
• Any materials or content you created will be removed
• Your subscription will be cancelled immediately (no refund for remaining period)
• Your messages, forum posts, and community contributions will be deleted

Alternative: If you're having an issue with the platform, consider contacting support first. If you just need a break, you can simply log out - your account will remain intact until you return.

How to Delete Your Account

Step 1 - Go to Settings

Click your profile avatar in the top-right corner, then select Settings, or navigate to /user/profile.

Step 2 - Find Account Deletion

Scroll to the bottom of the settings page and find the Danger Zone or Delete Account section.

Step 3 - Confirm Deletion

1. Click Delete Account
2. A confirmation dialog will appear
3. Read the warning carefully
4. Enter your password to confirm your identity
5. Click Permanently Delete Account

Step 4 - Account is Deleted

After confirming, your account is immediately scheduled for deletion. You will be logged out and redirected to the homepage.

Data Retention

After deletion:

• Most of your personal data is removed within 24 hours
• Some data may be retained for up to 30 days for legal and security reasons as per our Privacy Policy
• Financial transaction records are retained as required by law

Reactivating a Deleted Account

Account deletion is permanent. Once deleted, the account cannot be reactivated. If you wish to use YNET StudyHub again, you will need to create a brand new account.

Need Help?

If you're experiencing issues that made you consider deleting your account, please reach out before making a final decision:

• Visit the Help Center at /help
• Use the Support Chat available at the bottom of every page
• Email us at support@ynetstudyhub.com

Browsing Courses

YNET StudyHub offers courses across multiple levels and subjects. Find the right course for your learning goals.

Accessing the Course Catalog

Click Courses in the top navigation bar to open the course catalog. You can browse without logging in.

Course Levels

The platform organizes courses into several levels:

Filtering and Searching Courses

By Category

Use the left sidebar to filter courses by:

• Subject (Mathematics, Science, Languages, etc.)
• Level (Primary, High School, University, etc.)
• Duration
• Price (Free, Paid, Premium)

Searching for a Specific Course

Use the search bar at the top of the catalog to find courses by name, keyword, or topic.

Sorting Results

Sort the course list by:

• Newest - most recently published
• Most Popular - highest enrollment
• Highest Rated - best-rated by students
• Price: Low to High or Price: High to Low

Reading a Course Page

Click any course card to open the full course detail page. Here you'll find:

What's on a Course Page

• Title and description - what the course covers
• Instructor name - who created the course
• Curriculum / outline - list of lessons and topics
• Prerequisites - what you should know before starting
• Duration - estimated total learning time
• Price - free, paid, or subscription-only
• Rating - star rating and number of reviews
• Student count - how many learners are enrolled

Sample Lesson Preview

Some courses offer a free preview of the first lesson. Look for the Preview button next to lessons marked as free.

High School Subjects

For high school students, browse by subject through the High School section:

1. Click High School from the navigation or course catalog
2. Choose your form level (Form 1, 2, 3, 4)
3. Select a subject

Professional Courses

Professional courses are career-focused and available under Professional Courses in the catalog.

Tip: Use the Recommendations feature (available after login) to get AI-suggested courses based on your learning history and goals.

Enrolling in a Course

Enrolling gives you full access to a course's lessons, materials, quizzes, and the ability to earn a certificate upon completion.

How to Enroll

Free Courses

1. Open the course detail page
2. Click Enroll Now (or Enroll for Free)
3. If you are not logged in, you will be redirected to the login page first
4. After logging in, click Enroll Now again
5. You are now enrolled - click Start Learning to begin

Paid Courses

1. Open the course detail page
2. Click Enroll Now - you will see the price
3. Click Proceed to Payment
4. Select a payment method (M-Pesa, Card, etc.)
5. Complete payment
6. You will receive a confirmation and be enrolled automatically

Premium/Subscription Courses

Some courses are only available with a premium subscription:

1. Click Enroll Now on a premium course
2. You will be shown subscription plan options
3. Select a plan and complete payment
4. Access is granted immediately across all premium courses

Viewing Your Enrolled Courses

All your enrolled courses are accessible from:

• Dashboard → My Courses
• Navigation → My Learning

Each course card shows:

• Course name and thumbnail
• Progress percentage (e.g., 60% complete)
• Last accessed date
• Continue button to resume

Course Progress Tracking

As you complete lessons, your progress updates automatically:

• Completed lessons are marked with a green checkmark
• The progress bar shows overall course completion percentage
• Your position is saved so you can pick up where you left off

Continuing a Course

1. Go to your Dashboard or My Courses
2. Find the course and click Continue
3. The platform takes you directly to the next lesson

Unenrolling from a Course

To remove a course from your list:

1. Open the course
2. Go to course settings or click Unenroll
3. Confirm the action

Note: For paid courses, unenrolling does not automatically issue a refund. Contact support for refund requests within the allowed period.

