As a result of rapid technological changes, we are now presented with some challenges and opportunities. Ambient Insight’s negative assessment of the future for LMS platforms is likely the result of the emergence of two major factors: the rise of HTML5 and the ubiquity of mobile devices.
Over the past several years, the proprietary technology called “Flash” – owned by Adobe Inc. – has been replaced by the open standard HTML5 markup language, which along with CSS3 and JavaScript, is not only capable of generating animations and serving a variety of media, but can turn a simple web page into an application.
In replacing Flash, the new web standard allowed anyone to access rich, interactive content without requiring the installation of any special add-ons. It also allowed for easy cross-platform application development – any platform with a modern browser already has all the necessary software to run HTML5-based apps. Additionally, these apps could be packaged for any mobile platform without requiring any changes to the code.
This has led to the replacement of e-learning with mobile learning (m-learning), and has likely spurred the emergence of the BYOD movement in the workplace. Additionally, since a web browser can now be turned into any application, Software as a Service (SAAS) like Cloud-based LMSs have emerged as major new developments, allowing companies to divest themselves of the need to maintain their own hardware or worry about specialized in-house IT support.
The recognition of SDL as a valid mode of pursuing professional development has also led to the need to recognize and track such activity. Thus, a need was identified for transferable open badge qualifications and independent Learning Record Stores (LRSs).