Fix Sidebar Navigation When Course Is Not Yet Live or Prerequisites Are Set

[wgu-jesse-stewart]

Abstract

When a learner accesses a course with a future start date or a prerequisite section they haven’t completed, the course sidebar currently fails to show available sections, even though the outline should still be visible for navigation.

This bug causes confusion and hinders course navigation. The proposed fix ensures that learners can always view the course outline, even when a unit is locked.

Detailed Product Proposal

https://openedx.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OEPM/pages/4953964548/Proposal+Sidebar+Navigation+on+Locked+Units

Context & Background (in brief, if a Product Proposal is linked above)

This issue was identified during Redwood release testing and is documented in Issue #1403. A learner encountering a locked unit (due to start date or prerequisites) currently sees no sections or navigation, only a generic “course outline” message.

The bug is due to a logic flaw in how the isDisplaySequenceLevel toggle is initialized. A fix is available in PR #1679, which resets the toggle logic to display sections appropriately, restoring expected behavior.

Scope & Approach (in brief, if a Product Proposal is linked above)

• New resolvedSectionId method for setting sequenceIds and backButtonTitle.

• No major UI changes — restores expected sidebar behavior

Value & Impact (in brief, if a Product Proposal is linked above)

This change restores usability for learners who are auditing or have not yet begun a course. It eliminates confusion when encountering locked units and allows users to navigate to sections containing prerequisites without leaving the courseware.

Milestones and/or Epics

Milestone 1: Fix sidebar visibility for locked/pending units
Improve learner navigation experience when accessing a unit that is either locked by prerequisites or scheduled to become available in the future.

User Story: As a learner, I need to see the full course outline, even if I'm viewing a locked unit, so I can find and complete prerequisite sections.

Impact Metric: Reduction in user confusion and support tickets related to course visibility and access.

Epic: No dedicated epic currently exists — tracked via Issue #1403 and PR #1679

Named Release

Ulmo

Timeline (in brief, if a Product Proposal is linked above)

This fix is ready and should be merged ahead of the Ulmo release window (October 2025). If not included, the bug would persist into Ulmo and potentially affect adoption and usability during that release cycle.

This initiative is a standalone bugfix and not part of a larger refactor or feature set.

Target Named Release: Ulmo (Oct 2025)

Contingency: If for any reason the fix is not merged prior to Ulmo cut, it can be backported or prioritized early in the following release. However, this should be treated as a regression fix and prioritized now.

Proposed By

Western Governors University (WGU)

Additional Info

Contributor: Jesse Stewart (@wgu-jesse-stewart)

Product Proposal Wiki: https://openedx.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OEPM/pages/4953964548/Proposal+Sidebar+Navigation+on+Locked+Units

Related Issue: #1403

Pull Request: #1679

Slack thread: (insert once posted to #wg-product-core)

Demo and explanation of changes.
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5be167da-0fea-4d37-8488-cf94db738fbc

[github-actions]

Thanks for your submission, @openedx/openedx-product-managers will review shortly.

[wgu-jesse-stewart]

course-sidebar-issue-1403-pr-1679.mp4

[crathbun428]

@wgu-jesse-stewart - Proposing we close this proposal since it was resolved via your bug fix. Any objections?

[crathbun428]

@wgu-jesse-stewart - Proposing we close this proposal since it was resolved via your bug fix. Any objections? Is there any nuance I'm missing here?