academiccolab.org

TM

Developing SCORM Compliant ContentDeveloping SCORM Compliant ContentTechnical Issues and SolutionsTechnical Issues and Solutions

John Toews, Academic ADL Co-LabNMC Online Conference on Learning ObjectsNMC Online Conference on Learning Objects

Audio Script Available At: http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/2003oct-nmc-jtoews.pdf

academiccolab.org

TM

Need SCORM?

Don’t wait till the end of the development process!

Simply implementing LMSInitialize and LMSFinish doesn’t really take advantage of SCORM!

» Tracking» Moving» Locating» Sequencing

academiccolab.org

TM

Advantages? What advantages?

Q: Isn’t SCORM just an added burden for content developers?

A: No!

SCORM allows you to do many things in a standardized way that used to be proprietary, such as bookmarking, requesting the student name or other information, tracking activity completion and scores and much more!

academiccolab.org

TM

Technical Warning!

• This session assumes you are…

– Comfortable viewing and editing HTML and JavaScript code

• Example SCORM package available at http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/SCORMExamplePackage.zip

– Familiar with SCORM• Academic ADL Co-Lab SCOurse available at

http://www.academiccolab.org/learn/• Understand LMSInitialize and LMSFinish, as well as

LMSGetValue and LMSSetValue and some of the CMI data model

academiccolab.org

TM

SCO Granularity – How big is a SCO?

• It depends!

• From a single page, to many pages, to a “module” or entire course

• Should be based on the requirements of the content – reusability, communications & features implemented

• May find that the initial choices for SCO size are not necessarily the best

academiccolab.org

TM

SCORM Tip – Content Physical Layout

• Directory structure allows packaging of any number of SCOs, along with global resources that require only one instance within the development project

academiccolab.org

TM

SCORM Tip – Automating Navigation

• SCO content is page1.htm, page2.htm, …, pageN.htm

• Scripts automate the in-SCO navigation buttons and process

SCOurse content in LMS (SCORM application)

SCOurse content in custom viewer for demos and non-SCORM applications

academiccolab.org

TM

Multi-page SCOs: The Problem

..\My Documents\My Received Files\Momoneymoscroblems.jpg

academiccolab.org

TM

Multi-page SCOs: Proposed Workarounds

• Use a JavaScript flag variable (requires editing of every link on the page)

• Session cookie tracks LMSInitialize status• Launch new page for content – potentially blank

parent page• Frameset solution – hidden frame

– Example frameset package available at http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/SCORMFramesetExample.zip

academiccolab.org

TM

Multi-page SCOs: Frameset Solution

academiccolab.org

TM

SCORM API Issue Defined

• API usually implemented in Java applet

• JavaScript / Java applet scripting requires LiveConnect

• Popular Macintosh browsers do not implement LiveConnect (Internet Explorer, Safari)

academiccolab.org

TM

Flash Issue Defined

• Similar to SCORM API issue

• For Flash to be 100% SCORM (bi-directional communication) requires both:– LiveConnect– Flash player implementing “fscommand”

• Minimal SCORM functionality (outgoing communications only) more widely available – should developers use?

academiccolab.org

TM

Data Model “Issues”

• SCORM 1.2 doesn’t require full set of elements to be implemented (CMI data model)

• Useful data model elements (such as those that track activities & interactions) optional

• SCORM 1.3 (coming soon), will solve by requiring all data model elements

academiccolab.org

TM

Questions, etc.

• Threaded discussion available throughout the conference

• Additional resources available through iCohere

• Are you an Academic Co-Lab Partner? http://www.academiccolab.org/partners/

• John Toews, john@academiccolab.org

NMC Conference on Learning Objects, October 2003