Have you ever wondered why all your PDFs don’t display inside the LMS? Or why you can’t take a WordPress page and embed it next to your Flash files? This is where SCORM saves the day.
SCORM attempts to standardize how educational content like eBooks and interactive simulations are transferred from one computer or device to another. When you find something on the web and save it as a PDF file, it won’t work in your learning management system. Once you understand how SCORM works, this won’t be a problem anymore.
In this article, we’ll discuss SCORM in detail and see how it works and helps owners of learning management systems (LMS).
What does SCORM mean?
- What is SCORM?
- How does SCORM work?
- Things you can track with SCORM
- Who uses SCORM?
- SCORM versions
- Benefits of SCORM
- What is a SCORM package?
- Files in the SCORM package
- The similarity of SCORM with other standards
- Disadvantages of using SCORM
- Wrapping Up
What is SCORM?
The SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) specification provides a standard for creating reusable interactive content. SCORM defines a standard for packaging, distributing, and delivering e-learning content. It allows developers to create modular interactive content that can be reused in different learning management systems (LMS).
The name “Sharable Content Object” implies that the main goal of SCORM is to develop units of online training content that can be distributed among various platforms. The “sharable content objects,” or “SCOs,” that can be reused in many contexts and systems are defined by SCORM.
The term “reference model” acknowledges that SCORM isn’t a standard. SCORM wasn’t created from scratch by ADL. Instead, they discovered that the sector already had a number of standards that partially addressed the issue. SCORM only uses these existing standards and instructs programmers on how to combine them effectively.
SCORM defines how online learning content and learning management systems (LMSs) work together. The standards are developed and maintained by the US Department of Defense.
SCORM is important because it ensures that e-learning content can be used with any SCORM-compliant LMS. This means learners can access courses on any device and LMS, as long as the LMS is SCORM-compliant. This makes it much easier for learners to access their courses and for course providers to offer them to a wider audience.
SCORM also makes it easy for LMSs to track learners’ progress and results. When used with a compatible LMS, SCORM content can provide accurate reports on learner performance. This data can be used to improve the quality of e-learning content and courses.
SCORM came into being for a reason:
A few years ago, an online course made for one platform wouldn’t function on another. If a university switched to a different LMS, it would lose all of its courses and the thousands of dollars invested in its creation. The SCORM format organized the eLearning business in 2001.
In reality, SCORM is a set of technical specifications. This list explains how to create a course that will function on any platform. There is a thorough explanation of the structure of the e-course and the fundamentals governing its interaction with LMSs.
How does SCORM work?
There are three main parts to SCORM: the content package, the Run-Time environment, and the sequencing.
- Content Packaging
How a piece of content should be physically distributed is determined by its packaging or by the content aggregation model (CAM). The “is manifest” document is the foundation of SCORM packaging. Every piece of data needed by the LMS to automatically import and launch content is contained in this file.
This manifest file provides XML that explains a course’s structure from the perspectives of the learner and the physical file system. This page answers queries like “Which document should be launched?” and “What is the name of this content?”
- The Run-Time Environment
Data interaction during playback is referred to as “talking” to the LMS regarding run-time communication. We refer to this portion of the equation as “delivery and tracking.” This message consists of two main parts.
First, the content material must “discover” the LMS. Once it has been located, the content can interact with the user through a sequence of “get” and “set” calls and a corresponding language. Conceptually, these include requests for the learner’s name and notifications to the learning management system (LMS) of test results of 95% or higher. Many rich interactive experiences can be sent to the LMS using the accessible SCORM language.
- Sequencing
It has to do with how a student moves through the course. For instance, it specifies which tasks must be finished before moving on to the next phase and controls how a user proceeds after taking particular actions, such as pressing the next button.
Things you can track with SCORM
One of the key benefits of SCORM is that it allows LMSs to track learner progress and activity. There are a number of things that you can track with SCORM, including:
- The final score of the course
- Test and quiz results
- Specific answers given by students
- Pages that people view, and the time they spend on the page
- Total time spent
- Score per module or objective
- Learner progress so they can resume at the point they left off
- Overall status (pass, fail, complete or incomplete)
This data can be extremely valuable in helping to improve the effectiveness of eLearning content and courses. It can also be used to generate reports that can be shared with learners, managers, and other stakeholders.
Who uses SCORM?
