Exporting SCORM packages

Using Electude modules as Sharable Content Objects in third party LMSes

When your Electude LMS license allows it, you can use the modules in another, SCORM compliant LMS. SCORM versions 1.2, 2004 2nd, 3rd and 4th are supported. Electude modules can be used as Sharable Content Objects. The actual SCORM content is hosted on your Electude LMS site and can only be accessed from sites you explicitly allow. If the LMS is on an intranet, you still need an Internet connection to access the content.

To enable SCORM support, the Electude LMS site administrator should make the correct settings first. Then teachers can download SCORM packages as PIF files and use them in the third party LMS.

You cannot create student accounts in your Electude LMS site when you use SCORM. Instead student administration is done in the third party LMS. The results are reported to the third party LMS through the SCORM Run-Time Environment. The section 'SCORM RTE data' below describes what data are reported. How these are displayed in the third party LMS, is beyond the scope of SCORM.

1. Administrator settings

To enable SCORM, the Electude LMS administrator should:

  • Select the desired SCORM version (1.2 or 2004).
    This setting determines the format of the packages teachers can download. It does not affect the SCORM version of packages that are already downloaded.
  • Specify the domain name of the third party LMS server.
    The specified domain is white listed, requests to retrieve the content originating from other sites are denied. To enable multiple domains, the domain names should be separated by semicolons (;).

For more information see the Electude Administrator's Manual.

2. Creating and downloading PIF files

In the Electude LMS, teachers can:

  • Create modules.
  • Download SCORM Resource packages for modules.
  • Create courses and arrange the modules;
  • Download SCORM Content Aggregation packages for courses.

Note: Many LMSes cannot handle SCORM Resource packages that are created by downloading a single module. When in doubt, use Content Aggregation packages which are downloaded courses from the Electude LMS.

All content is packaged as a PIF (Package Interchange Format) file. For more information see the Electude Teacher's Manual.

3. SCORM RTE data

Electude SCORM modules communicate with third party LMSes by setting elements in the Run-Time Environment Data Model to track the learner. The elements are set immediately. Depending on the data element this may be upon entry, after answering a question or when the module is finished or closed.

3.1. SCORM 1.2

In SCORM 1.2 these RTE data are set when cmi.core.lesson_mode is normal (set by the LMS).

  • cmi.core.exit (suspend, '')
    This is only set to an empty string when cmi.core.lesson_status is set to passed or failed.
  • cmi.core.lesson_status (incomplete, completed, passed, failed, browsed)
    Only when a passing score is defined for a test, passed or failed are used as values.
    Only when cmi.core.lesson_mode is browse the value browsed is set.
  • cmi.objectives
    For each objective:
    • id
    • score.max
    • score.min
    • score.raw
    • status (incomplete, completed)
  • cmi.core.score.max
  • cmi.core.score.min
  • cmi.core.score.raw
  • cmi.core.session_time
  • cmi.core.suspend_data

3.2. SCORM 2004

In SCORM 2004 these RTE data are set when cmi.mode is normal (set by the LMS).

  • cmi.completion_status (incomplete, completed)
  • cmi.exit (suspend, normal)
    This is only set to an normal when cmi.success_status is set.
  • cmi.interactions
    For each interaction:
    • correct_responses
      Only set if available.
    • description
    • id
    • learner_response
      Not set when type is other.
    • objectives
    • result (correct, incorrect)
    • type (choice, fill-in, numeric, other)
    • weighting
  • cmi.objectives
    For each objective:
    • completion_status (incomplete, completed)
    • description
    • id
    • score.max
    • score.min
    • score.raw
    • score.scaled
  • cmi.progress_measure
  • cmi.score.max
  • cmi.score.min
  • cmi.score.raw
  • cmi.score.scaled
  • cmi.session_time
  • cmi.success_status ('passed', 'failed')
    This is only set for tests when a passing score is defined.
  • cmi.suspend_data

4. Limitations

There are some limitations to export modules as a SCORM package:

  • The feature to read the questions aloud is not available.
  • 'Task' modules cannot be exported.

5. Trouble shooting

5.1 'Access denied'

When a module only displays 'Access denied' upon launch, the most likely problem is that the third party site that hosts the SCO module is not white listed. See section 1. Administrator settings for more information.

If the site is correctly white listed and the problem persists, there may be a license issue. Either the LMS license may have expired or the maximum number of SCORM sessions has been exceeded.

5.2 'An error occurred'

When a module only displays an error message upon launch, you should check if you have the latest version of your browser.

When you use MS Internet Explorer, the Electude modules require version 9 or greater. You may still get an error message if a recent version of Internet Explorer runs in compatibility view or document mode, which emulates an old version of Internet Explorer. This may be the result of a policy enforced by the third party LMS that hosts the module. Typically this can be detected by examining the details below the error message, which shows the version of the browser. If this version string contains for example 'MSIE 7.0' or 'MSIE 8.0', the browser emulates an old version of Internet Explorer.