Course Completion

When you complete all lessons in a course:

• You receive a completion notification
• A certificate of completion is generated (if enabled for that course)
• The course appears as "Completed" in your dashboard

Learning Materials & Study Units

Beyond courses, YNET StudyHub provides a rich library of standalone study materials - notes, past papers, topic summaries, and more.

What Are Study Units?

Study Units are organized collections of learning content grouped by subject and topic. Each unit may contain:

• Written notes and summaries
• PDF documents
• Videos
• Quizzes
• Past exam papers

Browsing Study Materials

From the Navigation

1. Click Materials or Study in the navigation bar
2. Browse by subject, level, or topic

By Subject or Unit

1. Go to Units in the navigation
2. Filter by subject, level, or institution
3. Click a unit to open it

Accessing a Unit

Click any unit to open the unit detail page:

From here you can:

• Read the unit description and outline
• Access individual topics
• Download attached files
• View linked videos
• Take the unit quiz

Reading a Topic

Within a unit, click any topic to read the full content:

• Use the Previous / Next arrows to move between topics
• Content is formatted for easy reading with headings, bullet points, and diagrams
• Some topics include embedded video explanations

High School Materials

Access curriculum-aligned materials for high school subjects:

1. Click High School in the navigation
2. Select your Form level (1, 2, 3, or 4)
3. Choose a subject
4. Browse available topics and notes

Past Papers

Prepare for exams using official past examination papers:

1. Go to Exam Preparation or search for "past papers"
2. Filter by subject and year
3. Open the paper to read or download it

Saving Materials

Save materials you want to read later:

1. Open any material or unit
2. Click the Bookmark / Save icon
3. Access saved items from My Library in your dashboard

Uploading Your Own Materials

Registered users can upload their own study notes to share with the community:

1. Go to Upload Materials (found in your dashboard or navigation)
2. Select the file (PDF, DOC, PPT supported)
3. Add a title, subject, and description
4. Choose the access level (Public or Private)
5. Click Upload

Tip: Uploaded public materials contribute to the community library and may earn you recognition points.

Document Viewer

Files open directly in the built-in document viewer - no need to download them:

• Navigate pages with Previous / Next
• Zoom in and out
• Download for offline reading
• Use the Read Aloud feature to have the content read to you

Quizzes & Assessments

Test your knowledge, prepare for exams, and track your performance with YNET StudyHub's comprehensive assessment tools.

Types of Assessments

Taking a Unit Quiz

1. Open a study unit
2. Click Take Quiz at the top or bottom of the unit page
3. Read each question carefully and select your answer
4. Click Next to move to the next question
5. Click Submit when done

Quiz Timer

Some quizzes are timed. The countdown timer appears in the top-right corner of the quiz screen. The quiz auto-submits when time runs out.

Viewing Quiz Results

After submitting a quiz:

• Your score is displayed as a percentage and as correct/total questions
• Each question shows whether your answer was correct (green) or incorrect (red)
• The correct answer and an explanation are shown for wrong answers
• You can see a summary of your performance

Exam Preparation Mode

For serious exam practice:

1. Click Exam Preparation in the navigation
2. Select a subject
3. Choose the number of questions and time limit
4. Start the mock exam
5. At the end, receive a full performance analysis

Practice Questions by Subject

Practice subject-specific questions at your own pace:

1. Go to Practice > select a subject
2. Questions appear one at a time
3. Choose your answer and see instant feedback
4. Track your performance per topic

CDACC Past Papers

Access past papers from the CDACC (Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council):

1. Navigate to CDACC Past Papers in the study materials
2. Filter by year and subject
3. Open the paper in the document viewer or download it

Question Bank

Some courses and units include a question bank you can draw from for additional practice:

• Filter by topic, difficulty, or question type
• Bookmark questions to revisit
• Track which questions you've answered correctly

Performance Analytics

Track how you're performing over time:

1. Go to Dashboard > My Performance (or Grades)
2. See your quiz history, average scores, and improvement over time
3. Identify your weak areas to focus your study

Tip: Use the AI Study Coach to get personalized recommendations based on your quiz performance.

AI-Powered Study Tools

YNET StudyHub integrates powerful AI tools to help you learn faster, understand better, and prepare more effectively for exams.

Ask AI (AI Chat)

Get instant answers to your academic questions from our AI assistant.

Using Ask AI

1. Click Ask AI in the navigation bar (or go to /askai)
2. Type your question in the chat input
3. Press Enter or click Send
4. The AI responds with a detailed explanation

What You Can Ask

• Explain concepts from any subject
• Solve math problems step by step
• Summarize notes or passages
• Get definitions and explanations
• Ask follow-up questions in a conversation thread

Chat History

All your AI conversations are saved. Access them via Chat History in the AI menu:

AI Study Coach

The Study Coach gives you personalized learning guidance based on your progress and goals.

