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Taken from Wikipedia:

Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning. It defines communications between client side content and a host system called the run-time environment (commonly a function of a learning management system). SCORM also defines how content may be packaged into a transferable ZIP file.

SCORM is a specification of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, which comes out of the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense.

SCORM 2004 introduces a complex idea called sequencing, which is a set of rules that specifies the order in which a learner may experience content objects. In simple terms, they constrain a learner to a fixed set of paths through the training material, permit the learner to "bookmark" their progress when taking breaks, and assure the acceptability of test scores achieved by the learner. The standard uses XML, and it is based on the results of work done by AICC, IMS Global, IEEE, and Ariadne.

SCORM Versions

SCORM 1.1

The first production version. Used a Course Structure Format XML file based on the AICC specifications to describe content structure, but lacked a robust packaging manifest and support for metadata. Quickly abandoned in favor of SCORM 1.2. c

SCORM 1.2

This was the first version that was widely used. It is still widely used and is supported by most Learning Management Systems today.

SCORM 2004

The current version. Based on new IEEE standards for API and content object-to-runtime environment communication, with many ambiguities of previous versions resolved. Includes ability to specify adaptive sequencing of activities that use the content objects. Includes ability to share and use information about success status for multiple learning objectives or competencies across content objects and across courses for the same learner within the same learning management system. A more robust test suite helps ensure good interoperability.

SCORM 2004 editions

• 1st Edition (January 2004) — versioning changed so each book could be independently maintained
• 2nd Edition (July 2004) — improvements regarding Content Aggregation Model and Run-Time Environment
• 3rd Edition (October 2006) — clarification of various conformance requirements and of the interaction between content objects and the runtime environment for sequencing; some new conformance requirements to improve interoperability.
• 4th Edition Released (March 31, 2009) — more stringent interoperability requirements, more flexible data persistance [1].

SCORM 2004 specification books

• Overview — introduces SCORM and describes how the other books relate
• Content Aggregation Model — describes packaging of content and learning object
• Run-Time Environment — describes runtime API and data model used for communication between content objects and learning management systems
• Sequencing and Navigation — describes how sequencing between learning activities is defined and interpreted
• Compliance Requirements — detailed list of the conformance requirements that are verified by the ADL SCORM conformance test suite.

Resources

• ADL Guidelines for Creating Reusable Content with SCORM 2004
• SCORM Resource Portal: Product and Service Directory, News, Forums, Jobs, and whitepapers
• Concise articles like "SCORM For Dummies" and "SCORM For Developers", graphical reference poster and tools to help with conformance
• SCORM Information and Resources: Overview, Terminology, Conformance, Tutorials on content creation, and Downloads
• SCORM Project Cost Estimation Model
• ADL Community: Community site for advanced distributed learning technologies, including SCORM
• SCORM Primer by Philip Dodds, Chief Architect of SCORM
• SCORM Developer Network (Redbird DevNet): SCORM-related News, Forums, Jobs, Documentation, and more…

Akhmad Daniel Sembiring

vITraining.com – Qualified IT Products, Outsourcing, and Services
Ligarwangi.com – Linux, E-book, Coffee, Gift, etc

Image by aedareini via Flickr

This article describes how to create a SCORM 1.2 package to be used in Moodle and other e-learning platform that are comply to SCORM standards. For those who want to know what SCORM is, please click this link. And also click how to install and configure the tool we are going to use, the RELOAD Editor. In the example we are going to use HTML and SWF file resources. We will create the package from scratch, creating a table of content structure, arranging the resources, previewing the content, creating the package in ZIP format, and then testing it to Moodle.

Step 1: Preparing the Resources

First thing first, copy all your training material into a new folder. You can place the folder anywhere in your computer, for example in “My Document\scorm1”. In this example we are going to demonstrate the package using two SWF files and an HTML file as the training material. You can change to any other resources at your convenience. Here we have:

• Draw With Max, and educational drawing SWF movie, downloadable from http://www.swishzone.com/index.php?area=resources&tab=movies&do=page&action=detailed&link_id=2465.
• The Software Guide, a guide to windows software common menus, downloadable from http://www.swishzone.com/index.php?area=resources&tab=movies&do=page&action=detailed&link_id=1573
• Any HTML file, create your own simple HTML file just for example

For the SWF files, extract the above downloaded file and just get the SWF files. Then copy the required SWF and HTML files to our working folder “My Document\scorm1”. Here is the folder will looks like:

Step 2: Creating New SCORM Package

Now, run RELOAD Editor from where you installed it. You can do this by double-clicking the reload-editor.jar file icon or run it using java command line like this:

java –jar reload-editor.jar

The RELOAD Editor will show up. From the main menu, click File – New – ADL SCORM 1.2. Package.

