Oracle Learning Is Going Redwood: What Administrators Need to Know Before the Classic UI Shuts Down

This blog was written by Ansgar Haase, Sandra Edtmeier & Jana Kappenberg.

Oracle is replacing the Classic UI for Learning administration with the modern Redwood design and the clock is ticking. With Update 27C, the Classic UI will be fully deactivated. That means every organization running Oracle HCM Learning needs to move to Redwood, and the earlier you start, the smoother the transition will be.

This article breaks down what's actually changing, the timeline you're working with, what the new admin experience looks like, and how to prepare your team.

This isn't a cosmetic refresh. Oracle is fundamentally restructuring how Learning content is organized, managed, and delivered. Redwood changes the underlying object model: offerings phase out entirely, the catalog consolidates into a single management area, and several object types are renamed or replaced with more capable alternatives.

More importantly, Oracle is developing all new Learning features exclusively for Redwood. Staying on the Classic UI doesn't just mean missing out on improvements, it means running toward a dead end. Once the Classic UI is deactivated, there's no going back, and there's no extension.

All key administration objects are being replaced by redesigned Redwood pages. Each one with extended functionality compared to its Classic predecessor. Here's what administrators will be working with.

• The Learning Catalog consolidates all learning items including courses, self-paced content, learning paths, events, and legacy offerings onto a single page with filters and direct item creation. It replaces the separate pages administrators had to navigate before.

• Self-Paced Learning replaces Self-Paced Offerings. The new pages bring several functional upgrades: inline content playback (documents, URLs, and questionnaire-based content render directly on the enrollment detail page instead of opening in a separate window), video fast-forward controls (configurable per item), the ability for learners to review answers from previous quiz attempts, and more flexible content replacement rules. The only restriction is that the file type must match (e.g., SCORM 1.2 can be replaced with SCORM 2004, but not with an MP4).

• Learning Events replace ILT Offerings. New capabilities include enrollment windows that can be configured independently of catalog visibility (enabling early access via deep links), cancellation deadlines for preventing last-minute withdrawals, and enhanced waitlist management with configurable maximum waitlist slots and controls over who can join (learners, managers, or both).

• Courses remain available but are now optional. Where a course previously required at least one offering, a Self-Paced Learning item or Event can now be published directly to the catalog.

• Learning Catalog Profiles are entirely new in Redwood. They give administrators granular control over which admins can access and manage specific learning items. Beyond a default profile (access for all admins), custom profiles can be created per content area, and specific roles can be granted unrestricted access regardless of profile assignment.

• Learning Paths (available from 26B) replace Specializations. They can combine Self-Paced Learning, Events, Courses, and even nested Learning Paths into structured journeys.

• User Groups replace Access Groups. They define which learners can access specific content, with multiple methods for defining the audience (individual persons, lists, filtered lists, or analytics). A "Private" visibility option restricts admin-side visibility to designated group managers only.

• Filtered Lists replace Person Criteria. These are dynamic, criteria-based lists that update automatically based on current data. They're user-owned (only the creator can view and edit them) and include a preview function to verify which learners are included before applying.

• Learning Assignment Profiles replace Learning Initiatives. They support one-time and recurring assignments for both voluntary and mandatory learning. Audience selection is flexible: individual persons, CSV uploads with employee numbers or emails, filtered lists, analytics reports, user groups, or direct reports.

• Recommendation Profiles allow administrators to create and manage recommendations for multiple learning items in a single transaction including peer recommendations and automatic notifications via HCM Communicate.

Beyond the obvious deadline pressure, the Redwood adoption delivers real operational improvements across the board.

For learning administrators, the consolidated catalog alone is a significant efficiency gain. No more switching between separate pages for courses, offerings, and specializations. Assignment profiles managed in a single transaction, the ability to recommend multiple items at once, and granular access control through catalog profiles all reduce the manual overhead that eats into an admin's day.

For learners, the experience becomes noticeably more modern: embedded video playback without popup windows, the ability to review previous quiz answers, AI-powered catalog search that understands questions (not just keywords), and personalized learning progress through Oracle Grow.

For IT and permissions teams, the shift from error-prone HDL to REST APIs is a welcome change. Catalog admin profiles provide clearer role management, background processes like Process Learning Records and Process User Access are more stable, and search intelligence improves through OSCS indexes. Microsoft Teams integration also gains Breakout Rooms and Attendance Tracking support.

Strategically, an early adoption protects your investment. New features land exclusively in Redwood. Aligning with Oracle's roadmap now, rather than scrambling before the deadline, gives your team time to test properly, train administrators, and avoid the kind of compressed timeline that leads to mistakes.

The Redwood adoption for Oracle Learning isn't optional, it's a matter of when, not if. The organizations that start now will have the luxury of time: time to test thoroughly, train their teams, and adopt the new features at their own pace. The ones that wait will be racing the 27C deadline under pressure.

If you want help assessing your current Oracle Learning setup and building a concrete adoption plan, reach out to our HCM team. We've been through every step of this transition and can help you get there with confidence.