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SCORM and eLearning Development Overview

Lock Media offers clients a comprehensive SCORM API coupled with there managed hosting solution that includes a SCORM Run-Time Data model for all Learning Management System functionaility. If your looking for outsourcing options to host your e-learning content then contact Lock Media today.

 

SCORM Overview

SCORM, or Shareable Content Object Reference Model, is a compilation of technical specifications for web-based e-learning. The SCORM standards are governed and published by the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL).

Among SCORM goals are to enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of web-based learning content for industry, government, and academia.

SCORM Versions

SCORM 1.0

The original version of SCORM, version 1.0, was a proof of concept only. It introduced the notion of Sharable Content Objects (SCOs) and the API model in which the burden of managing communication across the Internet is handled by the run-time environment, not by the content objects.

SCORM 1.1

The first production version of SCORM was version 1.1. It used a Course Structure Format XML file based on the AICC specifications to describe content structure, but lacked a robust packaging manifest and support for metadata. Version 1.1 was quickly replaced by SCORM 1.2.

SCORM 1.2

SCORM 1.2 was the first version with a real conformance test in the form of a test suite. It uses the IMS Content Packaging specification with full content manifest and support for metadata describing the course. Also allows optional detailed metadata tagging of the content objects and assets described in the manifest. Version 1.2 is no longer maintained or supported by ADL.

SCORM 2004 (1.3)

The current version of SCORM is version 1.3, also known as SCORM 2004. It includes the ability to specify adaptive sequencing of activities that use the content objects, new standards for API communication, and resolves many ambiguities. SCORM 2004 also includes the ability to share and use information about success status for multiple learning objectives or competencies across content objects and across courses for the same learner within the same learning management system.

The current version/edition of SCORM is version 1.3.3 (SCORM 2004 3rd Edition).

SCORM 2004 Editions

  • 1st Edition (January 2004) - versioning changed so each book could be independently maintained
  • 2nd Edition (July 2004) - included improvements regarding Content Aggregation Model and Run-Time Environment
  • 3rd Edition (October 2006) - clarified various conformance requirements and of the interaction between content objects and the runtime environment for sequencing; added new conformance requirements to improve interoperability

SCORM 2004 Books

The SCORM 2004 standard consists primarily of five books, including an overview book, detailing SCORM conformance. Those books are: SCORM Overview, SCORM Content Aggregation Model, SCORM Sequencing and Navigation, SCORM Run-Time Environment, and SCORM Conformance Requirements. They are available for download in PDF from the ADL website.

The SCORM Overview book introduces SCORM and describes how the other books relate.

The SCORM Content Aggregation Model (CAM) book pertains to content packages. It describes how SCORM content packages are structured and described. The imsmanifest.xml file is the primary file describing a package, its structure, metadata, and sequencing information.

The SCORM Run-Time Environment (RTE) book describes how a learning management system (LMS) deploys and delivers content packages. This includes describing the SCORM runtime API a SCO uses to communicates with the runtime data model that a LMS uses to keep information regarding a learner's experience with a content object.

The SCORM Sequencing and Navgiation (SN) book describes how content packages declare sequencing between activities, how learners can issue navigation requests, and how those requests are interpreted by a SCORM run-time environment.

The SCORM Conformance Requirements book details the conformance requirements that are verified by the ADL SCORM conformance test suite.

Collectively these books total over one-thousand pages and detail the SCORM standard in its entirety.

Lock Media can help you implement the full SCORM standards both for content development and Learning Management System hosting through our SCROM API Run-Time Environment.

SCORM Shareable Content Objects (SCOs)

A Shareable Content Object (SCO) is a launchable learning object (resource) that communicates with the run-time environment that launched it. A SCO must be designed so that it can be launched in a standalone web window, or in a frame in a HTML frameset.

A SCO is special because when launched for a learner, in the learner's web-browser, it will communicate information back to the LMS that launched it, often a remote server. This communication allows the LMS to track information pertaining the learner's experience.

A SCO represents the lowest level of granularity of a learning resource that an LMS should track. SCORM does not impose any particular constraints on the size of a SCO. A SCO can be a single web page or a collection of web-pages (as long as the collection of pages can be considered a self-contained single unit).

Each SCO should be reusable and independent of its learning context. To achieve such reuse a SCO should be "self-contained" and not reference or link to other SCOs.

Launched SCOs may be launched in a browser frame or a popup window. A SCO should not close the window they are launched in unless it determines it "owns" the window.

Any "passive" asset can be converted to a SCO by declaring it as a SCO in the manifest file and ensuring it exhibits required SCO behaviors.

Required SCO run-time behaviors:

  • Find the RTE API instance provided by the LMS
  • Use the API instance to initialize communication with the LMS
  • Use the API instance to terminate communication with the LMS

Recommended SCO behaviors:

  • A SCO should be reusable in different learning contexts
  • A SCO should be independent of visual constraints, such as window size
  • A SCO should reliably transmit learner data so that it is not lost if closed unexpectedly
  • A SCO should communicate its completion status
  • A SCO should NOT launch new browser windows without closing them when done
  • A SCO should NOT link to other files in the content package not listed as resource files of the SCO in the manifest

Restricted SCO behaviors:

  • A SCO may NOT interact with the run-time environment in any way other than the provided run-time API
  • A SCO may NOT attempt to change the size or appearance of the run-time environment it is launched in
  • A SCO may NOT close the top-level browser window it is launched in unless it is the only thing in the window

Typical SCO Lifecycle

  1. SCO is launched by a SCORM Run-Time Environment (RTE) (often an LMS)
  2. SCO finds RTE provided API
  3. SCO begins communication with the RTE API (via a call to Initialize())
  4. Learner begins interaction with the SCO
  5. SCO sends and retreives data via the RTE API (via calls to Get/SetValue())
  6. Learner ends interaction with the SCO
  7. SCO ends communication with the RTE API (via a call to Terminate())

Click here to learn more about SCORM Based Learning Management Systems.