Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 1/59 ADL/SCORM - What Does it Mean for Developers of ICT Projects? Daniel R. Rehak, PhD Technical Director Learning Systems Architecture Lab Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA USA Web:

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 2/59 Outline What’s ADL? What’s SCORM? Why is SCORM Important? Does SCORM Change Learning? What does SCORM mean to: The Learning System “Technologist” The Content Developer The Administrator The Learner What’s Next? What Do You Need to Know?

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 3/59 What’s ADL? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 4/59 ADL Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative US Government-wide initiative to improve education and training via learning technology Applicable across all learning communities and constituents

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 5/59 ADL Goals Develop a common technical framework for (Web-based) e-learning Specifications for sharable, reusable content Prototypes and proof-of-principle demonstrations Accelerate large-scale development of advanced online learning technologies Foster global acceptance and development of e-learning economy

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 6/59 The “A” in ADL Learning Technology System Content Objects from across the Web Assembled in real time, on demand Any learning, anytime, anywhere, for anybody

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 7/59 ADL “ilities” Accessibility: access instructional components from one remote location and deliver them to many other locations Interoperability: use instructional components developed in one location, with one set of tools or platform, in another location, with a different set of tools or platform Reusability: incorporate instructional components into multiple learning experiences Durability: continue using instructional components when technology changes, without redesign or recoding Affordability: increase learning effectiveness significantly while reducing time and costs

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 8/59 ADL Process Develop SCORM – the framework Hold Plugfests – demonstrate it works Provide support – Get community to “agree to agree” and then get out of the way

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 9/59 What’s SCORM? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 10/59 SCORM Sharable Content Object Reference Model Informally a “standard” Formally an “application profile” A collection of standards and extensions Recommended practice of how to use these standards within ONE community User’s / Developer’s guide Test-bed implementations Sample content Conformance test suite

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 11/59 What Problem Does SCORM Solve Can’t move a “course” from one Learning Technology System to another Can’t reuse content “chunks” across different Learning Technology Systems Can’t create searchable (learning) content or media repositories across different environments … (just for starters…) so what to do?

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 12/59 Pieces to Solve the SCORM Puzzle Content Objects Learning Framework SCORM Environment Technical Architecture Standards Bookshelf

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 13/59 SCORM Content Objects Element of reusable content Covers one learning topic Designed for reuse Described with metadata Stored, managed, delivered, tracked SCO – Sharable Content Object A content object that uses the SCORM API for communication between the content object and a learning technology system Not all content needs to be SCOs

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 14/59 SCORM Learning Framework Self-paced learning experiences Intentional strategy Has specific knowledge about the learner Can track certain data about the learner within the learning experience Instructional delivery decisions made from knowledge and tracking data Operates in a managed environment Typically an LMS

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 15/59 SCORM Environment Only Learning Technology Learning Delivery Content Repository Not Learning Support Back office Systems Integration HR/Learner Management Classroom, Course Environment Silent on Authentication / Authorization / Identity Security

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 16/59 SCORM Technical Architecture API Adapter SCORM API Delivery Service Tracking Service Sequencing Service Content Management Service Learner Profiles Service Testing/ Assessment Service Course Administration Service Local Content Repository Remote Content Repositories SCORM Content Packages Browser (Presentation) Selection Launch SCORM Tracking Data SCORM Content

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 17/59 SCORM 1.3 Bookshelf Course Packaging From IMS Metadata From IEEE Metadata XML Binding Best Practice From IMS/IEEE Content to RTS API From AICC/IEEE Content to RTS Data Model From AICC/IEEE RUN-TIME ENVIRONMENT Sequencing From IMS CONTENT MODEL

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 18/59 Why is SCORM Important? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 19/59 A De Facto Standard Based on open standards Industry and community acceptance Flexible Adopt in / adapt to different communities Illustrative approach Shown to work

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 20/59 SCORM and Standards Singapore IMS Asia PROMETEUS CEN/ISSS IMS Australia ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 21/59 World Wide Adoption

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 22/59 E-Learning Community Process

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 23/59 Interoperable eLearning Works! Many available e-learning standards Many tools Many adopters Emerging content collection Worldwide community

