Introduction to SCORM Part I - ntut.edu.twctchen/pdf/SCORM-PartI.pdfSCORM scope SCORM BOOK 2: The...

Introduction to SCORM Part I陳建村

2003-02-20ctchen@ctchen.idv.tw

References

www.scorm.tamucc.eduThe SCORM Run-Time Environment (V1.2), Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, October 2001SCORM Version 1.2 Sample Run-Time Environment Version 1.2.1, Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiativewww.adlnet.org

Outline

SCORM ReviewDemo:

Authoring tools and ADL Sample Run-time Environment version 1.2.1

SCORM Content PackagingSCORM Run-time EnvironmentSCORM Meta-dataConclusion

SCORM Review

SCORM scope

SCORM

BOOK 2: The SCORMContent Aggregation Model

BOOK 3: The SCORM Run Time Environment

Launch, Communication API (from AICC)

Data Model (from AICC)

BOOK 1: The SCORMOverview

Meta-data Dictionary (from IEEE)

(Meta-data XML Binding and Best Practice (from IMS)

Content Structure (derived from AICC)

Content Packaging (from IMS)

How to apply SCORM?

DescriptionMeta-data

Repository (Optional?)Content Repository

Packaging (Assembly)Content Packaging

LaunchingRun-time environment

CommunicationRun-time environment

Demo

SCORM Content Packaging

Content Packaging Conceptual Diagram

(.zip, jar, etc…)

(imsmanifest.xml)

Content Packaging

Content packaging is organized into four sections:

PreambleCourse Description (course meta-data)Course Sequencing (navigation)Course Resources (physical files)

This information is placed into a single file with the label imsmanifest.xml

Imsmanifest.xml Structure

Content Packaging Exampleimsmanifest.xml

1

2

3

4

The Preamble Section

Content Packaging Exampleimsmanifest.xml

1. Preamble

The <metadata> Section

1

2

3

Content Packaging Exampleimsmanifest.xml

2. Course Description

The <organizations> Section

The <organizations> section describes SCO-to-SCO sequencing of course content, and relates this sequencing to course files, typically webpages. SCORM 1.2 and IMS Packaging specifications allow for both linear and hierarchical sequencing between sharable content objects (SCOs). In fact, both forms of sequencing can appear in the same <organizations> section and the <organizations> section can describe more than one form of sequencing for a course.

Content Hierarchy

organization

item

item

item

item

item

item

item

SCO

Asset

SCO

Asset

resource

resource

resource

resource

The <organizations> Section -Linear

The <organizations> Section -Hierarchical

TOC1

TOC2

TOC2a

TOC2b

Course navigation

menu

LMS Differences - Alternate Sequencing

Content Packaging Exampleimsmanifest.xml

3. Course Sequencing

The <resources> Section

The <resources> Section -Multiple SCO's

The <resources> Section -Dependency Files

Content Packaging Exampleimsmanifest.xml

Course Resources

SCORM Run-time Environment

Run-time Environment Overview

Learning Management System (LMS)

Server Side

Client Side

Data ModelActual data sent

back and forth

between SCO and LMS

API (Communications

Link between SCO

and LMS)

Launch

JavaScriptJavaScript

Browser

SCO

API Adapter

API Adapter

LMSServerLMS

Server

Asset

1

2

3

SCO To LMS Communications API Adapter State Transition

LMS Responsibility-API Adapter (1/2)

The LMS must launch the SCO in a browser window that is a child window or a child frame of the LMS window that contains the API Adapter.The API Adapter must be provided by the LMS.The only supported mechanism for API interaction from SCOs is through ECMAScript (JavaScript) calls.The API Adapter must be accessible via the DOM27 as an object named "API".

LMS Responsibility-API Adapter (2/2)

SCO Responsibility-Find API (1/3)

It is the responsibility of the SCO to, at a minimum, issue LMSInitialize("") and LMSFinish("") API calls. In order to do this, the content must be able to locate the API Adapter that is presented by the LMS. It is the responsibility of the LMS to place an API Adapter in the DOM window hierarchy so that the SCO can recursively search the parent and/or opener window hierarchy to find the API. It is the responsibility of the content to find and establish communication with the LMS's API Adapter. How the SCO chooses to do this is not mandated by the SCORM

SCO Responsibility-Find API (2/3)

SCO Responsibility-Find API (3/3)

Run-time Environment

The SCORM 1.2 run-time environment consists of two major components:

Run-time meta-data:It consist of 49 items organized into 6 categories (cmi.core, cmi.objectives, cmi.student_preference, cmi.student_data, cmi.interactions, and communications)

Run-time commands:It consist of only 8 commands (LMSInitialize(""), LMSFinish(""), LMSGetValue(element), LMSSetValue(element,value), LMSCommit("") , LMSGetLastError(""), LMSGetErrorString(ErrNum), and LMSGetDiagnostic(parm))

Run-time meta-data (1/2)

cmi.core items (15 items): 12 of these items are the SCORM mandatory items. These items are used to capture the learning state of the SCO in the event that the learner leaves and then returns to the SCO. cmi.objectives (8 optional items): Used for describing and tracking each of the learning objectives associated with a SCO. cmi.student_preference (5 optional items): Used to describing the interface preferences for an individual student, such as language, audio volume, etc.