Although SCORM is a very effective tool for everyone involved in eLearning, let’s examine what it means to “use SCORM.” When someone speaks of “using SCORM,” they often mean using SCORM packages in eLearning programs that eLearning specialists developed as courses.
Instructional designers typically use an authoring tool to develop the content and export it as a SCORM package rather than writing any code. Following that, training managers add SCORM courses to the LMS and make them available to students online.
SCORM versions
There are four versions of SCORM: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 2004.
- SCORM 1.0 was released in 2000 and is the oldest version of SCORM.
- SCORM 1.1 was released in Jan 2001 and added support for multiple data types and sequencing.
- SCORM 1.2 was released in Oct 2001 and added support for completion and success tracking.
- SCORM 2004 was released in 2004 and added support for content packaging and extended sequencing.
We’ll jump right to the versions that are regularly used because SCORM 1.0 and 1.1, the old versions, are not generally used:
SCORM 1.2
The student’s progress, or how much of the course the learner has completed, is shown by SCORM 1.2 in the report. “The learner has completed 70% of the course,” for instance. The system will show the “Completed” status if the learner has completed the course.
SCORM 1.4
SCORM 2004 is the most recent version (formerly SCORM 1.3). Its primary contribution is the sequencing and navigation (S&N) standard. However, it also expands and formalizes the 1.2 standard’s packaging and Run-Time sections.
The content vendor can describe both the behavior within the SCO and the behavior between the SCOs, thanks to S&N. This permits a tremendous increase in SCO reuse and substantially deeper content interactions. SCORM 2004 is being offered by an increasing number of LMSs and content suppliers, despite the fact that adoption has been slow thus far.
Benefits of SCORM
There are many benefits to using SCORM-compliant eLearning content:
- Consistency
The most important benefit is that it allows learners to access content in a consistent and interoperable manner, regardless of the learning management system (LMS) they are using. This means that learners can switch between different LMSs without losing their place or having to start over, which greatly enhances the learning experience.
- Accountability
SCORM-compliant content can be tracked and reported in a detailed and granular way. This data can be used to improve the content itself, as well as the overall eLearning program. By understanding how learners interact with the content, it is possible to make necessary adjustments to improve the overall learning experience.
- Management
SCORM-compliant content is reusable and can be easily updated. This means that content can be reused in different courses or programs or updated as new information becomes available. This makes eLearning content more cost-effective and efficient and helps to ensure that learners always have access to the most up-to-date information.
- Saving progress
A student is not required to complete the entire course at once. It can be carried out piecemeal. After working for 30 minutes and taking a 10-minute break, he can resume the lesson where he left off. The development is still ongoing. Additionally, this is practical in case the system malfunctions or the track is occasionally closed.
- Feedback
You’ll be able to evaluate the student’s development. When someone finishes the online course, the system will either display the status “Course finished” or the number of points he earned.
What is a SCORM package?
A SCORM package is a ZIP file that contains a manifest file and a series of content files. The manifest file defines the structure and sequencing of the content files, and the content files contain the actual instructional content. SCORM packages can be created using various authoring tools, and they can be delivered using various learning management systems (LMSs).
Files in the SCORM package
The SCORM package contains a number of files necessary for the operation of the SCORM system. These files include the SCORM manifest, resource files, and schema files.
- SCORM manifest
The package and its contents are described in the manifest file. The minimum metadata detailing the package and its SCORM version, resource definitions that describe all files required to start and deliver each resource, the arrangement of learning activities, and the unique identifier are the data that must be included.
- Organizations
Resources are logically grouped into hierarchical structures called organizations. There can be multiple organizations of the same material in a single manifest (for example, to allow the content to be displayed to different audiences in different ways). Still, normally there is only one organization, the default organization.
Organizations are always arranged in a tree-like hierarchy. When used in the context of sequencing, the nodes of this tree are referred to as “activities” or “items” (when referencing them in the context of content packaging).
Child items may be nested beneath any item. An object is referred to as an “aggregation” or “cluster” when it contains children. It is necessary to cite a resource for items without children. When the item is selected, the learner receives this resource.
Children-containing items cannot reference resources; instead, they serve as mere containers for other stuff. This can be compared to how files are organized on a computer. Items can only be either folders or files. Although “empty folders” are not permitted, folders may contain other folders or files.
