Why Use Task Navigation (Progress Bar Header) for Modules?

Our strategic networks of the brain (the "how" of learning) help build capacity for executive functioning skills. Harvard University defines executive functioning skills as:

...the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses.

Take a moment to look at the list below from Understood.org. Do any of your students show signs of executive functioning challenges?

- trouble starting or completing tasks
- difficulty prioritizing tasks
- forgot what they just read or heard
- trouble following directions or a sequence of steps
- have trouble managing their time

If so, implementing checkpoints from the UDL Guidelines can help! New to UDL? No worries. In short, the progress bar header helps to support the following guidelines/checkpoints based on neuroscience research.

UDL Principle: Action & Expression

＋Guideline: Executive Function

✔ Checkpoint: Facilitate managing information and resources

✔ Checkpoint: Support planning and strategy development

Teacher Tips for Using a Progress Bar Header for Modules

The teacher guide below shares tips and tricks to help you get the most out of this resource. You will also see notes highlighting the intentional use of embedded UDL strategies to help you UDLify Your Canvas Course.

Note: Please make sure this page is ❌unpublished before using this module with students.

Using a progress bar not only supports executive functioning skills, it also helps to set up prioritization, sequences, and schedules of steps for the learning cycle activity. This helps to appropriately "chunk" the content into smaller elements. The image below highlights the structure of this module template.

UDL Principle: Representation

+Guideline: Comprehension

✔ Checkpoint: Guide information processing and visualization

- - - “Chunk” information into smaller elements
    - Introduce graduated scaffolds that support information processing strategies

Another UDL Connection

Each module page is color-coded and associated with a number. The number is added for students that may have a type of color deficiency (color blindness). It can also help students that have a learning preference to number organization. The number serves as a teacher helper, too!

When you view your module from the main navigation menu, you will see all the 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s respectively grouped together. The grouped numbers are also helpful when trying to quickly find associated resources, especially when linking course pages, modules, assignments, etc. Now, your pages won't get lost in the course! That's a win-win!

UDL Principle: Representation

+Guideline: Comprehension

✔Checkpoint: Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships

- - - - Use cues and prompts to draw attention to critical features

More UDL Connections

The icon directs the eye to the progress bar and signals the order of the learning cycle. The use of symbols and icons used with consistency helps many learners anticipate where to look and what to look for. The rule of thumb is function! If an icon doesn't have a particular function in your course, no need to add it...less is more. The magic behind UDL is the intentional use of the guidelines & checkpoints to help make learning STICKY!

Links for Font Emojis and Icons:

Font emoji sites: Joy Pixels, *Cool Symbol (*this site has the circle numbers)
Icons: flaticon

Using the Template & Adding YOUR Course Content

(1) So, now that you've added this template to your Canvas course, you have a few options...you can add your content to this module template and then import this template again from Canvas Commons each time you would like to have this blank template. You can add this template to your ❤️favorites and access it quickly at a later time.

(2) You can duplicate this module in your course before adding your content. To duplicate a module, click the three dots on the right of the title (in module view) and click duplicate.

- Just keep the duplicated module unpublished in your course, and drag it to the bottom of your modules. This way you have a copy on hand and ready to use whenever you want to add the template.

(3) Copy this template into your Canvas Sandbox (if you haven't already) and play around with it...make it your own! Just remember the principles of UDL and be purposeful in your design. :)

Note: Sub topics are only visible under the Introduction tab. If you would like to add "sub-topics" under additional tabs, just copy/paste from the Introduction page.

REMEMBER: Don't forget to ❌unpublish this page.

Design Tip: How to Change Tab Colors
Below are a few tips if you'd like to change the tab colors in this template. The tabs were designed in a table. To change the color, you will need to click inside the navigation tab (or cell of the table). Grab your hex codes! What are hex codes? In short, a hex code is a special number given to colors to identify the mix of red, blue, green for color hues in digital or print. Visit a color palette generator to make sure your colors go well together visually and physically—for ease of viewing online. Below are two extra sample palettes for you. :) Place the curser inside the tab you want to change. Click the three dots (left) on the edit view navigation bar. Select the table icon and click the drop down arrow. Click Cell>cell properties. Click Advanced>Background color. Click on the palette icon. Add your hex color number in the box with the # symbol. Note: if your color doesn't show, check to make sure you didn't add the # symbol before your hex code. The # symbol is already provided for you in the text field; adding it twice will void. *Repeat color for that tab sequence on each page of the module.

f4f1de	e07a5f	3d405b	81b29a	f2cc8f


f79256	fbd1a2	7dcfb6	00b2ca	1d4e89

⚠️	Friendly reminder: Please make sure this page is ❌unpublished if using this module with students.

Want to learn more about UDL? Checkout these great resources from some of my favorite UDL & Blended authors!

- CAST.org and UDL Guidelines
- Katie Novak
- Caitlin Tucker

🎯Fellow SCPS Teachers (only): This resource is from the PD course: UDL Level 1: Learner Variability. Check Frontline to enroll! Below are a few pics from the course, Module 1: Getting Started that explains the progress/navigation bar.

How It Works: Progress Bar (course page w/navigation)		How It Works: Modules/Prerequisites (course page w/navigation)


Learn and Earn (course page w/navigation & gamification)		Guided Notes (course page w/navigation and guided notes option)

Hope you found this resource helpful. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Kathryn Dixon, Online Instructional Designer

Seminole County Public Schools

Department of Teaching and Learning & ePathways

kathryn_dixon@scps.us

Twitter: @inTECHgr8