1. Go to Study Coach from the AI menu
2. Set your learning goals and exam dates
3. The coach creates a personalized study plan
4. Follow daily recommendations and track your progress

AI Note Generation

Generate organized study notes from any topic automatically:

1. Open a unit or topic
2. Click Generate Notes
3. The AI creates structured, readable notes from the content
4. Save or download the generated notes

AI Summary

Condense long documents or readings into a concise summary:

1. Open a document or upload one
2. Click Generate Summary
3. Receive a structured summary with key points

PDF Read Aloud

Have any PDF read aloud to you using text-to-speech:

1. Go to PDF Read Aloud from the tools menu
2. Upload or select a PDF
3. Click Play to hear the content read aloud
4. Adjust reading speed and pause/resume as needed

AI Question Generator

Generate custom quiz questions from any study material:

1. Open a unit or topic
2. Click Generate Questions
3. Choose the number of questions and difficulty
4. Practice with the generated questions or export them

Math Solver

Get step-by-step solutions to math problems:

1. Go to Math Solver from the AI tools
2. Enter or take a photo of your math problem
3. See a detailed step-by-step solution

Teacher AI

Access subject-specific AI tutors designed for different courses:

1. Browse the Teacher AI section
2. Select a subject teacher (e.g., Math Teacher, Science Teacher)
3. Start a tutoring session with subject-specific guidance

Word Game

Learn vocabulary while having fun with the AI-powered word game:

1. Go to Word Game in the study tools
2. Choose a subject or topic
3. Play vocabulary, spelling, or definition matching games

Premium users get unlimited AI interactions. Free users have a daily usage limit. Upgrade via the Pricing page.

Certificates & Achievements

Earn certificates when you complete courses and track your achievements as you progress through your learning journey.

Course Completion Certificates

When you complete all lessons in a certificate-enabled course, you automatically receive a Certificate of Completion.

What's on the Certificate

• Your full name (as set in your profile)
• Course name and a brief description
• Completion date
• Instructor name
• Platform seal and verification code

Important: Make sure your full name in your profile is correct before completing a course, as this name will appear on your certificate.

How to Get Your Certificate

1. Complete all lessons in a course
2. Pass any required final assessments
3. Go to your Dashboard > My Certificates
4. Find the certificate and click Download (PDF)

Downloading a Certificate

1. Go to Dashboard > Certificates
2. Click Download PDF next to the certificate you want
3. Save the PDF to your device

Sharing Your Certificate

You can share certificates on social media or add them to your professional profile:

1. Open the certificate
2. Click Share and choose your platform (LinkedIn, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, etc.)
3. Or copy the verification link to share directly

Verifying a Certificate

Each certificate has a unique verification code. Anyone can verify its authenticity:

1. Go to the platform's certificate verification page
2. Enter the verification code
3. The certificate details are displayed, confirming it is genuine

Leaderboard & Streaks

Stay motivated with the platform's gamification features:

Learning Streak

A streak tracks how many consecutive days you have studied. Log in and complete at least one learning activity daily to maintain your streak.

• Streaks reset to zero if you miss a day
• Use a Streak Freeze (available from the shop) to protect your streak for one missed day

Leaderboard

Compare your learning progress with other students:

1. Go to Leaderboard from the dashboard
2. See rankings by points, streaks, or course completions
3. Weekly and all-time leaderboard views available

Points & Badges

Earn points by:

• Completing lessons
• Finishing quizzes
• Maintaining your streak
• Participating in the community
• Uploading materials

Redeem points toward subscription benefits via Redeem Points in your profile.

File Manager

The File Manager is your personal cloud storage within YNET StudyHub. Store, organize, and access your study files from anywhere.

Accessing the File Manager

Click File Manager in your dashboard or navigation menu. You will see:

• Folders panel on the left
• Files grid on the right showing the contents of the selected folder
• Toolbar at the top with upload, create folder, and other actions

Uploading Files

Single File Upload

1. Click Upload File in the toolbar
2. Browse and select a file from your device (or drag and drop)
3. The file uploads and appears in the current folder

Supported File Types

Creating Folders

Keep your files organized with folders:

1. Click Create Folder in the toolbar
2. Enter a name for the folder
3. Click Create

Managing Files

Renaming

Right-click a file and select Rename, or click the file menu (three dots) and choose Rename.

Moving Files

Drag a file from the grid and drop it into a folder in the left panel.

Deleting Files

1. Select one or more files (click to select, Ctrl+click for multiple)
2. Click Delete in the toolbar or right-click > Delete
3. Confirm deletion

Note: Deleted files are permanently removed. There is no recycle bin.

Private Folders

Store sensitive or personal files in your Private Folder - only you can see these files.

1. Click Private Folder in the file manager sidebar
2. Uploaded files here are not visible to anyone else

Sharing Files

Share a file with other platform users:

1. Right-click a file and select Share
2. Search for users to share with, or generate a shareable link
3. Set permissions: View only or Download

Searching Files

Use the Search bar in the file manager to find files by name:

Storage Usage

View your storage usage at the bottom of the file manager:

Upgrade your plan from the Pricing page to get more storage.