Then, a dialog will appear asking you to specify the working directory. While browsing and navigating to a folder, do not use the Enter key on your keyboard since it will do the selection of the working directory. When you find the folder you are looking for, in this example “My Document\scorm1”, then you may press the Enter key or click the Select Button.

Then, a new window will be on the application window. This is the content of our new SCORM package.

There we can see our working folder structure on the left side of the window (with some additional files automatically created), the Content Package structure on the right side, and the detail information of the item we selected on the Content Package.

Let’s take a look on our working folder after the SCORM package is created on it.

There we can see some additional files beside our original files we copied before. These files are automatically generated by the tools and are the necessary files to be complied to SCORM standard.

Step 3: Arranging the Table of Content

Next, we need to arrange our training material structure, which is basically the table of content. The point here is that we need to register some resources to the package to be linked later to an item on the table of content. So, in our example, we need to place out SWF and HTML files under the Resources tree item on the Content Package. We can do this by dragging them. After they are placed under the Resources, we can see the Content Package like the following:

Next we need to create our table of content menu. Right-click the Organizations tree item then click Add Organization. This new Organization is the top most item of our table of content structure.

After created, you can edit the title of the Organization like the following:

Then, we need to add the item under the organization, which will link to the real resources of our content. Do this by right-clicking the new organization, the click Add Item.

We are going to add four items as our table of content. Of course you add add more detailed structure later by adding sub-items to the item. In this example, add four items, so it will looks like the following:

Next you need to edit the label for each items, to become “Draw With Max”, “The Software Guide”, “Training Material 1”, and “Training Material 2”. Do this by editing on the editor field like you’ve done before on the organization. So, our workspace will looks like the following:

Lastly, we need to make a link for each items in the table of content to the resources we have defined before. Simply click on the “Referenced element” property for an item like this:

Do this for each items on the table of content. Here is the link list:

After doing so then we are done and ready to preview the package.  Save your work before continuing.

Step 4: Previewing the Package

Next, we need to preview our content and test it in case there is something mistaken on the TOC structure. Click the preview icon on the toolbar to do this.

A new browser window should appear. If you find a confirmation dialog like this, the just press OK button.

Refresh your browser, the you will see a window like this.

Run the SWF movie to test whether it is working or not. Then click on other items on the table of content and make sure that the content is appear correctly. Make sure also the Prev and Next button is working correctly, and the hide TOC icon as well.

Step 5: Creating the ZIP Package File

It’s now ready to create the package in ZIP format. Simply click on the ZIP icon on the toolbar.

Then select a folder to store the ZIP file. You can place it anywhere on your system. Here we will place it one level higher than the working folder.

Give the name of the file, for example scorm1.zip, then click Save button. Congratulation, you are done! The ZIP package file can be uploaded to Moodle and any other e-learning platform that supports SCORM.

Step 6: Uploading and Testing in Moodle

Now we are going to upload the package into Moodle. Log in to your Moodle server, and create a new course from “Courses – Add / Edit courses” menu.

On the new course page, click “Add New Course” button, then a new page like this will appear:

On the page, you need to enter at least the Full Name, Short Name of the course, and the Category of the course if it is not Miscellaneous. You may leave other field defaulted. Then click Save Changes button on the bottom of the page.

Now the course is successfully created. You have a chance to select the administrators, the course creator, the teacher, etc, for this course. For now, just skip that, and click on the course code at the bread crumbs to go directly to the course.  You will have a page like this. If not, the click the “Turn editing on” button at the top right of the page.

On that page, we need to add a new Activity on a week (or topic in case you select the Topic Format course). The type of Activity we select is SCORM/AICC. You will be redirected to a new page like this.

On that page, you need to enter the Name of the activity, the Summary, and the Content package (the file that we created before). Click on the “Choose or Upload a package” button.

Then click on the “Upload a file” button.

Select the ZIP Package File, and click Open. You will be back to the previous page.

This time click on “Choose” link to choose the uploaded content package file. You will be back to the course content but this time the package is already populated to the week that you had chosen.

You can click on any items in the table of content to view the training material, for example the Draw With Max item:

As you can see, the TOC that we defined on RELOAD Editor now shows up on the right order. You may test other menu items and make sure that they work correctly.

That’s all for now, next time we will discuss how to create SCORM 2004 package that support for learning progress tracking, i.e we can track how much training material the students have opened so far, time taken, completion status, etc.

Akhmad Daniel Sembiring

vITraining.com – Qualified IT Products, Outsourcing, and Services
Ligarwangi.com – Linux, E-book, Coffee, Gift, etc