Solving technology problems, one at a time
Our custom-developed HTML SCORM Learning Module template has received a major facelift. It now adapts to most device widths smoothly. It uses no frames or Server Side Includes, loads content faster, and is compatible
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My department has been using a custom-built SCORM Learning Module template for developing our corporate training. The template permits a variety of page widths and flexible height throughout, and has features such as branching, dynamic pdf
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I work in a small learning management department in a large Health System. One of the “forever” problems we’d like to solve, is how to get out of the way of our many clinical subject matter experts and make it EASY for them to put trackable learning content online by themselves. Why is this still a problem in this age of online applications? Simply put: cost, learning curve and trackability.
Licensing costs in a decentralized environment
Software license costs are a big issue in a distributed authoring environment, particularly for departments that watch every penny. There are hundreds of potential authors out there, mostly in departments that do not prioritize the purchase of elearning software. Licenses for the big elearning software packages (Articulate, Storyline, Lectora, etc.) are not inexpensive, even with academic discounts and whatever site-licenses may exist.
<< 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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Probably the hardest part of using the SCORM-Ready template is setting up the pageArray listing that generates all the navigation. And now that there are so many new types of quizzes and interactions possible, it can be hard to remember the correct settings.
At this time, the maximum width the template can handle is 1024px. Set your project size at 1024 x
768 or smaller.
Although Captivate has its own SCORM interface, its reliability in our LMS over the last few years has become increasingly problematic. Data gets lost, quizzes score incorrectly, or do not complete at all, and there is a lot of frustration.
At the same time, there has been increasing demand from subject matter experts and educators for inexpensive, easy to learn tools like Captivate that leverage their Powerpoint skills but have plenty of flexibility and options for interactivity. So something had to be done to make Captivate useful again.
What I decided to do was to turn over all the SCORM communication for Captivate activities to our HTML template, which doesn’t have the communication issues of the Adobe products. Using the SCORM template as a wrapper does not add a lot of work to a project, in fact, it requires only one line of code to add a scored Captivate or Presenter quiz to a template-based learning module.
Any type of scored Captivate file will work – both question slides and interactive slides. The module can handle one or more Captivate quizzes, either by themselves, or in combination with other types of content and quizzes, such as Questionmark Perception or the template-based interaction quizlets.
Continue readingOur LMS users sometimes have problems accessing SCORM learning activities. These days, when all other possible causes (java not installed, security settings, etc.) have been eliminated, the next most likely culprit is an expired certificate. The JAVA adaptor used by our LMS is very particular about security, and fails with various silent exceptions if the certificates aren’t in order.
