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ADL SCORM Content Aggregation Model - Overview
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative
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As part of its Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), the ADL initiative defines the Content Aggregation Model (SCORM CAM). The SCORM CAM represents a pedagogically neutral means for designers and implementers of instruction to aggregate learning resources for the purpose of delivering a desired learning experience. A learning resource is any representation of information that is used in support of a learning experience. Learning experiences consist of activities that are supported by electronic or non-electronic learning resources.
The process of creating and delivering learning experiences involves the creation, discovery and aggregation of simple electronic assets into more complex learning resources and then organizing those learning resources into a defined sequence for delivery. The SCORM Content Aggregation Model defines the technical methods for accomplishing these processes.- NOTE: Currently, the ADL SCORM CAM specification is endorsed by the "International Organization for Standardization" under the Technical Report ISO/IEC TR 29163-2:2009.
ADL Sharable Content Object Reference Model |
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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Introduction
The SCORM Content Aggregation Model is made up of the following:- Content Model: The SCORM Content Model describes the SCORM components used to build a learning experience from learning resources. The Content Model also defines how these lower-level sharable, learning resources are aggregated into higher-level units of instruction. The SCORM Content Model is made up of Assets, Sharable Content Objects (SCOs) and Content Organization.
- Meta-data: The purpose of meta-data is to provide a common nomenclature enabling learning resources to be described in a common way. Meta-data can be collected in catalogs, as well as directly packaged with the learning resource it describes. Learning resources that are described with meta-data can be systematically searched for and retrieved for use and reuse.
- Content Packaging: The purpose of the Content Package is to provide a standardized way to exchange learning content between different systems or tools. The Content Package also provides a place for describing the structure (or organization) and the intended behavior of a collection of learning content.
- SCORM Sequencing and Presentation: This section describes how to encode specific sequencing strategies in XML.
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Content Model
The Content Model describes the SCORM components used to build a learning experience from reusable learning resources. The Content Model also defines how these lower-level sharable, reusable learning resources are aggregated to compose higher-level units of instruction. The Content Model components are all considered specializations of learning resources. The SCORM Content Model is made up of the following components:- Assets. Assets are an electronic representation of media, such as text, images, sound, assessment objects or any other piece of data that can be rendered by a Web client and presented to a learner. More than one asset can be collected together to build other assets.
- SCOs. A SCO is a collection of one or more Assets that represent a single launchable learning resource that utilizes the SCORM RTE to communicate with LMSs. A SCO represents the lowest level of granularity of a learning resource that is tracked by an LMS using the SCORM Run-Time Environment Data Model. The only difference between a SCO and an Asset is that the SCO communicates with an LMS using the IEEE ECMAScript.
- Content Organization. A Content Organization is a map that represents the intended use of the content through structured units of instruction (Activities). The map shows how Activities relate to one another.
Content Organization
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Meta-data
The purpose of meta-data is to provide a common nomenclature enabling learning resources to be described in a common way. Meta-data can be collected in catalogs, as well as directly packaged with the learning resource it describes. Learning resources that are described with meta-data can be systematically searched for and retrieved for use and reuse.
Meta-data for learning resources has been under development within a number of national and international organizations over the past few years. ADL has looked to the IEEE LTSC Standard for Information Technology -- Education and Training Systems -- Learning Objects and Metadata Working Group, the IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. and the Alliance of Remote Instructional Authoring and Distribution Networks for Europe (ARIADNE) as the bodies that are defining meta-data specifically for learning resources. These groups, which have been working collaboratively, have developed a core set of specifications to which this document refers.
Meta-data Evolution
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Content Packaging
Once learning content is designed and built, there is a need to make the content available to learners, authoring tools, repositories or Learning Management Systems (LMSs). The IMS Content Packaging Specification was designed to provide a standard way to structure and exchange learning content.
The purpose of the Content Package is to provide a standardized way to exchange learning content between different systems or tools. The Content Package also provides a place for describing the structure (or organization) and the intended behavior of a collection of learning content.
Content packages are expected to be used to move learning content or collections of learning content between LMSs, development tools and content repositories. The IMS Content Packaging Specification provides a common “input/output” format that any system can support.
SCORM Content Packaging is a set of specific requirements and guidance, or application profiles, of the IMS Content Packaging Specification. SCORM Content Packages adheres strictly to the IMS Content Packaging Specification and provides additional explicit requirements and implementation guidance for packaging Assets, SCO and Content Organization. |
Sequencing and Presentation
This section describes how to encode specific sequencing strategies in XML. This XML can then be placed in the IMS Manifest file to define sequencing rules for activities.
There are two main ways of creating sequencing rules:- <sequencing> element. The <sequencing> element encapsulates all of the necessary sequencing rules and strategies for a given activity.
- <sequencingCollection> element. The <sequencingCollection> element can be used to collect a set of sequencing rules and strategies to be reused by several activities.
