Solving technology problems, one at a time
This is an example of the use of setTimeout() to detect if an element or object exists yet. In Javascript, timing is crucial. If an element hasn’t been loaded or rendered on the page yet,
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Something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, since we have been looking at learning systems, is the idea of friction. My definition of friction is anything that either lowers our expectations of the results we can get from a particular tool or process to the point that we either change our expectations of the results or abandon them altogether.
Examples of friction include: bad usability, frustration, unexpected results, bad user experience, steep learning curves, cognitive overload, lack of critical mass of the right participants, hardware problems (slowness, breakdowns, etc.) – in short just about any sort of obstacle. It is anything that gets in our way enough to make us change what we hope to get out of the process we are engaged in, even if only slightly. Friction plays a part in how we choose to use devices, apps, and services and even what route we choose on the way home.
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If you get .NET errors that reference
<system.web> <httpRuntime requestValidationMode="2.0" /> <!-- everything else --> </system.web>
It means that the application you are trying to run has set the property requestValidationMode to function the way it acted under .NET 2.0, but this directive only makes any sense under .NET 4.0 or greater, and your website is not set up to use .NET 4.
You need to run the application in a separate application pool and set it to run under .NET 4.0 (which, of course, needs to be installed before it can be used).
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<< Back to Part 1, Determining Scope, Course Import
A phased approach was used to integrate our aging LMS and the SCORM Engine. Starting with a “bare-bones integration” we assessed the user workflow and determined next steps.
When users log in to our LMS, they are presented with a Learning Plan screen which lists required learning and current enrollments.
Learning Plan
Our aging Docent learning management system is scheduled to be replaced over the next couple of years, but last year it became clear that we chould not wait until then to replace the SCORM elements of the system.
We were nearing a sort of “technical cliff” if you will, where most home computers would have enormous security surrounding Java applets, and the circa 1992 factory-original Java-based SCORM adaptor would pretty much be out of business in modern browsers. The applet-based SCORM adaptor was also completely incompatible with a new authentication and VPN system that was coming online. To stay in the game, we needed to modernize this part of the system, and in the process we took the opportunity to add new capabilities and improve the user experience. We chose the Rustici SCORM Engine because of the depth of knowledge they have surrounding SCORM, and also because they are on the cutting edge of the new standards.
The integration project gave our LMS quite a face-lift, and added some exciting new capabilities like the ability to use TinCan to track learning. But as with all projects, there were some learning experiences that we didn’t expect, as well as some shareable solutions.
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