What is SCORM?
The acronym SCORM refers to the Sharable Content Object Reference Model. In its simplest terms, SCORM is a packaging and communication standard for web deployed content. SCORM uses reference tags to add keywords to content for searching. This enable SCORM to be used across different web servers. For the current version, SCORM 1.2.7, ADL has published the following four (4) documents:
SCORM can be described in many ways. In this course, the Sharable Content Object Reference Model is described in terms of the following three components:
In the previous version of SCORM, ver 1.1, the content packaging files was referred to as the CSF, or Content Structure Format. The CSF specification was actually an AICC (Aviation Industry CBT Committee) standard. SCORM 1.2 replaced CSF with the newer manifest file taken from IMS Global Learning Consortium specification for content packaging, version 1.1.2 (zip file). This specification is described in more detail later in this course. For now, it is sufficient to know that the content packaging specification describes the course:
This information is contained in a special file referred to as the manifest file. This file is in a special XML format, described later in this course, and must be placed in the top-level directory of a course and labeled "imsmanifest.xml."
SCORM also describes methods for conducting communications between the course and the learning management system (LMS). This is referred to as the SCORM run-time environment. It includes both communications about the state of the course, i.e., which materials are being presented to the student, and information about how a student is progressing through a course. The SCORM run-time environment is derived from the AICC run-time model described in the AICC Guidelines for Interoperability, version 3.4.
Standardizing these communications minimizes issues associated with moving courses between learning management systems, since traditionally each LMS uses its own unique way of tracking and recording student progress through a course. Essentially the current SCORM run-time environment is implemented through the availability of 8 special methods, which are normally communicated to the LMS using JavaScript embedded within course web pages.
Lastly, the SCORM specification details the course, SCO, and asset metadata.
The first category of metadata, course metadata, is described in the SCORM 1.2 Content Aggregation Model specification, and they are the focus of the beginner and advanced metadata lessons in this course. Course metadata provide a means of providing course descriptive data within the course manifest file. This is key for courses archived within SCORM repositories. Course metadata provide a means for searching and extracting sharable content objects from these repositories.
The SCORM course metadata specification is derived from the IMS Learning Resource metadata Information Mode, ver 1.2, which themselves are derived from the IEEE LTSC Learning Object metadata (LOM) draft standard ver. 6.1, (2001-4-18).
SCORM Help &
Resources
The most complete collection of SCORM resources and help is found at the ADL web site. The ADL web site contains:
The four (4) SCORM 1.2.7 specifications can be downloaded from the ADL web site. They are also available for download in this course (zip file containing all three SCORM, ver 1.2, manuals in PDF format). The discussion groups at the ADL web site are very active. The discussions are a great source of SCORM development information. Several SCORM-related meetings are held during the year. One of these, Plugfest, is specifically open to SCORM developers.
The acronym SCORM refers to the Sharable Content Object Reference Model. In its simplest terms, SCORM is a packaging and communication standard for web deployed content. SCORM uses reference tags to add keywords to content for searching. This enable SCORM to be used across different web servers. For the current version, SCORM 1.2.7, ADL has published the following four (4) documents:
- The SCORM Overview v1.2,
- The SCORM Addendums v2.0 ,
- The SCORM Content Aggregation Model v1.2, and
- The
SCORM Run-Time Environment v1.2.
SCORM can be described in many ways. In this course, the Sharable Content Object Reference Model is described in terms of the following three components:
In the previous version of SCORM, ver 1.1, the content packaging files was referred to as the CSF, or Content Structure Format. The CSF specification was actually an AICC (Aviation Industry CBT Committee) standard. SCORM 1.2 replaced CSF with the newer manifest file taken from IMS Global Learning Consortium specification for content packaging, version 1.1.2 (zip file). This specification is described in more detail later in this course. For now, it is sufficient to know that the content packaging specification describes the course:
- navigation structure,
- materials used in the course (files), and
- metadata (course description).
This information is contained in a special file referred to as the manifest file. This file is in a special XML format, described later in this course, and must be placed in the top-level directory of a course and labeled "imsmanifest.xml."
SCORM also describes methods for conducting communications between the course and the learning management system (LMS). This is referred to as the SCORM run-time environment. It includes both communications about the state of the course, i.e., which materials are being presented to the student, and information about how a student is progressing through a course. The SCORM run-time environment is derived from the AICC run-time model described in the AICC Guidelines for Interoperability, version 3.4.
Standardizing these communications minimizes issues associated with moving courses between learning management systems, since traditionally each LMS uses its own unique way of tracking and recording student progress through a course. Essentially the current SCORM run-time environment is implemented through the availability of 8 special methods, which are normally communicated to the LMS using JavaScript embedded within course web pages.
Lastly, the SCORM specification details the course, SCO, and asset metadata.
SCORM metadata
|
metadata Category
|
Description
|
SCORM Specification Parent
|
|
Content Aggregation metadata
|
Describes the contents of the SCORM
course package.
|
|
|
SCO metadata
|
Describes the contents of the Sharable
Content Objects (SCO) which make up the course or content aggregation.
|
|
|
Asset metadata
|
Describes each individual media file,
HTML file and JavaScript file used to create the Sharable Content Objects
(SCO).
|
The first category of metadata, course metadata, is described in the SCORM 1.2 Content Aggregation Model specification, and they are the focus of the beginner and advanced metadata lessons in this course. Course metadata provide a means of providing course descriptive data within the course manifest file. This is key for courses archived within SCORM repositories. Course metadata provide a means for searching and extracting sharable content objects from these repositories.
The SCORM course metadata specification is derived from the IMS Learning Resource metadata Information Mode, ver 1.2, which themselves are derived from the IEEE LTSC Learning Object metadata (LOM) draft standard ver. 6.1, (2001-4-18).
The most complete collection of SCORM resources and help is found at the ADL web site. The ADL web site contains:
- SCORM specifications organized into three manuals (books),
- active discussion groups for SCORM developers, and
- a list of future SCORM-related conferences and meetings.
The four (4) SCORM 1.2.7 specifications can be downloaded from the ADL web site. They are also available for download in this course (zip file containing all three SCORM, ver 1.2, manuals in PDF format). The discussion groups at the ADL web site are very active. The discussions are a great source of SCORM development information. Several SCORM-related meetings are held during the year. One of these, Plugfest, is specifically open to SCORM developers.
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