Community & Forums

Connect with fellow learners, ask questions, share knowledge, and discuss topics in the YNET StudyHub community.

Community Q&A

The Community Q&A is the main hub where students ask academic and platform-related questions and get answers from peers and instructors.

Asking a Question

1. Go to Community in the navigation
2. Click Ask a Question
3. Type a clear, specific question title
4. Add details in the description field
5. Select relevant tags/subjects
6. Click Post Question

Answering Questions

1. Browse open questions in the community feed
2. Click on a question to open it
3. Scroll to the answer box at the bottom
4. Type your answer and click Submit Answer

Voting on Answers

Help the best answers rise to the top:

• Click the thumbs up icon on a helpful answer to upvote it
• The question author can mark one answer as Accepted

Discussion Threads

Start or join subject-based discussions:

1. Go to Community > Discussions
2. Browse existing threads or click New Discussion
3. Choose a topic category and write your post
4. Other members can reply

Forums

The Forum section provides structured discussion boards organized by subject and institution:

1. Click Forum in the navigation
2. Browse forum categories (e.g., Mathematics, Science, Languages)
3. Open a thread to read and reply
4. Start a new thread by clicking New Thread

Messaging

Send private messages to other registered users:

Sending a Message

1. Click the Messages icon in the top navigation bar
2. Click New Message
3. Search for the user by name or username
4. Type your message and click Send

Reading Messages

• Unread messages show a badge count on the message icon
• Click the icon to open the message center
• Select a conversation to read and reply

Finding and Connecting with Other Users

Search for Users

1. Go to Community > Find People or use the people search
2. Search by name, username, or subject interest
3. Click a profile to view it

Friend Requests

Connect with peers by sending a friend request:

1. Open a user's profile
2. Click Add Friend or Connect
3. They will receive a notification to accept or decline
4. Once accepted, you appear in each other's friends list

Friends List

View your connected friends:

1. Go to your Profile > Friends
2. See all accepted friends
3. View pending sent and received friend requests

Community Guidelines

To maintain a positive learning environment:

• Be respectful and constructive
• Stay on topic for each forum or discussion
• Do not share copyrighted content without permission
• No spam, advertising, or self-promotion without approval
• Report inappropriate content using the Report button on any post

Violations may result in content removal or account suspension.

Online Shop & Payments

Browse and purchase educational books, resources, and digital products from the YNET StudyHub shop.

Browsing the Shop

1. Click Shop in the navigation bar
2. Browse available products by category:
   • Textbooks and reference books
   • Study guides
   • Digital course packages
   • Study materials bundles

Viewing a Product

Click on any product to see:

• Full title and description
• Author/Publisher
• Preview pages (if available)
• Price
• Customer reviews and ratings

Adding to Cart

1. Open a product page
2. Click Add to Cart
3. A cart icon with an item count appears in the top navigation

Managing Your Cart

1. Click the Cart icon in the navigation
2. Review your items:
   • See each item's name and price
   • Adjust quantity if needed
   • Remove items you no longer want
3. See the subtotal at the bottom

Checkout Process

1. Click Proceed to Checkout from your cart
2. Confirm your delivery details (for physical products) or email (for digital products)
3. Select a payment method
4. Complete payment
5. Receive an order confirmation email

Payment Methods

YNET StudyHub supports multiple payment options:

Paying via M-Pesa

1. Select M-Pesa at checkout
2. Enter your M-Pesa phone number
3. Click Pay Now
4. You will receive an STK Push notification on your phone
5. Enter your M-Pesa PIN to complete payment
6. You will see a success confirmation on screen

Order History

View your past orders:

1. Go to Profile > Orders or navigate to /orders
2. See all past purchases with date, item, and status
3. Click an order to see full details and download your receipt

Invoices and Receipts

Download receipts for your purchases:

1. Go to Orders > select an order
2. Click Download Invoice
3. A PDF invoice is saved to your device

Refund Policy

• Digital products: Refunds are available within 7 days if the product is faulty or not as described
• Physical books: Return within 14 days in original condition
• Contact support at the Help Center to initiate a refund

Subscriptions & Premium

Upgrade your YNET StudyHub account to unlock advanced features, unlimited AI access, and premium course content.

Subscription Plans

Free Plan

The free plan is available to everyone who creates an account.

Includes:

• Browse and enroll in free courses
• Access basic study materials
• Limited AI interactions (10 per day)
• Community forum access
• 1 GB file storage

Premium Plan

Upgrade for a richer learning experience.

Includes everything in Free, plus:

• Unlimited access to all premium courses
• Unlimited AI tool usage
• Advanced quiz and exam preparation tools
• 50 GB file storage
• Priority support
• Certificate downloads

Professional Plan

For power users and self-paced learners.

Includes everything in Premium, plus:

• Course creation tools (create and publish your own courses)
• Detailed analytics on your learning
• Unlimited file storage
• Advanced community features

Institution Plan

For schools, colleges, and organizations managing multiple learners.

