An Orientation should situate the learner and provide a state of play: where are they in the course journey; what will they learn next and how it connects to what they've learnt already; and most importantly, why they are going to learn the next topic. The orientation can be part of a broader narative of the course, but that can be challenging and simple for courses that deal with complex material. In most situations, you should think of the orientation as a road sign – so make it clear, short and valuable for the journey ahead.