- Resource files
The resource files in your SCORM package are the content that makes up your course. This often includes HTML files, images, and audio or video files. The exact types of files will depend on your content, but you should always include enough information so that anyone can easily find them if they need to make changes later on.
- Schema files
This is the main file in a SCORM package. It contains information about what files are included in the manifest file and how they should be used. This file is usually named “scorm.xml” or “scorm.xsd.”
- Metadata
Tying metadata to each manifest element may define each component in great depth. Learning object metadata, or “LOM,” is a standard format for storing SCORM metadata. For representing learning content, LOM includes a large number of predefined fields. Additionally, LOM can be extended via SCORM to let organizations provide extra metadata.
To increase the reusability of resources and files, metadata can be applied to almost any section of the manifest, including the course as a whole, specific objects, and even individual resources and files.
Metadata can be given either directly in the XML of the manifest file (preferred for small amounts of metadata, especially at the course level) or by connecting to an external metadata file (meant for big-sized metadata).
Although SCORM 1.2 establishes some constraints on the smallest subset of data that must be given if any data is specified, metadata is often optional. Depending on the intended purpose of the content, its expected durability, and the possibility that the content will be reused, different amounts of SCORM information should be utilized.
The similarity of SCORM with other standards
Since SCORM is a reference model, it is based on pre-existing requirements. SCORM has been referred to as a “best of breed” solution that incorporates the greatest features of earlier specifications.
- AICC
The Run-Time communication section of the SCORM specification was based on the aviation industry standard AICC. Even if you follow one standard, it doesn’t follow that you will follow the other.
- xAPI
The newest eLearning standard, xAPI, also known as the Experience API or Tin Can API, is frequently referred to as the “next generation of SCORM.” To ensure that xAPI represents a quantum leap for the eLearning community, Rustici Software worked closely with ADL on Project Tin Can, which served as the foundation for xAPI.
xAPI offers a more flexible mechanism to track a range of learning activities, including those that take place outside of the LMS, and is significantly different from SCORM.
- Cmi5
To launch xAPI activities from an LMS, the cmi5 xAPI profile is used. The consistent information model (CIM), packaging, launch, and credential handshake are among the cmi5-defined elements required for system interoperability.
Disadvantages of using SCORM
While SCORM helps students and teachers a great deal, it also has some disadvantages. Here are a few of the disadvantages of using SCORM:
- Limited activities
The fundamental problem with SCORM is the small variety of activity types it supports. Other versions of these types include true or false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple matching. Teachers don’t anticipate that their students will gain much knowledge from these exercises.
Additionally, teachers do not believe they are a very efficient tool for evaluating students’ skills or knowledge.
- Old practice
SCORM is a dated standard; the most widely used version was released in 2004. In terms of technology, that is old. Mobile learning using smartphones or tablets is a weak point in new e-learning choices.
- The emergence of new standards
The emergence of newer technologies has challenged the dominance of SCORM across the industry. Since courses could need to be restructured in a few years, implementing SCORM compliance today is not a good idea.
- Bugs
Since some SCORM content, particularly videos, was created with Flash in mind and performed worse when replaced with HTML5, it might occasionally cause issues for Apple iOS users.
- Added costs
One of the most significant drawbacks to SCORM is that it requires more work from developers and designers. The SCORM specification doesn’t offer much design guidance, so developers must find other resources to help them build their courses.
In addition, because there are no standards for output formats, each LMS will require a different interface for submitting files, which means more development time and money spent on creating new interfaces for each platform.
- Security concerns
SCORM is unsafe by design. It necessitates that the learner’s computer save every piece of information associated with a specific learning encounter, including the solutions, typically in the web browser cache. It’s not difficult to hunt for and access the directory containing those files.
Wrapping Up
Of course, the learning content shouldn’t be solely textual or audio-visual, things that SCORM can’t handle well. Learning analytics will be where SCORM will truly shine; some users are already developing new learning applications centered on collecting data about learning activities. However, before we can get there, SCORM has to mature as a technology.
We need better tools to create and manipulate content in the LMS environment and faster integration with external data collection systems.
Baked into the idea of SCORM is a simple goal: to give wider access to the learning content in e-learning environments. It’s not just a way to store and deliver content—it’s designed to make that content more accessible to a wider audience across various devices. That’s an important goal if you want technology to make people smarter. And SCORM is one step on the path towards making it happen.