Tiles are the fundamental building blocks of every page in Mindsmith. Each tile represents a single piece of content—text, media, interactivity, or logic. You can stack them together, rearrange them, and mix different types to shape each page around your learning goals.
Every lesson you create is ultimately a collection of tiles, each serving a unique role in how information is presented and experienced. Some tiles are best for explanation, others for practice, and others for testing knowledge. By combining them in the right way, you can design lessons that are clear, engaging, and effective.
This guide gives you a broad overview of tile categories, what they do, and when to use them. For deeper dives into specific tiles, we’ll link to sub-articles and tutorials.
Text Tiles
Text tiles provide structure and clarity. They’re the foundation of most lessons, giving you the ability to explain, organize, and guide learners through ideas.
Text – Add core explanations or instructions that move the lesson forward.
Title & Headings – Set the stage and break content into clear, navigable sections.
Subheading, Line Break, Spacer – Fine-tune layout and flow so learners aren’t overwhelmed.
Section Marker – Define major divisions across your lesson.
Quote & Note – Spotlight key insights or provide helpful asides.
Table & List – Present structured information in digestible formats.
Code – Share technical examples in a clean, readable way.
When text tiles are used thoughtfully, they make complex lessons approachable. A lesson that feels overwhelming in long paragraphs becomes digestible when organized into sections with clear headings, quotes that highlight takeaways, and notes that call out “don’t miss this” insights.
Media Tiles
Media tiles bring lessons to life with visuals and sound, making abstract ideas tangible.
Image & Image Carousel – Add single visuals or swipeable galleries to illustrate concepts.
Video & Audio – Embed or upload demonstrations, walkthroughs, or narration.
File Download – Provide learners with supporting resources they can keep.
Embed – Pull in external content, from slides to interactive web tools.
Media tiles make learning more dynamic. A well-placed video can demonstrate a process that would take paragraphs to explain, while an image carousel can walk learners through steps in a workflow. Combined with accessibility features like alt text and subtitles, media tiles also ensure your lessons reach every learner.
💡 Learn more about one of our most powerful tiles, Editable Video (Tiles to Know: Videos)
Question Tiles
Question tiles move learners from passive to active engagement. They’re essential for reinforcing knowledge and measuring understanding.
Multiple Choice & Select Multiple – Check recall of facts or test nuanced understanding.
Short Answer – Encourage learners to articulate ideas in their own words.
Matching & Ranking – Reinforce associations or help learners think about order and priority.
Chart – Ask learners to interpret and analyze data.
Questions are an excellent opportunity to create learning through practice. For example, a short answer tile after a case study helps learners apply ideas immediately, while a ranking tile in a leadership module pushes them to consider priorities in decision-making.
Question tiles can be graded. To learn more, visit our [Grading Options] and [Building Practice and Assessments] help articles.
Interactive Tiles
Interactive tiles transform lessons from static reading into hands-on exploration. These tiles are especially powerful when you want learners to apply concepts and practice decision-making.
Flashcards & Flashcards Carousel – Reinforce key terms through repetition and recall.
Buttons – Create branching choices so learners chart their own path.
Accordion & Tabs – Organize information so learners expand details as they need them.
Process & Timeline – Visualize sequences, workflows, or historical progressions.
Hot Button & Sorting – Engage learners with clickable images or classification activities.
Chart – Turn data into an interactive learning opportunity.
Scenario (Beta) – Role-play decisions and see outcomes in branching simulations.
Video (Beta) – Generate explainer videos with AI or embed/upload your own seamlessly.
Interactive tiles create stickier learning. Instead of just reading about a process, learners can walk through it step by step. Rather than only hearing about a customer scenario, they can experience it through branching choices that mirror real-world consequences.
Putting It All Together
Strong lessons weave together multiple tile types. For example:
Begin with a short video to spark curiosity.
Use headings and text tiles to explain the core concept.
Add an image carousel to break down steps visually.
Follow with practice questions to reinforce learning.
End with an interactive scenario where learners apply what they’ve learned in context.
Because tiles are flexible, you can adapt lessons to fit your audience and goals—whether that’s a quick five-minute refresher or an in-depth training program.