EdTech/Co/eLearning Industry/Blog/21/05/5 elearning standards explained
Properties
- date-created
- 2021/05
- See also: EdTech/Idea/LearnMark/Q/What precedents exist for LMS-agnostic format
Key Standards Covered
SCORM
- The oldest and most widely adopted standard
- Developed by US/Gov/ADL in early 2000s
- Enables content portability across LMSs
- Two main versions still in use:
- SCORM 1.2 (most common)
- SCORM 2004 (adds sequencing)
- One of the earliest eLearning standards
- Created by the Aviation Industry CBT Committee
- Laid groundwork for later standards
- Dissolved in 2014, but influenced cmi5
xAPI (Experience API)
- Modern successor to SCORM
- Focuses on tracking learning experiences
- More flexible than SCORM:
- Works outside the browser
- Supports mobile learning
- Can track informal learning
- Uses xAPI/LRS to store learning data
- Combines best of SCORM and xAPI
- Created by AICC and US/Gov/ADL
- Provides standardized launch mechanism
- Uses xAPI for tracking
- Growing adoption in modern systems
- Developed by 1EdTech (formerly IMS Global)
- Popular in academic settings
- Supports various content types:
- Course materials
- IMS/QTI assessments
- Discussion prompts
- External tools via LTI
Standard Selection Guidance
- Choose SCORM for:
- Traditional self-paced eLearning
- Maximum LMS compatibility
- Simple completion tracking
- Choose xAPI for:
- Modern, mobile-first learning
- Detailed analytics needs
- Learning outside the LMS
- Choose cmi5 for:
- New projects needing SCORM-like features
- xAPI tracking requirements
- Future-proofing content
- Choose IMS/Common Cartridge for:
- Academic course materials
- Content sharing between institutions
- Integration with publisher content
Future Trends
- Moving away from SCORM toward xAPI/cmi5
- Increased focus on analytics and tracking
- Growing need for mobile compatibility
- Emphasis on interoperability between systems