Includes:

• Multi-user account management (up to 500+ users)
• Custom institution branding
• Bulk enrollment tools
• Dedicated account manager
• Advanced reporting dashboard

Upgrading Your Plan

1. Go to Pricing in the navigation or click Upgrade in your dashboard
2. Review the plan options
3. Click Get Started or Upgrade on your chosen plan
4. Complete payment (M-Pesa, Card, etc.)
5. Your account is upgraded immediately

Subscription Billing

• Monthly and Annual billing options available
• Annual plans include a discount (typically 2 months free)
• You will receive an invoice email each billing cycle
• Subscription renews automatically - cancel anytime before the next billing date

Cancelling Your Subscription

1. Go to Settings > Billing or Subscription
2. Click Cancel Subscription
3. Confirm the cancellation

Your premium access continues until the end of the current billing period. After that, your account reverts to the Free plan.

Redeeming Points

Earn platform points by completing courses, maintaining streaks, and contributing to the community. Redeem them for subscription discounts:

1. Go to Profile > Points & Rewards
2. See your current point balance
3. Click Redeem Points and choose a reward
4. Points are deducted and the reward is applied

Family Account

Share a subscription with family members:

1. Go to Settings > Family Account
2. Add family members by email
3. Each member gets their own login and learning profile
4. Manage members from the family account dashboard

Note: Family accounts are available on Premium and Professional plans. Each invited member must create their own YNET StudyHub account to join.

Notifications & Messaging

Stay updated with real-time notifications and communicate directly with other users through the messaging system.

Notifications

Types of Notifications

You receive notifications for:

• New messages from other users
• Replies to your forum posts or questions
• Course updates or new lessons added
• Friend request sent or accepted
• Quiz results and feedback
• Payment confirmations
• Platform announcements
• AI-generated insights or study reminders

Viewing Notifications

1. Click the bell icon in the top navigation bar
2. A dropdown shows your recent notifications
3. Click any notification to be taken to the relevant page

Marking as Read

• Click a notification to mark it as read automatically
• Click Mark All as Read at the top of the notification panel to clear all

Dismissing Notifications

To remove a notification from the list:

• Click the X on the right side of any notification item

Notification Settings

Control which notifications you receive:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications
2. Toggle on/off each notification type
3. Choose between In-App only or In-App + Email

Messaging

Send and receive private messages with other YNET StudyHub users.

Opening the Message Center

1. Click the chat/envelope icon in the top navigation bar
2. Your conversation list opens on the left

Starting a New Conversation

1. Click New Message (pencil/compose icon)
2. Search for the user by name or username
3. Type your message in the text box
4. Press Enter or click Send

Reading and Replying

1. Click a conversation in the list to open it
2. Scroll through the message history
3. Type your reply in the box at the bottom
4. Click Send

Message Features

• Read receipts - see when your message was read
• Emoji reactions - react to messages with emojis
• File attachments - attach images or documents (within file size limits)

Unread Message Count

The message icon in the navigation shows a badge with the number of unread messages. This updates in real-time.

Support Chat

Need help? Use the Support Chat widget:

1. Click the chat bubble icon in the bottom-right corner of any page
2. Type your support question
3. A support agent will respond (or AI will provide initial assistance)

Tip: For urgent issues, use the support chat during business hours (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm EAT) for the fastest response.

Admin - Managing Users

Administrators can view, create, edit, assign roles to, and delete user accounts from the User Management section.

Viewing All Users

1. In the admin panel, click Users in the sidebar
2. A paginated table shows all registered users

User Table Columns

• Name - user's full name
• Email - registered email address
• Role - current role(s) assigned
• Status - active, suspended, or unverified
• Joined Date - when the account was created
• Last Active - most recent login

Filtering and Searching

Use the search bar to find users by name or email. Filter by:

• Role (Student, Instructor, Admin, etc.)
• Status (Active, Suspended, Unverified)
• Registration Date range

Editing a User

1. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) next to a user
2. Update their details: name, email, role, status
3. Click Save Changes

Creating a New User (Admin)

Admins can create user accounts directly:

1. Click Add User (or Create User) button
2. Fill in the required fields:
   • Full Name
   • Email Address
   • Password (or send an invitation email)
   • Role
3. Click Create User

Roles & Permissions

YNET StudyHub uses a role-based access control system:

Assigning a Role

1. Open a user's edit page
2. Find the Role dropdown
3. Select the desired role
4. Click Save

Creating Custom Roles

1. Go to Settings > Roles & Permissions
2. Click Add New Role
3. Enter a role name and description
4. Assign permissions by checking/unchecking from the permissions list
5. Save the role

Suspending a User

To temporarily block a user from accessing the platform:

1. Open the user's edit page
2. Change Status to Suspended
3. Optionally add a suspension reason (visible to support staff)
4. Save changes

The user will see a suspension notice when trying to log in.

