What is SCORM in LMS and How to Implement in Learning

If you create online courses or use a learning management system (LMS), you're likely come across something called SCORM.

SCORM stands for Sharable Content Object Reference Model. So, let's get started with the fundamental question - what is SCORM in LMS?

What is SCORM in LMS?

SCORM is a set of rules for e-learning software. It is the industry standard or elearning standards used for elearning content. It helps programmers make sure their code works well with other LMS. It's the standard way that online courses and LMSs communicate with each other.

The standard was developed in 1998 by the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative of the United States. There are many versions of SCORM and it aimed to address the interoperability, reusability, and durability challenges in e-learning.

Importance of SCORM in LMS

The legacy approach to creating and distributing e-learning content via LMS is very ineffective. Without SCORM in place, LMS tends to face the following challenges:

• Delivers inconsistent user experiences.
• Struggles to integrate with other systems.
• Difficulty tracking and reporting student progress.
• Cannot ensure content quality and consistency in creating courses
• Contains inadequate or no security measures for the learning content.
• Lacks content reuse and re-purpose across platforms.

5 Advantages of Implementing SCORM in LMS

SCORM is a valuable tool for LMS because it has several benefits, such as:

1. Engagement

SCORM files offer a wide range of interactive elements that make learning more engaging and exciting.

For example, imagine a language learning course that includes interactive exercises that help learners practice grammar in a fun way. With SCORM, these interactive elements can be easily incorporated into the course, making it more engaging for learners.

2. Universality

SCORM-compliant courses are universal and can be used on any LMS platform that accepts SCORM. Imagine a corporation that has multiple companies around the world.

Each company may be using a different LMS, but with SCORM, the corporation can ensure that all employees are using the same course material regardless of the LMS they are using.

3. Tracking

SCORM files can track learners' data, such as lesson status, location, time spent, quiz scores, and more. This can be particularly useful for training courses that require learners to complete a quiz at the end of each module.

With SCORM, the LMS can track each learner's quiz score and progress through the course. This makes it easy for you to ensure that everyone has completed the training.

For example, a SaaS product owner can offer SCORM-compliant educational content to train customers on the product during onboarding. In this way, the SaaS business will be able to check how many customers have completed the course.

4. Easy Sharing

Sharing SCORM content is easy. For instance, let's assume a university wants to share a course on world history with another university.

With a SCORM compliant Learning Management System, the university can simply download the course as a SCORM package and upload it to the other university's LMS, making it easy to share course material between institutions.

5. Omnichannel Learning Experience

It's important to ensure that learners have a consistent experience across different channels and devices. SCORM can help with this by providing a set of technical standards that ensure consistency and quality across different courses.

For example, let's say you create an omnichannel learning experience for your employees. You want them to be able to access content across different channels, such as their LMS, a mobile app, and a web portal.

By creating SCORM-compliant courses, you can ensure that learners have a consistent experience regardless of the channel they are using.

A learner could start a course on their desktop computer through the LMS, pause the course, and then resume it later on their mobile device through the mobile app.

Because the course is SCORM-compliant, the learner's progress would be tracked and synced across different devices, ensuring a seamless and consistent learning experience.

How to Use SCORM in LMS

If you want to offer SCORM-ready learning content in your LMS, you need to build it that way.

There are two ways to implement SCORM in LMS. One is to use SCORM-compliant authoring tools. The other is to build the SCORM package yourself.

Assuming you don't come from a development background and would want to go with a no-code technique, here is how to use SCORM in LMS.

1. Choose an LMS: You need to have an LMS that supports SCORM to use it. Many LMSs support SCORM, so you can choose one that fits your needs and budget.
2. Create a SCORM package: You can create a SCORM package using authoring tools like Trainn, Articulate, SimTutor, Adobe Captivate, or dominKnow. SCORM packages are usually in the form of a zip file that contains all the course materials, including videos, audio, quizzes, and other interactive elements.
3. Upload the SCORM package to the LMS: Once you have created the SCORM package, you need to upload it to your LMS. The process may differ depending on the LMS you are using, but typically you can upload it through the course management section.
4. Assign the course to learners: After uploading the SCORM package, you can assign it to learners or groups of learners. You can also set prerequisites or completion requirements for the course.
5. Track learner's progress: SCORM allows you to track learner progress and performance. You can see how learners are progressing through the course and how they are performing on quizzes or other assessments.
6. Review course analytics: LMSs provide analytics on learner progress and performance. You can use this information to assess the effectiveness of your course and make improvements if needed.

Analyzing SCORM Data for Continuous Improvement and Troubleshooting

SCORM data can provide insights into learner behaviour, course performance, and technical issues that need to be addressed.

For instance, SCORM data can show how much time learners spend on different parts of a course. It can also show how well learners are performing on quizzes and assessments.

In addition, SCORM data can help identify technical issues that need to be addressed. For example, if learners are experiencing frequent errors or technical issues, analyzing the SCORM data can help identify the root cause of the problem and allow for targeted troubleshooting.

Standardizing your learning content is the best thing you can do to deliver better learning experiences and improve your LMS effectiveness.

SCORM is a standardization technique most LMS follow. Prioritizing to implement SCORM in LMS can be a great approach to creating learning content that drives quicker business results.

If you want to create SCORM-compliant learning content like videos and product tutorials, Trainn can be a great help to you. Sign up today to get started.