How to track a users progress through pages by inserting data into WordPress Database?

My website users can learn British Sign Language through Video Tuts, Quizzes and games etc.

I would like to track the users progress through the pages of the course and add that data to a WordPress Database. The course structure from the first page is roughly like this:

Stage 1 intro –> (next page) Video tut –> Quiz –> Quiz page 2 –> Exam –> Stage 2 intro.. etc

I was thinking about inserting/updating an integer or string (that represents progress) on a ‘save & next’ page button through PHP. This would increase the number or change the string in the users database and allow me to track which pages they have worked through and display it in other parts of the site (account page, next to username, course page etc). It would also allow me to restrict access until they have completed prerequisites (if I were to ever want to do that).

Could someone give me a brief explanation on how to do this or suggest an alternative?

I am familiar with PHP and mysql but my skills aren’t quite adequate enough to execute something like this safely.

Thank you.