Deleting a User

1. Click the Delete button (trash icon) next to a user
2. Confirm the deletion in the dialog
3. The account is permanently removed

Warning: Deleting a user removes all their data, enrollments, and progress permanently. This cannot be undone.

Bulk Actions

Perform actions on multiple users at once:

1. Check the boxes next to users in the table
2. Click Bulk Actions dropdown
3. Choose: Suspend, Delete, Change Role, or Export
4. Confirm the action

Exporting User Data

Export user data for reporting or backup:

1. Click Export above the user table
2. Choose the format (CSV or Excel)
3. Download the file

Admin - Managing Courses

Administrators can oversee all courses on the platform, review instructor submissions, and manage the full course catalog.

Viewing All Courses

1. In the admin panel, click Courses in the sidebar
2. A table lists all courses with:
   • Course title and thumbnail
   • Instructor name
   • Category and level
   • Enrollment count
   • Status (Draft, Published, Archived)
   • Actions (Edit, View, Delete)

Course Statuses

Creating a Course (Admin)

1. Click New Course in the top-right of the courses page
2. Fill in all required fields:
   • Course title and description
   • Category and level
   • Instructor assignment
   • Price (free or paid)
   • Thumbnail image
3. Click Save as Draft or Publish

Editing a Course

1. Click the Edit button next to any course
2. Modify any fields as needed
3. Add or reorder lessons from the curriculum builder
4. Save changes

Curriculum Builder

The curriculum builder lets you organize a course into sections and lessons:

1. Click Add Section to create a chapter
2. Inside a section, click Add Lesson to add content
3. Drag lessons to reorder them
4. Set each lesson as Free Preview or Enrolled Only

Managing Lessons

For each lesson, you can:

• Set a title and description
• Add text content via the rich text editor
• Upload video content
• Attach supplementary files
• Set the lesson as free preview or gated

Publishing and Archiving

To Publish a Course

1. Open the course in the admin panel
2. Change status from Draft to Published
3. Confirm - the course is now live in the catalog

To Archive a Course

1. Open the course
2. Change status to Archived
3. The course disappears from the catalog but enrollment data is preserved

Reviewing Instructor-Submitted Courses

When instructors submit courses for review:

1. A notification appears in the admin dashboard
2. Go to Courses > filter by Pending Review
3. Click Review to inspect the course content
4. Click Approve to publish or Reject with a feedback note

Enrolling Users into a Course (Admin)

To manually enroll a user:

1. Open the course in the admin panel
2. Click Manage Enrollments
3. Search for the user
4. Click Enroll

Deleting a Course

1. Click the Delete button next to a course
2. Confirm in the dialog

Warning: Deleting a course permanently removes all lessons, materials, and enrollment records. Consider archiving instead.

Admin - Content Management

Admins manage all study materials, units, topics, blog posts, and news content from the content management panel.

Managing Study Materials

Viewing All Materials

1. Go to Admin > Materials
2. See all uploaded materials in a searchable table
3. Filter by type, subject, level, or uploader

Uploading Materials (Admin)

1. Click Upload Materials
2. Select files (PDF, DOC, PPT supported)
3. Fill in metadata: title, subject, level, description
4. Set visibility: Public or Restricted
5. Click Upload

Editing or Deleting Materials

• Click Edit to update title, description, or metadata
• Click Delete to permanently remove a material

Managing Study Units

Units are organized groups of study topics. Admins can create, edit, and delete units.

Viewing Units

Go to Admin > Units to see all units in a table with subject, level, topic count, and status.

Creating a New Unit

1. Click New Unit
2. Enter the unit name, subject, level, and description
3. Optionally attach an image/thumbnail
4. Click Save

Adding Topics to a Unit

1. Open a unit in the admin panel
2. Click Add Topic
3. Enter the topic title and content (rich text editor)
4. Optionally attach videos or files
5. Save the topic

Importing Units in Bulk

Admins can import multiple units via a spreadsheet:

1. Go to Units > Import
2. Download the CSV template
3. Fill in the template with unit data
4. Upload the file
5. Review the import preview and confirm

Managing Blog Posts

The blog allows admins and authorized content creators to publish articles.

Viewing All Posts

Go to Admin > Blog to see all published and draft blog posts.

Creating a Blog Post

1. Click New Post
2. Write the title and content in the rich text editor
3. Add a featured image
4. Choose a category
5. Set status to Draft or Published
6. Click Save

Managing Blog Categories

1. Go to Blog > Categories
2. Add, edit, or delete categories
3. Categories help organize posts for readers

Managing News Articles

Post platform announcements and news updates:

1. Go to Admin > News
2. Click New Article
3. Enter title, body, and optional image
4. Publish immediately or schedule for later
5. Published articles appear on the News page accessible to all users

Platform Pages

Edit static platform pages (About, Terms, Privacy Policy):

1. Go to Admin > Pages
2. Select the page to edit
3. Update content using the page editor
4. Save changes - updates are live immediately

Managing Announcements

Send platform-wide announcements that appear as notifications to all users:

1. Go to Admin > Announcements
2. Click New Announcement
3. Write the message, set an expiry date
4. Choose audience: All Users, Students Only, or Instructors Only
5. Click Broadcast

Admin - Analytics & Reports

Gain deep insights into platform performance, user behavior, financial health, and content engagement through the analytics dashboard.

