This document provides a plain English introduction and overview of SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model). SCORM is a set of technical standards that aim to define how online learning content can interact with Learning Management Systems (LMS). The key points made are: - SCORM standards were created so that e-learning content purchased by the military would work reliably across different LMS systems. - SCORM addresses issues like content interoperability, allowing content to be used across different compliant LMS platforms, as well as learning analytics like tracking user progress and collecting data on content usage. - Properly implemented, SCORM handles basic functions like content launching and navigation behind the scenes, without requiring users to think

1. in plain English for the rest of us

2. Welcome to SCORM in
plain English.
A
basic
introduction
to
this
word
that
floats
out
there.
You
might
see
listed
somewhere
in
your
learning
management
system,
but
you
aren’t
using
because
you
don’t
know
what
it
is.
Or
you
assume
it’s
something
just
for
the
technical
geeks.
Or
you’ve
heard
ba-­‐a-­‐a-­‐d
things
about
it.
We’re
going
to
walk
through
what
it
is,
what
it
does
and
why
you
actually
should
care
about
SCORM.

3. Why
can
we
do
this
talk?
Because
SCORM
is
all
we
do.
Spending
all
day,
every
day
with
this
takes
us
way
beyond
being
experts.

4. it is

5. CC
flickr
image
from
Mrs
Logic
It’s
a
set
of
standards
created
with
the
idea
of
“making
things
work”
in
mind.
Each
addresses
a
different
aspect
of
how
e-­‐learning
content
should
act.

6. CC
flickr
image
from
The
US
Army
The
military
wanted
to
make
sure
content
it
purchased
would
work
in
its
system.
Creating
standards
makes
that
possible.

7. CC
flickr
image
from
Humor
Blog
What
is
a
standard?
–
It’s
what
makes
DVDs
work,
MP3s
work,
Flash
work
every
time
you
load,
import
or
launch.
When
the
content
creators
follow
the
standard,
you
can
use
your
content
with
confidence.

8. CC
flickr
image
from
Marcel030NL
SCORM
was
created
to
bring
consistency
across
elearning
content
so
when
it
says
SCORM,
you
know
it
should
work.

9. CC
flickr
image
from
Arwen
Abendstern
This
isn’t
always
the
case,
unfortunately.
Standards
get
interpreted
differently
by
different
people.
This
is
a
large
part
of
why
people
have
so
much
trouble
with
SCORM
and
we’ve
always
had
work.

10. CC
flickr
image
from
Jeff
Pang
In
an
ideal
world,
SCORM
would
operate
in
the
background
and
you’d
never
think
about
it
–
much
like
the
standards
for
DVD
and
MP3
players.
Until
that
happens,
it’s
good
to
have
a
good
understanding
of
SCORM
as
a
standard
so
you
can
use
it
with
as
little
pain
as
possible.

11. it does

12. First
step
to
getting
a
CC
flickr
image
from
kevindooley
grasp
of
SCORM
is
understanding
what
it
does.
(And
by
inverse
–
what
it
doesn’t
do.)
The
doesn’t
do
part
is
probably
shorter
and
easier
–
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
your
content.
SCORM
doesn’t
care
what
the
content
is
–
doesn’t
care
what
order
you
put
information,
doesn’t
care
whether
you’re
using
video,
doesn’t
care
whether
your
quiz
is
10
questions
or
110.
SCORM
has
nothing
to
do
with
the
content
itself,
only
with
how
the
LMS
finds
and
delivers
it.

13. CC
flickr
image
from
{Guerrilla
Futures
|
Jason
Tester}
From
your
standpoint,
there
are
two
main
functions
of
SCORM
you
need
to
know
about.
First,
the
SCORM
standard
answers
the
interoperability
question.
Not
between
systems
–
we
know
that
is
a
big
deal
in
bringing
in
new
systems
–
but
between
content
and
the
system.
So
the
goal
with
SCORM
is
for
you
to
be
able
to
buy
or
create
SCORM
content
and
know
that
it
will
work
in
a
SCORM
player.
Just
like
DVD
works
in
your
DVD
player.
(Note
that
there
are
versions
of
SCORM;
compare
that
to
DVD
regions.)

