Whether you’re new to SCORM or need a refresher on the basics, we’re going back to the drawing board both figuratively and literally. We’ll explain key concepts and even incorporate a fun, interactive drawing game to help you understand what SCORM is and best practices for using this standard. Chris Tompkins, Director of Sales, and Joe Donnelly, Customer Support Manager at Rustici Software, will illustrate key SCORM communication concepts. You’ll leave with a complete picture of how SCORM works and our insights gained over the years having worked closely with the standard across all of its different versions.

1. Back to the Drawing Board:
Sketching out SCORM
Joe Donnelly
Customer Support Manager
Chris Tompkins
Director of Sales
Part 1:
SCORM Basics

2. What we’ll cover
● What SCORM is, how it works and why it matters
● Tips for creating and publishing content
● Options for testing and troubleshooting SCORM courses
● Questions to ask your LMS vendor

3. About Rustici Software
eLearning technology experts
since 2002
We help connect content and
platforms across the eLearning
ecosystem, leveraging our expertise
in SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, LTI, and AICC.

4. What are these standards?
Standards help eLearning content and systems play well together
AICC
Aviation Industry Computer-Based
Training Committee
SCORM
Sharable Content Object
Reference Model
IMS LTI
Learning Tools
Interoperability
xAPI
Experience API
or Tin Can API
cmi5
computer managed
instruction
1998 2000 - 2009 2010 2013 2016

5. SCORM is like an MP3
Build Buy Play

6. What is SCORM?
SCORM is the most commonly used eLearning standard
● Any SCORM conformant content should play in any
SCORM conformant LMS
● Standard page-turner courses played within an LMS
● Can include an assessment
● Tracks performance, progress, and interactions

7. Why care about SCORM?
SCORM matters if you are:
● Designing learning content that
tracks learner performance and
progress
● Using an LMS to deliver and
manage learning content
● Purchasing off-the-shelf eLearning
content
● Using an authoring tool to create
courses that will be played in an
LMS or learning platform
What to expect from a SCORM course:
● The “Big 4”
○ Completion
○ Satisfaction
○ Score
○ Time
● Bookmarking
● Interactions*
*If the course is designed to send interactions.

8. What are all these versions of SCORM?
❌ SCORM 1.0- not relevant
today
❌ SCORM 1.1- still a few
legacy implementations
❌ SCORM 2004 1st edition-
wasn’t fully implementable
✅ SCORM 1.2- very widely adopted
✅ SCORM 2004 2nd edition-
significant adoption, but complicated
✅ SCORM 2004 3rd edition- most
widely used of all the 2004 editions
✅ SCORM 2004 4th edition- new
features that simplify sequencing

9. Key differences: SCORM 1.2 & SCORM 2004
SCORM 2004 allows content to be more expressive in reports
● More space in the suspend data bucket
● Sequencing and navigation
● More robust interaction model
○ What question did the learner answer?
○ How did a learner answer the question?
○ Did they answer it correctly?
○ What is the correct answer?
○ How long did it take them to answer?

10. Some key SCORM communication concepts
*Initialize- establishing communication
● Status (Get Values/ Set values)
○ Lesson Status - SCORM 1.2
○ Completion Status - SCORM 2004
○ Success Status - SCORM 2004
● Score
● Time
● Interactions - Questions/Answers
● Bookmarking
● Commit Data
*Close communication- ending the session

11. Course publishing: Best practices
1. Communicate with the Player
2. Set status
3. Use bookmarking
4. Record completion
5. Exit gracefully
6. No Flash, please

12. Common issues with loss completion data
Completion & success status are determined by the course developer
Can be based on:
● Number or percentage of pages viewed or objectives passed
● Learner selecting a user interface control (pressing a button)
● Score for a test or quiz
Postback issues on final course exit can be caused by:
● Ad and pop-up blockers
● Mobile environment and framesets
● Browser disables scripts (Chrome 80 update)

13. Testing and troubleshooting
SCORM Cloud
● Free trial account to
upload and preview
your content
● Debug logs available
● Sign up at
https://cloud.scorm.com/
sc/guest/SignUpForm

14. Learning Management System (LMS)
● Authenticates a learner
● Manages content libraries
● Includes general reporting features
● Considers interoperability really important

15. Things to ask your content provider
● What standards do you support?
● What happens when you update courses?
● How often are they updated?
● Can I try out a course or two in my LMS?
● Can the data be exported to other
platforms?

16. Questions? Ask us anything.
Email us: info@rusticisoftware.com
Learn more: rusticisoftware.com | scorm.com | xapi.com