Run-time meta-data (2/2)

cmi.student_data (4 optional items): Used to tracking a learners progress and any time limits associated with the SCO. cmi.interactions (13 optional items): Used for describing and tracking a student's responses to a quiz (interactions). communications(4 optional items): Four items used for SCO-to-SCO and SCO-to-LMS communications, e.g. cmi.suspend_data, cmi.launch_data, cmi.comments, cmi.comments_from_lms.

SCORM Run-time Commands

lMSInitialize & LMSFinish

LMSSetValue & LMSGetValue

Example: cmi.core.student_id & cmi.core.student_name

_id

_name

Example:cmi.core.lesson_locationwrite

read

Example:cmi.core.lesson_status

Example:cmi.core.session_time

updatesession_time

Example:cmi.core.total_time

Example:cmi.core.score.raw

Example:cmi.core.exit

Example:cmi.suspend_data

Example:cmi.launch_data

Example:cmi.core._children

Responsibilities of the LMS versus the SCO

The LMS has complete responsibility for between-SCO navigation and the SCO has complete responsibility for within-SCO navigation. Since, by definition, a SCO is the smallest unit of meaningful learning content, this makes sense. That is, when a SCORM course is disaggregated, the smallest intact unit would be a SCO, and it must contain all resources needed to run that SCO, including sequencing within the web pages for that SCO.

Golden rules for SCORM

Golden Rule for SCOs: One SCO can not link directly to another SCOOnly one SCO is active at any time

Golden Rule for Run-time Meta-data:One SCO can not directly access data from another SCO

SCORM Meta-data

Meta-data Model Overview

SCORM has two major meta-data categories:Course Meta-data - described in the imsmanifest.xml fileRun-time Meta-data - data maintained and supported by the SCORM specifications and SCORM-compliant learning management systems

SCORM classifies course meta-data into three categories:

Content Aggregation Meta-data, Sharable Content Object Meta-dataAsset (Sharable Resource) Meta-data

Context Independent vs. Context Specific Meta-Data

The three categories of course meta-data can be further classified by their positions within the course manifest file, and according to whether they provide context specific or context independent descriptions.

Context specific meta-data

Context specific meta-data are data specific to a particular course packaged by a SCORM manifest file:

course title, description of the packaged course, author of the packaged course, which might be different from the author of individual SCOs, keywords to help in locating the course within a SCORM repository, copyright of the packaged course, intended audience for the course, catalog information, required or expected prerequisites for the course, etc.

Context independent meta-data

Context independent meta-data are data describing individual SCOs or Assets that are independent of any particular course that uses these objects:

SCO or Asset title, general description of the SCO or Asset, the original author of the SCO or asset, keywords associated with the SCO or asset, copyright of the SCO or asset, etc.

The IMS Learning Resource Meta-Data Model

SCORM Content Aggregation Meta-Data (1/2)

Content aggregation meta-data consist of:data that can be searched externally such as course title, description, date created and version, data about the overall content aggregation (course) describing the course purpose, intended audience, author, copyright, etc.

Content aggregation meta-data should be context specific data, and they can appear in both the <metadata> and <organizations> sections of the manifest file.

SCORM Content Aggregation Meta-Data (2/2)

SCORM SCO Meta-Data (1/3)

Sharable Content Object meta-data are data describing course SCOs, independent of the a particular context. Like Aggregation Meta-data, the purpose of SCO meta-data is to make it easy to find and reuse SCOs archived in SCORM repositories. However, whereas Aggregation Meta-data are used to locate and reuse entire courses, SCO meta-data are used to find and reuse the building blocks of courses.

SCORM SCO Meta-Data (2/3)SCO meta-data can be classified into three categories:

that can be searched externally such as the SCO title, description, date of creation and version, data describing a Sharable Content Object, and data not related to a specific content aggregation structure, i.e., context independent data.

SCO meta-data, if it is included, must be context independent. These meta-data are placed in the <resource> subsections of the <resources> section of the course manifest file

SCORM SCO Meta-Data (3/3)

SCORM Asset Meta-Data (1/2)Asset meta-data is data describing course and SCO assets, such as graphics files, individual web pages, media streams, xml and javascript files Asset meta-data can be classified into three categories

data that can be searched externally such as asset title, description, date of creation and version, context independent data for the Asset, and data that can be used to create repositories of sharable Assets

Like SCO meta-data, Asset meta-data must also be context independent, allowing Assets to be shared among different courses. Asset meta-data are placed in the <file> subsection of a <resource> subsection in the manifest file

SCORM Asset Meta-Data (2/2)

Conclusion

There is a need for content repository and Learn Content Management System (LCMS)LMS and SCO has its own responsibilities

Q&A