14. CC
flickr
image
from
ann-­‐dabney
The
second
thing
SCORM
does
you
need
to
know
about
is
the
tracking
and
data
collection
portion.
Part
of
what
SCORM
does
in
the
delivery
portion
is
track
various
things
happening
in
your
course
–
how
long
they
spend
on
a
certain
page,
what
they
answer
on
question
four,
where
they
went
after
reading
section
three.
All
very
cool
things
to
know.
Set
up
your
SCORM
correctly
and
it
can
collect
the
data
and
also
tell
your
LMS
to
keep
it.
(Sometimes
that
doesn’t
happen.)

15. Here’s
a
look
at
the
data
SCORM
can
collect.
Not
very
pretty,
not
very
easy
to
read
and
use.
Depending
on
your
LMS,
you
might
get
a
nice
report
that
makes
the
data
readable.
There
are
several
add-­‐on
products
out
there
just
for
that
purpose.

16. And
yes,
we
have
one
for
our
SCORM
player
clients.
Here’s
what
it
looks
like
to
give
you
a
prettier
easier
to
digest
look
at
SCORM
data.

17. CC
flickr
image
from
Guillermo
And
lastly,
SCORM
brings
reusability.
SCORM
works
with
idea
of
SCOs,
the
smallest
discrete
of
information
in
a
course,
which
can
be
combined
with
other
SCOs
in
different
ways
to
make
new
courses.

18. we care

19. CC
flickr
image
from
Török
Gábor
(nyuhuhuu)
So
–
SCORM
is
this
big
fancy
technical
spec
that
does
a
bunch
of
uber
geeky
stuff.
What
difference
does
that
make
to
you?

20. CC
flickr
image
from
CCAC
North
Library
Well
–
it
might
not.
Not
everything
needs
to
be
SCORM
conformant.
You
might
create
content
right
in
your
LMS
and
deliver
from
there.
You
might
not
care
about
the
extra
data
collection.
You
might
be
creating
something
for
one-­‐time
use.
There
are
a
lot
of
times
when
SCORM
might
not
be
relevant
for
you.

21. And
the
eventual
goal
is
that
SCORM
becomes
so
background
you
don’t
even
notice
it.

22. CC
flickr
image
from
CCAC
North
Library
But,
there
are
times
when
you
want
to
use
SCORM
and
need
a
decent
grasp
of
it.
Specifically
if
you
need
to
track
learner
performance,
buy
content
from
outside
sources,
create
a
library
of
learning
objects.

23. CC
flickr
image
from
Torley
And
in
all
these
cases
–
whether
you
create
SCORM
or
buy
SCORM
–
a
basic
understanding
will
help
you
move
forward
with
confidence
in
your
choices.
Whether
you
are
creating
content
and
need
to
decide
on
functionality,
reusability
and
other
issues.

24. CC
flickr
image
from
Tony
the
Misfit
Dealing
with
a
vendor,
whether
to
buy
content
or
even
a
new
LMS.

25. CC
flickr
image
from
Playingwithbrushes
Or
just
getting
smarter
about
what
your
learners
are
doing,
how
they
use
content
and
what
you
can
be
doing
to
help
them
learn
better.

26. CC
flickr
image
from
sigmaman
In
all
cases
though,
to
know
enough
to
say
no
at
those
times
when
you
don’t
need
it
and
definitely
to
say
no
to
bad
SCORM
…

27. CC
flickr
image
from
erix!
And
embrace
the
benefits
SCORM
can
bring
when
used
well.

28. CC
flickr
image
from
Horia
Varlan
@mike_rustici mike.rustici@scorm.com

29. in plain English for the rest of us