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| Activities are represented as <item> elements or <organization> elements within a manifest. The <sequencing> element can be placed as a child of any parent <item> (as opposed to leaf <item> elements) or <organization> element. The <sequencingCollection> element can be referenced by similar means. |
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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General Information
Title: SCORM
Version: 2004 4th Edition Version 1.1
Editor: ADL Technical Team
Release Date: 14 August 2009
Status: Final
Electronic Version available here
ADL has collected and analyzed issues reported by members of the ADL Community through Ask the Experts. Acting on that feedback, ADL released SCORM 2004 4th Edition Version 1.1. These products are maintenance releases to address defects in, and add enhancements to, the previous versions. They are being made available for the ADL Community to continue development and evaluation of their learning technology products against the SCORM 2004 4th Edition specification.
The ADL Technical Team released updates to the following products:- SCORM 2004 4th Edition Documentation Version 1.1
- SCORM 2004 4th Edition Testing Requirements Version 1.1
- SCORM 2004 4th Edition Test Suite Version 1.1.1 (Self Test)
- SCORM 2004 4th Edition Sample Run-Time Environment (RTE) Version 1.1.1
- ADL SCORM 2004 4th Edition RELOAD Editor Version 1.0
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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History
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- SCORM 2004 3rd Edition. (October 2006) SCORM 2004 3rd Edition continues to build upon a common Web-based "Content Aggregation Model" and a "Run-Time Environment" for learning content. SCORM continues to solidify its collection of specifications and standards adapted from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive suite of e-learning capabilities that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of Web-based learning content. SCORM 2004 3rd Edition introduces changes from past SCORM 2004 editions. These changes fall into several categories: clarification of concepts, clarification of requirements, changes due to standardization/specification efforts, best practices from the ADL Community, enhancements and bug fixes.
- SCORM 2004 2nd Edition. (July 2004) SCORM 2004 2nd Edition continued to build upon a common Web-based "Content Aggregation Model" and a "Run-Time Environment" for learning content. This version built up its collection of specifications and standards adapted from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive suite of e-learning capabilities that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of Web-based learning content.
- SCORM 2004 1st Edition. (January 2004) With the release of SCORM 2004 1st Edition, ADL decided to change the versioning so that each book can be maintained independently. The number of specifications and the sheer size of the documents have made this change necessary to manage revisions and corrections to the document set. Note: The ADL Technical Team no longer supports this edition.
- SCORM Version 1.2. (October 2001) SCORM Version 1.2 gave the ability to package instructional material and meta-data for import and export was added. The content package is an integral piece for meeting one of the overall requirements of the SCORM - 'interoperability'.
- SCORM Version 1.1. (January 2001) This marked the end of the trial implementation phase and the beginning of the application phase for ADL. SCORM Version 1.1 included corrections and improvements based on feedback received from the SCORM Version 1.0 release. Changing Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model to Sharable Content Object Reference Model is the most noticeable change.
- SCORM Version 1.0 (January 2000) SCORM Version 1.0 entered a test and evaluation phase during which researchers and early adopters were encouraged and expected to develop trial implementations. After a successful amount of testing, ADL released example implementations and a suite of conformance testing software.
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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The SCORM is a collection of specifications adapted from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive suite of e-learning capabilities that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of Web-based learning content. The work of the ADL Initiative to develop the SCORM is also a process to knit together disparate groups and interests. This reference model aims to coordinate emerging technologies with commercial and/or public implementations.
The SCORM applies current technology developments to a specific content model by producing recommendations for consistent implementations by the vendor community. It is built upon the work of the AICC, IMS, IEEE, ARIADNE and others to create one unified "reference model" of interrelated technical specifications and guidelines designed to meet DoD's high-level requirements for Web-based learning content.
These are some of the specifications used by the ADL to produce the Content Aggregation Model (as part of the SCORM): |
IMS Global Learning Consortium
- IMS Content Packaging Specification
- IMS Learning Resource Meta-data Specification
- IMS Simple Sequencing Specification
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IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee (LTSC)
- IEEE 1484.12.1-2002 Learning Object Metadata (LOM) Standard
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Aviation Industry CBT Committee
- AICC - CMI Guidelines for Interoperability
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These contents have been obtained from the ADL web site and edited for presentation. Please refer to the ADL web site for additional information on terms of use.
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Discussions are underway within many standards organizations regarding “next generation” Web-based learning architectures. These discussions are expected to result in implementable specifications.
Listed below are examples of new capabilities that are candidates for topics to be included as SCORM evolves:- Designing new run-time and content data model architectures
- Incorporating simulation aspects
- Incorporating electronic performance support objects
- Implementing SCORM-based intelligent tutoring capabilities
- Designing a new content model
- Incorporating gaming technologies
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| The exact scope and timetable for future versions of SCORM are not yet defined. These topics will be discussed and debated over the next year or more. Visit ADLNet.org for information about ongoing developments. |
Using Activity Streams in Next Generation SCORM
( 30/01/2012 ) |
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What’s all of the buzz about Activity Streams recently? Many of the sites we use everyday are using and supporting them (ex, Twitter, Facebook, Google). The Federal Learning Registry uses activity streams to report how learning resources made available through the registry are being used in classrooms. ADL’s 3D Repository shares similar usage data to the Learning Registry (ex. # of downloads, rating) each time a model is downloaded — as an activity stream. The resulting data can be mined to highlight the most relevant content and make recommendations based on behavior of other users.