Accessing Analytics

1. In the admin panel, click Analytics in the sidebar
2. The main analytics overview loads with key performance indicators

User Analytics

Active Users

Track how many users are active over time:

• Daily Active Users (DAU) - unique users who logged in each day
• Monthly Active Users (MAU) - unique users over the past 30 days
• New Registrations - new accounts created per period

User Engagement

See how users interact with the platform:

• Average session duration
• Most visited pages
• Device types (mobile vs. desktop)
• Geographic distribution of users

Learning Analytics

Course Performance

View how each course is performing:

1. Go to Analytics > Courses
2. See enrollment counts, completion rates, and average quiz scores per course

Completion Rates

Track what percentage of enrolled students finish each course:

Quiz and Assessment Data

• Average scores per quiz
• Most missed questions
• Score distributions

Financial Reports

Revenue Dashboard

Go to Analytics > Revenue:

• Total revenue (all time, this month, today)
• Revenue by course, product, or subscription type
• Payment method breakdown (M-Pesa vs. Card vs. Other)

Expense Tracking

Admins with finance access can track expenses:

1. Go to Accounting > Expenses
2. Add new expenses with category, amount, and date
3. View expense trends and totals over time

Income Sources

Track all income streams:

1. Go to Accounting > Income
2. Add new income records
3. View income vs. expense comparison

Invoices & Payments

View all payment transactions:

• Filter by date, amount, method, and status
• Download individual invoices
• Export transaction data to Excel or CSV

Marketing Analytics

Track the performance of marketing activities:

• Campaign click-through rates
• Lead conversion rates
• Newsletter open and click rates
• Traffic sources (organic, referral, direct)

Generating Reports

Create custom reports for specific date ranges and metrics:

1. Go to Analytics > Reports
2. Select the Report Type (Users, Revenue, Courses, etc.)
3. Set the Date Range
4. Click Generate Report
5. Download as PDF or Excel

E-commerce Dashboard

Manage online shop performance:

1. Go to Admin > E-commerce Dashboard
2. See order volume, top-selling products, and cart abandonment rates

Exporting Data

Export all analytics data for external analysis:

1. Open any analytics section
2. Click Export in the top-right
3. Choose your format (CSV, XLSX, PDF)
4. Download the file

Admin - Marketing Tools

The marketing module helps administrators run campaigns, manage leads, send newsletters, and track the performance of marketing activities.

Marketing Dashboard

Go to Admin > Marketing to access the marketing hub:

• Overview of active campaigns
• Total leads and conversion rate
• Email open rates and click rates
• Recent marketing activity

Managing Campaigns

Viewing Campaigns

1. Go to Marketing > Campaigns
2. See all campaigns with name, status, start date, reach, and results

Creating a Campaign

1. Click New Campaign
2. Fill in:
   • Campaign name and description
   • Target audience (all users, students, by region, etc.)
   • Start and end dates
   • Campaign type (Email, In-App, SMS)
   • Message or content
3. Click Save or Launch

Editing and Pausing Campaigns

• Click Edit to modify a campaign before it ends
• Click Pause to temporarily stop a running campaign
• Click Resume to restart a paused campaign

Lead Management

Capture and manage potential students and partners:

Viewing Leads

1. Go to Marketing > Leads
2. See all leads with name, email, source, status, and date added

Adding Leads Manually

1. Click Add Lead
2. Enter name, email, phone, source, and notes
3. Click Save

Lead Statuses

Exporting Leads

1. Go to Leads > Export
2. Choose format (CSV or Excel)
3. Download for use in CRM or email tools

Email Marketing

Viewing Email Campaigns

Go to Marketing > Emails to see all email campaigns.

Creating an Email Campaign

1. Click New Email
2. Enter:
   • Subject line
   • From name and email
   • Recipient group (all users, premium only, students, etc.)
   • Email body (rich text or HTML template)
3. Click Preview to see how it looks
4. Click Send Now or Schedule

Email Templates

Use pre-built templates for faster campaign creation:

1. Go to Emails > Templates
2. Choose a template (Welcome, Promotional, Announcement, etc.)
3. Customize the text and images
4. Save as a new campaign

Newsletter Management

Manage newsletter subscribers:

1. Go to Marketing > Newsletter
2. See subscriber list, subscribe and unsubscribe history
3. Send a newsletter to all current subscribers

Marketing Reports

Track your overall marketing performance:

1. Go to Marketing > Reports
2. Select date range
3. View:
   • Campaign performance summary
   • Lead conversion funnel
   • Email engagement metrics
   • Traffic sources

SMS Marketing

Send targeted SMS notifications:

1. Go to Marketing > SMS
2. Compose your message (max 160 characters)
3. Select recipients
4. Click Send

Note: SMS campaigns require SMS credits. Contact the platform administrator to top up SMS credits.

