The Open Access mode allows you to deploy your content without having to schedule a deployment calendar. Unlike date-scheduled programs (regular programs), this mode gives learners the freedom to progress at their own pace, while maintaining some control through progression conditions.
How does it work?
As soon as the learner accesses their course in Open Access, they immediately see all available sequences. Depending on the chosen configuration, two options are possible:
Everything is accessible from the start: the learner can consult all the content whenever they want, in any order they choose. (see the image below).
Progressive unlocking: content unlocks one after the other, based on defined conditions (for example, completing the previous section or achieving a minimum passing grade).
Here is a preview of the learner's homepage in this mode:
When to use this mode?
The Open Access mode is particularly suitable when:
you want to give learners a lot of autonomy,
the content does not require a specific pace,
you want to encourage review or quick access to all resources.
Creating an Open Access Program
The program creation process follows the same steps as other types of programs.
In the Studio, click on +New Program.
Step 1 of 8 : In which language(s) do you want to offer your program?
Step 2 of 8: What is the name of your program?
Step 3 of 8 : What type of program do you want to create? --> Select Open Access Program.
Step 4 of 8: On what basis do you want to build your program?
Steps 6 and 7 of 8: Objectives, target audience, knowledge topics.
Step 8 of 8: The configuration elements are the same as for regular programs, except for notifications. Notifications work differently since sequences are not assigned to a specific date in a calendar.
Initial notification: depending on the group configuration, a notification (email or Teams) will be sent to inform that a new program is available in B12. This is therefore configured in the Group and not here. See Create a Group
Reminder notifications: configured to send reminders based on the due date. This date is determined by the program duration indicated in the group (see below in the Distribution section). You can add as many notifications as you want, before or after the due date. Learners who have completed their program will not receive reminder notifications.
Here are the messages sent:
- Before completion: Your program is waiting for you in B12! Work at your own pace and start making progress today. We encourage you to complete it before (deadline date - depending on the group). Follow this link to access it: {button to the program}
- After completion: Your program in B12 has not yet been completed. Even if the deadline has passed, you can still access it and continue learning. {button to the program}
Designing the Program
Creating sequences and activities
This works the same way as regular programs, except you do not have to drag sequences into a calendar.
See all the details here:
Create and configure a sequence
In summary: Sequences are the "lessons" or "chapters" containing your activities. An activity is a "page" in B12, whether it's a quiz question, a text page, a page with a video, etc.
You can create new activities from the sequence, or use activities already existing in your activity bank. Note that you can also import activities from an existing program, either during setup or from the Activity tab.
For the learner, the homepage presents each sequence and its Start button (see the image at the beginning of the article). After clicking Start, the learner navigates from one activity to another until the end of the sequence. They then return to the homepage where they can continue with another sequence.
When all sequences and activities are finalized, the program is ready to be deployed.
The following sections present additional options (sections, conditions), which are not required or relevant for all programs.
Organizing sequences into sections
Sections are useful when the program contains multiple sequences and it is desirable to organize them (by theme, module, chapter, etc.). They also allow setting conditions to unlock content.
- On the arrow of the "+ Add a sequence" button, click the Add a section option.
- Drag already created sequences into the section, or create new sequences from the section (from the 3 dots).
You can rename the section by clicking on the three dots and then Edit.
👉 Note that currently, it is not possible to place sequences without a section between two sections or at the end of the program. In this case, create a section to insert the sequence.
Adding conditions between sections
Conditions allow blocking the learner’s progression from one section to another.
Warning: conditions are only possible between two sections, and not between sequences. It is always possible to have only one sequence per section if necessary.
Conditions are linear; they block progression to the next section. Currently, branching to different sections is not possible.
- Complete the section: all sequences in the section must be completed to give access to the next section.
- Passing grade: a result (percentage of correct answers) must be achieved to unlock the next section. If the section contains multiple sequences, this result will be based on the average of the sequence results in the section.
On the learner’s homepage, sequences blocked by a condition will be greyed out, and hovering over them will display an explanation.
If the passing grade condition is not met, the learner will be offered to reset the section to try again to achieve the passing grade and move on to the next section.
Deployment
To learn more about groups and deployments, see Create a Group and Enroll Users in a Group
To assign an Open Access mode program to a group, you must:
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Identify the program duration
This duration determines the due date of the sequences.
After the due date, sequences will be marked as late, but they will still be accessible to learners. The number of learners who are late will also be available in the progress tracking in dashboards. To remove access after the due date, see Managing Groups, Users, and Programs: Deletion and Deactivation
If learners are added to the group at a later date, they will have their own due date based on the duration. For example, if a group has a 12-month program duration, all learners in the group will have 12 months to complete the program. Those added later will finish later.
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Select the content you want to deploy
To customize access to certain content for certain groups, it is possible not to select all sequences/sections.
Warning: If a section containing a condition is not deployed, the condition will be removed. If a section that a condition points to is not deployed, the next section will be targeted by the condition.
Example:
- Section 3 is only accessible when Section 2 is completed.
- If I do not deploy Section 2, the condition is removed, and Section 3 will be accessible from the start for this group.
- If I do not deploy Section 3, then Section 2 will unlock Section 4. In other words, Section 4 will be blocked as long as Section 2 is not completed.