What’s new with ​Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways v5​ and the Lookbook

In this session, we explore the significant updates to Learning Pathways in version 5 and the changes to the Lookbook. Developed by Julie and Stefan Bauer, Learning Pathways has developed into a great tool for most organizations. With Derek’s help maintaining the code updates, this knowledgeable team has collaborated to bring you the latest improvements in the beta version of v5. If you’re looking for more in-depth assistance with Learning Pathways beyond this 30-minute session, we highly recommend our new 1-hour Jumpstart focused on this tool!

What is Learning Pathways?

Learning Pathways is a customizable microlearning platform. It supports ten languages and allows for the creation of custom learning content via SharePoint pages or external URLs. This platform enables the integration of various types of content into cohesive playlists, making it ideal for organizations with diverse training needs. Notably, Learning Pathways v5 is currently in beta testing, and we’re seeking participants willing to try it out and provide feedback.

Lookbook update

The Lookbook was the most popular method for provisioning Learning Pathways. Unfortunately, the intuitive point-and-click provisioning feature has been removed, along with detailed configuration information for the web parts used in the templates. The old Learning Pathways link is now dead, replaced by an abbreviated version in the resources section.

Provisioning options

However, there are still viable provisioning options available! The Lookbook used to rely on PnP provisioning to set up site templates, and this capability remains intact. You can download the PnP PowerShell command, which supports provisioning in all ten languages offered by Learning Pathways. Alternatively, you can opt for a manual installation by creating your site collection, deploying the application to your site collection app catalog or tenant app catalog, and setting up your own learning portal. A positive is that these methods do not require global admin access; SharePoint admin and site collection admin access suffice, making the process more accessible.

What’s new in version 5?

Version 5 brings significant backend updates, including an upgraded SharePoint Framework version and updated PnPJs to align with the current tech stack. The user interface, now purely HTML and CSS, has seen numerous accessibility improvements. New features include a sticky header, a search box, and custom analytics webhooks, all based on enhancement requests from users.

New feature: Webhooks

Although Learning Pathways is not a robust Learning Management System (LMS), there are some metrics that you can track. To do this requires the use of webhooks. These webhooks send HTTP post requests to an endpoint of your choice, capturing various data points such as user identity, tenant information, language, event type, page URL, and playlist and asset details. This feature allows for the integration of Power Automate, Logic Apps, Azure Functions, or custom-built websites for data analysis.

Configure user analytics webhooks

For those interested in user analytics, Learning Pathways now supports three tenant app properties. You can set these properties to a stringified JSON blob containing the URL for post notifications. There’s also an option to anonymize user data for security purposes. Also, for security, you can add a header for a key and key property.

We encourage you to get involved in the v5 beta testing, which has been extended to the end of August 2024. By visiting the repository and following the installation instructions, you can help us identify and address any issues!

All Resources

• Get involved in V5 testing​
• SharePoint Lookbook​
• Applying PnP Provisioning to SharePoint Sites

Do you have any questions for us? Continue the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #AskSympraxis and mention @SympraxisC.