Instructor Guide

As an instructor on YNET StudyHub, you can create and publish courses, manage student enrollments, upload learning materials, and track your students' progress.

Getting Instructor Access

Instructor accounts are granted by an administrator. To request instructor access:

1. Log in to your regular account
2. Go to Profile > Settings
3. Click Apply for Instructor Access
4. Fill in your qualifications and the subjects you'd like to teach
5. Submit your application - an admin will review and grant access

Instructor Dashboard

Once you have instructor access, a dedicated Instructor section appears in your navigation:

Creating a Course

Step 1 - Start a New Course

1. Go to Instructor > My Courses
2. Click Create New Course

Step 2 - Fill in Course Details

Step 3 - Build the Curriculum

1. Click Go to Curriculum
2. Add Sections (chapters) to organize the course
3. Within each section, add Lessons
4. For each lesson:
   • Add a title and description
   • Upload a video, attach a document, or write text content
   • Mark lessons as Free Preview if you want potential students to sample them

Step 4 - Submit for Review

When you're satisfied with the course:

1. Click Submit for Review
2. An admin reviews the course content
3. Once approved, it is published to the catalog

Managing Your Courses

From Instructor > My Courses:

• See all your courses (drafts and published)
• Click Edit to modify any course
• Click View Stats to see enrollment and completion data

Uploading Study Materials

Share supplementary study materials with your students:

1. Go to Instructor > Materials
2. Click Upload Material
3. Select the file and fill in title, subject, unit link
4. Click Upload

Viewing Student Progress

Track how your students are progressing:

1. Go to Instructor > Students
2. Select a course to see enrolled students
3. For each student, see:
   • Lessons completed
   • Quiz scores
   • Time spent on the course
   • Last activity date

Issuing Certificates

For courses with certificate generation enabled:

1. Go to Instructor > My Courses > select a course
2. Click Certificates
3. Certificates are auto-issued to students who complete the course and pass requirements

To manually issue a certificate:

1. Find the student in the students list
2. Click Issue Certificate
3. The student receives a notification and can download their certificate

Instructor Analytics

View detailed analytics for your courses:

1. Go to Instructor > Analytics
2. See:
   • Total enrollments across all courses
   • Completion rates per course
   • Average quiz scores
   • Revenue earned (if you have paid courses)

Responding to Student Questions

Students can leave questions or comments on lessons. Respond directly:

1. Go to Instructor > Questions & Comments
2. See all unanswered questions from your students
3. Click a question to respond

Education Content Sources

YNetStudyHub can pull openly-licensed, legal study material from external providers — free textbooks, encyclopedia articles, book catalogs and educational videos. You choose which sources are active and (where required) supply an API key, all from the admin dashboard.

Where to find it

Sign in as an administrator or developer, then in the sidebar open Developer → Education Content, or go directly to /admin/education-content.

Available sources

Three of the four sources work immediately with no credentials. OpenStax is the recommended default because its content is fully reusable (you may store, edit and redistribute it) as long as you keep the attribution.

Configuring sources

1. Enable / disable a source — use the toggle on each provider card. Any combination can be active at once.
2. Primary (preferred) source — pick the source used first when a single best result is needed. Defaults to OpenStax.
3. YouTube Data API Key — only required if you enable YouTube (see below). Leave blank otherwise.
4. Click Save Settings. Changes apply instantly — no restart.

Use Test Primary Source to confirm the selected provider is reachable before saving.

Getting a free YouTube API key

YouTube needs a key (it has a generous free daily quota):

1. Open the Google Cloud Console.
2. Create a project (or pick an existing one).
3. Under APIs & Services → Library, enable YouTube Data API v3.
4. Under Credentials, create an API key.
5. Paste it into the YouTube Data API Key field and enable the YouTube toggle, then Save.

How credentials are stored

Settings live in the education_content_settings table and are cached for one hour. They are read through EducationContentResolver, which falls back to the .env value YOUTUBE_API_KEY if no key has been saved in the dashboard — so nothing breaks before you configure it.

Using the content (for developers)

Fetch normalized, attributed results from all enabled sources:

use App\Services\EducationContentService;

$results = app(EducationContentService::class)->search('photosynthesis', 6);

Each result is an array:

[
    'title'       => 'Concepts of Biology',
    'description' => 'Introductory biology textbook…',
    'url'         => 'https://openstax.org/…',
    'thumbnail'   => null,
    'source'      => 'OpenStax',
    'type'        => 'textbook',
    'license'     => 'CC BY 4.0',
]

Always preserve and display the source, url and license fields. CC BY / CC BY-SA content is free to reuse with attribution — keeping these values is what makes that use legal.

Only sources enabled in the dashboard are queried; if a provider call fails it is skipped and logged, so one source being down never breaks the others.