Force the courses branch in the navigation to populate itself and to always be shown expanded.

gistfile1.diff

diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index d1c873f..452d956 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -1137,6 +1137,12 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
 
         $canviewcourseprofile = true;
 
+        // Tell the navigation to always load all courses.
+        // Default behaviour is load the courses by AJAX, we want them there from word go.
+        $this->load_all_courses();
+        // And expand the courses branch by default.
+        $this->rootnodes['courses']->force_open();
+
         // Next load context specific content into the navigation
         switch ($this->page->context->contextlevel) {
             case CONTEXT_SYSTEM :