Overview

The Sequencing Control Modes are an important factor in the sequencing of content. With control modes, the Content Developer is able to interpret the sequencing information from the Instructional Designer into a technical format that will affect how requests for navigation are applied to learning content.

Sequencing Control Modes

The Sequencing Control Modes allow the Content Developer to affect how the navigation requests are applied to the content and the processing of sequencing requests. Sequencing Control Modes are used to:

  • Restrict processing of invalid navigation requests.
  • Sequence requested subprocesses to affect how activities will be identified for delivery.
  • Determine how tracking status information is to be utilized for evaluating sequencing and rollup rules.

Description of Sequencing Control Modes

The following table gives a description of the various control modes. Combinations of the modes can be enabled on an activity at the same time to create various different control modes.

Choice

Choice means that the learner is free to choose any activity, in any order, without restrictions. In this example, the learner enters the activity and may choose any of the defined child activities (Content A, Content B or Content C).

Default Behavior of the Choice Mode

This is a depiction of the default behavior for the choice element. In this mode, the learner will be able to choose any of the activities, without restriction.

Choice with Flow Enabled

When a learner chooses a cluster activity, if Choice with Flow is enabled, they will navigate to the first available leaf of the activity. This includes the children of the activity.

Choice with Flow Disabled

Choice with Flow Disabled prevents child activities from being delivered when a learner chooses a cluster. In the graphic, no content will be delivered to the learner if they choose Activity B because the sequencing flow has been set to False.

In this case, the only way the learner can experience a child of Activity B is to directly choose one of them. Activities 1, 2 and 3 of Activity B should be made available to the learner through an LMS provided table of contents.

Choice Exit

If Choice Exit is set to True, the learner may choose any activities that would cause the current attempt on the activity to end. For example, Activity B has Choice Exit = True. If the learner is experiencing Activity 3 (or any other child of Activity B), then the learner could choose Activity 1, causing the current attempt on Activity B to end

Control Mode Flow

In a Control Flow mode, the learner has the ability to flow forward or backward through the cluster’s activities.

Sequencing Control Flow Forward Only

In a Forward Only mode (Sequencing Control Forward Only is set to True), the learner is only permitted to flow forward in the cluster’s child activites.

Use Current Attempt

Use Current Attempt Objective Status

The Use Current Attempt Objective Status indicates how the Objective Progress Information, as defined in the Tracking Model, for the children of the activities will be used during the sequencing behaviors. The default value is set to True. If the value is set to False, the LMS will use the Objective Progress Information from the last attempt on the content. This element has no effect when defined on a leaf activity.

Use Current Attempt Progress Status

The Use Current Attempt Progress Status designates how Attempt Progress Information for the children will be managed and used during the sequencing behaviors. The default value is set to True. If the element is defined as False, the LMS will use the Attempt Progress Information from the last attempt on the content. This element has no effect when defined on a leaf activity.

Conclusion

The Sequencing Control modes allow the Content Developer to interpret the intentions of the Instructional Designer by implementing the various technical aspects. By using Choice, Choice Exit, Flow, Forward Only and the two Use Current Attempt elements, Objective Status and Progress Status, the learner will be able to navigate through the content in the set instructional sequencing strategy determined by the designer.