How can activity streams apply to all of the different ways we can learn? How might we model any interaction between a person and a piece of content, regardless of whether the content is web-based, on a mobile device, in a virtual world, or in a serious game? More importantly – how might this approach change the landscape to accelerate and, perhaps, enhance the way we learn? ADL’s Project Tin Can has been researching solutions to these exact questions.
The takeaway here is that ADL is researching how we might best use activity streams for learning purposes. This work applies directly to Tin Can, which is a development effort supporting “Next Generation SCORM.”
We are drafting prototypes to demonstrate a variety of approaches. We’re doing this so that through applied design, research and development, we can highlight better paths to follow.
For us, “better” means supporting the demands of the community that such technology is vastly powerful and, at the same time, simple to use. We will continue to share resources available for download so the community can tinker with some of the artifacts of our explorations.
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ADL Releases the Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit Version 1.0 Beta
( 16/01/2012 ) |
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ADL is pleased to announce the release of the Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit. The toolkit is the result of an ADL Technical Team research and development project that focused on using games and simulations as part of an e-learning curriculum. After an assessment of the most common questions submitted to the ADL Help Desk and after gathering additional requirements from 3rd party outreach efforts, we began a project to make creating SCORM-Conformant games and simulations efficient and cost effective. Unity was selected as the game development tool for our prototype due to its ability to create web-based content.
The Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit allows Unity developers to use simple methods, provided by a “ScormManager” object, to set the SCORM Run-Time Data Model elements without having prior experience with SCORM. For example, developers are able to make simple calls like ScormManager.GetLearnerName() to get the user’s name from the LMS. In addition, the ScormManager can be used to set values including scores, objectives and interactions. For advanced users, the entire SCORM data model is available for use.
The Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit also contains a packaging tool that can be used to create a simple SCORM Content Aggregation Package. The ScormManager and packaging tool support both SCORM Version 1.2 and SCORM 2004 4th Edition. With minor tweaks to the resulting package, SCORM 2004 2nd and 3rd Editions can also be supported.
The Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit is a demonstration of how content developers can use a game engine to create SCORM-Conformant content. The source code is provided with the download and can be used by a 3rd party in their content and systems. In the future, ADL may release a version for open source development if a community need is identified.
The Unity-SCORM Integration Toolkit Version 1.0 Beta |
ADL Next Generation Architecture Proof-of-Concepts
( 16/01/2012 ) |
ADL Next Generation Architecture Proof-of-Concepts from iFest 2011
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The ADL Next Generation Architecture Proof-of-Concepts from iFest 2011 (hereafter referred to as “iFest Prototypes”) are demonstrations of the potential of a new learning architecture beyond SCORM. Several prototypes were created to illustrate different requirements of the next generation architecture:
- Learning Record Store (LRS)
The LRS is a prototype system that stores learning records and allows for the subsequent retrieval of those records. In addition to storing a learner’s interactions while actively viewing content, an LRS can store and retrieve information without an active learner-content session. An LRS is a component found in many of today’s LMSs. The LRS concept grew out of the vision that future learning systems will be split into several separate sub-systems that communicate through predefined interfaces. The LRS is a mandatory component for all other iFest Prototypes. Each prototype will use the LRS as its tracking system.
- Content as a Service (CaaS) Course
The CaaS Course prototype comes installed with the LRS. The CaaS prototype illustrates how content can be hosted anywhere, not just in an LMS. There is no “import” process and there is no requirement that content be on the same server or domain as the LMS. The CaaS prototype illustrates:
- tracking learning experiences hosted outside of an LMS
- moving away from a content package and import process
- a solution to the SCORM cross-domain issue
- and using existing standards such as SOAP, REST and JSON for run-time communications
- Android Tablet Native Application
The Android Tablet Native Application illustrates several requirements of the next generation learning architecture. This includes:
- support for out-of-browser content such as mobile applications
- content for roles other than the learner, in this case an instructor
- and tracking of content not launched by an LMS
- Game Engine Integration
The Game Engine Integration prototype illustrates how a serious game or simulation may track data with a future learning system. This prototype integrated a Unity game, deployed as an executable, with the LRS. Requirements include:
- tracking “long-running” content,
- support for out-of-browser content,
- and tracking of content not launched by an LMS
In addition, the prototype enables multiple-learner tracking, although it was not included in the ADL demonstration.
- Legacy Content Wrapper
Let’s face it… there is a LOT of SCORM-Conformant content out there. In the past, when new versions of SCORM were released, they were not backward compatible, causing complicated and costly upgrade projects. What would a new learning architecture mean for existing SCORM-Conformant content?
The Legacy Content Wrapper illustrates how existing SCOs (in this case, SCORM Version 1.2 SCOs) can be “wrapped” so that they communicate via a web-service interface. Our example does not change the existing SCOs. The prototype requires a change to the manifest and addition of a new JavaScript file. Although this approach requires some intervention, it dramatically reduces the effort to move existing SCORM content to a service-based architecture.
Next Generation SCORM |
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