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 24/59 Does SCORM Change Learning? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 25/59 eLearning with SCORM Good learning, design and pedagogy is good learning Good elearning is good learning Good SCORM content is good learning BAD … is BAD … SCORM is about the “ilities”, not QoS/QoL

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 26/59 SCORM versus Learning SCORM is a technical document SCORM was written for vendors and toolmakers What tools must do How systems must behave SCORM is not (directly) for content designers and developers Not how to create learning experiences Not what makes good learning

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 27/59 SCORM versus Learning SCORM describes a solution for systems, component and content interoperability for learning Data interoperability Behavior interoperability SCORM does not impose any pedagogical or assessment model SCORM does not extend beyond learning

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 28/59 What Does SCORM Mean To Me? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 29/59 SCORM for the “Technologist” © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 30/59 SCORM Currently Is For One community One profile One set of standards Complex Evolving Incomplete

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 31/59 Missing Pieces for Learning Simulation Collaboration Intelligent Tutors / Adaptive Assessment Objective and Skills Mapping Platform Independence Customization, Personalization …

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 32/59 Missing Pieces for Pedagogy Model(s) of the learner Model(s) of the problem domain

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 33/59 Missing Specifications and Profiles Assessment Learner Profiling and Characteristics Content Repositories Objectives and Competencies Skill/Competency Maps Accessibility Workflow Back office

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 34/59 Missing Formal Architecture Services Behaviors Content models Workflow models

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 35/59 Emerging Conformance Program Conformance Suite Compliance Program Certification

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 36/59 SCORM for the Content Developer © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 37/59 Where is the Good Content? It’s all about learning Good content is the key to making SCORM work Design good content Fit it into SCORM Fit it into the technology

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 38/59 Current Content Issues How big is a SCO or learning object? Lack of sequencing No formal assessment model No guidance for instructional designers What are the “learning designs”? Hard to find content No content economy ADL is working on enabling good content

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 39/59 SCORM Learning Model Learning activities represented in a tree of content objects Sequencing rules defined for the activities Sequencing engine controls overall delivery behavior A learning activity may be an assessment activity Assessments may be complex activities Assessment results modify sequencing

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 40/59 SCORM Learning Model

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 41/59 Reusing Content Objects

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 42/59 SCORM Content Activity Tree

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 43/59 Content Structure with Sequencing

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 44/59 Content Developers Guide Designing for SCORM Identifying, Designing and Reusing Learning Objects Creating Interfaces and Experiences Navigation Sequencing Assessments Technical Details: Metadata, Packaging, GUIDs, File formats, Accessibility

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 45/59 SCORM for the Administrator © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 46/59 Questions to Consider Do you want SCORM? Do you need SCORM? What is your problem? Will SCORM solve your problem? Are you ready for it? How do you ask for it? How do you know if you get it? What will you do with it if you get it?

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 47/59 Why Conformance Testing? Standards aren’t perfect Implementations are interpretations Marketing literature isn’t the whole story Third-party validation Does it do what it claims? It is interoperable? Independent Reproducible

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 48/59 Conformance Options Self-testing Interoperability testing Conformance program testing you need all three

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 49/59 Conformance Process

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 50/59 SCORM for the Learner © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 51/59 It Should Not Matter © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 52/59 What’s Next? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 53/59 SCORM is Evolving SCORM 1.3 coming soon Additional components under discussion Assessments Profiles Repositories

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 54/59 Beyond SCORM SCORM as a model for other communities of practice Medical K-12 Higher Education Everyone wants the “A” in ADL

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 55/59 What Do You Need to Know? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 56/59 What We Know SCORM works SCORM is being adopted Community is growing

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 57/59 SCORM Isn’t Universal Other models for other communities Prescriptive Enabling Closed Open and extensible Complete Lots missing

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 58/59 What You Need To Do Evaluate your requirements Adopt the appropriate pieces Develop content and tools Evangelize open standards-based interoperability Cooperate to benefit the community Compete on implementations Fit SCORM to your needs

Update: © Copyright 2002, Carnegie Mellon University All Right Reserved 59/59 What Do You Want To Know? © Copyright 2002 Daniel R Rehak