The transition from Flash to HTML5 has not been easy, particularly for the field of eLearning. Flash-based educational software was an industry stalwart for over a decade, but the rapidly shifting technological landscape requires a more adaptable technology that can facilitate any unforeseen changes. Since many Learning Management Systems are making the shift to HTML5, it is important you are aware of your options as the transition takes place. Previous Flash-based learning programs offered only fixed navigation, and users could only navigate through the program on a limited number of devices. Inconvenient on the web and incapable of reformatting across the different screen sizes utilized by smartphones and tablets, these programs were often only accessed from select devices in the workplace. HTML5 offers more flexibility: Open navigation; the learning software be opened in a browser; it can automatically reformat to fit the screen size and interface of any device. Let us see the benefits of having open navigation in eLearning:
Very few foresaw the colossal rise of the smartphone. The tablet, when introduced, was considered a joke. The world of technological trends is constantly changing - and as technological flexibility becomes more crucial in our world, it is critical to adopt a navigational structure that has the ability to adapt.
Whether it is time to upgrade operating systems or transition to a touch-based computer system, it is important that your expensive learning software can easily acclimate to the change. Fixed navigation can lead to unforeseen headaches when it comes time to upgrade to the latest and greatest. There could be compatibility issues with new screens, or the file could be lost in the shuffle. If the program is accessible from a browser, employees can be trained in the middle of the most substantial technological overhaul.
Nothing is more frustrating than attempting to learn from a difficult-to-read course. With fixed navigation it is all too easy to miss something when the learner zones out waiting for audio to finish, or for a course to appear too small or large. Not only is it difficult to read a course formatted in this way, it is distracting.
An employee focused on the flaws of course presentation is an employee learning far less than they could. Open navigation allows the course to be resized and reformatted as the employee wishes. Providing even this degree of flexibility can go a long way toward developing a healthy, productive learning environment.
The ability to access a training module from a smartphone or other mobile device cannot be overstated. With employees doing more and more of their work on smartphones, the incorporation of mobile learning is a natural extension. It allows workers to access applicable data at will and at their leisure. It is estimated that 80% of Millennials use their phone on the toilet and 93% use it before bed. While statistics like these are most marked among Millennials, they are trending up across all demographics. Open navigation gives employees unprecedented access to learning materials - and if they wish to learn before bed, who’s to stop them? After all, retention improves if learning takes place immediately before sleep.
This is an area of growing importance as more people embrace multiple avenues of part-time work in search of flexible hours. In these cases, creating time for a fixed navigation course is difficult and costly. Time spent in a course of this type is time spent away from the workstation.
Most employees are not keen on sitting in front of a screen and mindlessly tapping through course modules for hours on end. While many courses provide scenarios that detail problems or situations that might arise, these quickly get lost amid the text walls, videos, and knowledge checks that are prevalent in a fixed format.
A browser-accessible course offers the information they need at the push of a button. If a problem arises in the workplace, an employee can easily look up the scenario from their smartphone. If there is a question of protocol, any computer can pull up the point of contention.
Not only is this more convenient, it encourages better learning to take place through an “always on” learning environment. Workers are more likely to learn as situations arise on the job, and having easy access to appropriate training software allows them to do their jobs with more confidence. An employee should not have to hesitate because they failed to recall a five-minute scenario in an eight-hour course.
The benefits of having open navigation in eLearning go far beyond responsive design. As professionals continue to work on the move and pursue more flexible working hours, an open navigation learning structure is of tremendous value. And if a switch from Flash to HTML5 is in the works anyway, why not take the plunge?
