Roland Klemke review of Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM)

In contrast with IMS-LD which describes teaching methods as multi-actor workflow processes, the proposal for the development of SCORM was driven by the idea to provide individualized learning by focusing on key characteristics of content and system components such as: Accessibility : component and content management (storage and discovery) is separate from use, deployment and delivery (instruction) Adaptability : existing components and content can be easily modified to meet differing needs Affordability : cost and time of development is reduced; productivity and efficiency in development and instruction is increased Durability : impacts of technological evolution and change are minimized Interoperability : components and content are interoperable across a range of systems, tools, contexts, locales and learning delivery environments Reusability : combinations of content and components can be built from existing, disparate individual pieces, each of which can be used in multiple contexts Purpose and scope Thus, to achieve these characteristics, the main objective of SCORM is to define a model for the structure and behavior of content and components. The model in turn is built from seven different standards and specifications, harmonized/organized into the following three books: the SCORM Content Aggregation Model (CAM) book describes the components used in a learning experience, how to package those components for exchange from system to system, how to describe those components to enable search and discovery and how to define sequencing information for the components the SCORM Run-Time Environment (RTE) book provides a means for interoperability between Sharable Content Objects (SCOs) and LMS the SCORM Sequencing and Navigation (SN) book is based on the IMS Simple Sequencing (SS) Specification Version 1.0, which defines a method for representing the intended behavior of an authored learning experience such that any SCORM compliant LMS will sequence discrete learning activities in a consistent way The model further assumes that: content is explicitly authored and prepared for use in a SCORM (learning delivery) environment content delivery and instruction are coordinated through a LMS that is responsible for managing the learners instructional experience (deliver, track, report, manage content)

 content delivery and learner interaction takes place within a Web-based technology environment (e.g. Web browser) Hence, the primary scope of the SCORM Specification is to provide individualized computer-based learning, and error-free import of content into any conforming LMS platform.

Technical perspective
SCORM consists of the following books: the Content Aggregation (CAM), the Run-Time Environment (RTE) as well as the Sequencing and Navigation (SN) book. Yet, as the subsequent elaboration concentrates on answering the question in how far SCORM is able to combine teaching methods with rich media (open) content, and collaboration services, the following discussion especially focuses on the SCORM CAM, and RTE book: Content Aggregation Model (CAM) The SCORM CAM supports this process and is made up of the following: Content Aggregation Model : the SCORM Content Aggregation Model book 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 and organized into higher-level units of instruction. The SCORM Content Model is made up of assets [1] , sharable content objects (SCOs) [2] , activities [3] , a content organization [4] and content aggregations [5]

Fig. 1. Conceptual illustration of a content aggregation As Figure 1 depicts, a learning resource is any representation of information that is used in a learning experience. Learning experiences consist of activities that are supported by electronic or non-electronic learning resources. One activity in the process of creating and delivering learning experiences involves the creation, discovery, and gathering together, or aggregation, of simple assets and/or SCOs into more complex learning resources and then organizing the resources into a predefined sequence of delivery. Yet, the current version of the IMS-CP Specification only defines one form of content organization, which is in the shape of a tree or hierarchy. Neither the IMS-CP, nor SCORM,

specifies whether this hierarchy should represent a particular learning taxonomy or nomenclature Content Packaging : the SCORM Content Model (see above) is a hierarchical structure of content objects, derived from the AICC CMI Guidelines . These structured collections may be packaged into representations for exchange between systems using a profiled version of the IMS-CP Specification v1.1.4 Metadata : the content objects in an (IMS-) Content Package (see above) may have associated Learning Object Metadata, described by the IEEE LOM Standard Sequencing and Navigation : A rule-based model for defining a set of rules that describes the intended sequence and ordering of activities. The activities may reference learning resources to and define whether they are to be delivered or not delivered to the learner Run-Time Environment (RTE) The purpose of the SCORM RTE book is to provide a means for interoperability between SCOs and LMSs. SCORM provides a means for learning content to be interoperable across multiple LMSs regardless of the tools used to create the content. For this to be possible, there must be a common way to launch content, a common way for content to communicate with an LMS and predefined data elements that are exchanged between an LMS and content during its execution. An ideal-typic procedure might look as follows: A LMS delivers content to a Web browser for learner interaction The content communicates with the LMS via an ECMAScript interface to pass data between the content and the LMS The LMS can use this data for reporting and tracking The ECMAScript interface used in content to communicate with the LMS is defined by the IEEE CMI API Standard ( IEEE Standard for Learning Technology-ECMAScript Application Programming Interface for Content to Runtime Services Communication (IEEE 1484.11.22003)) The information that can be communicated between the content and the LMS is defined by the IEEE CMI Data Model ( IEEE Standard for Learning Technology-Data Model for Content to LMS Communication (IEEE 1484.11.1-2004)). Both of these standards were derived from the AICC CMI Guidelines While the two aforementioned SCORM books (CAM, and RTE), beside the SCORM SN one, make up SCORM 2004 as a whole, they depend on each other as follows: content objects defined in the SCORM CAM include ECMAScript interfaces defined in the SCORM RTE content exchange packages defined in the SCORM CAM include sequencing and navigation rules defined in SCORM SN book

 the SCORM RTE provides the defined sequencing behavior specified in the SCORM SN book

Summary
To sum up: in distinction from IMS-LD, SCORM does not specify particular learning approaches, presentation styles, collaboration services, and pedagogies. Yet, with respect to rich media (open) content, and the integration of external collaboration services in the sense of Web-content, SCORM is able to fulfill these requirements to some extent ( SCORM can call any asset but it requires special adaptations to let these assets communicate through SCORM with the LMS ). This is due to the fact as SCORM Content Model is build of so-called assets that alternatively can be 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. Additionally, due to the nature of the underlying standards incorporated, the applied model of content as objects independent of context, and finally the limits of Web-based technology, SCORM seems to better suited for: individual learning versus group learning : in contradiction to IMS-LD, the standards and specifications used in SCORM do not define how to coordinate the management or tracking of multiple individuals in a cohort pre-authored content versus content developed during the learning experience: compared with SCORM, IMS-LD enables the learning supporter, and learner to self-generate content within the UoL by applying of a wide range of content creation tools such as for a, wiki, et. directed learning versus self-directed learning : SCORM includes features to define complex content structures and to control the learners path through the content. However, SCORM does not include capabilities for self-directed learning nor does it specify how to dynamically adapt learning content and/or learner paths within a UoL such as specified in IMS-LD level B managed learning versus unmanaged learning : using the management features does require the usage of a LMS, not just a simple Web browser for content delivery. Yet, this applies for the application of SCORM content as a part of an IMS-LD UoL too With respect to its influence on the implementation of IMS-LD (see chapter 5.2) in the sense of IMS-LD editors, and players we conclude this chapter with the words of Ingo Dahn who states that a learning design will consider a SCORM module as one resource. It will reference it in the design at the appropriate place and an IMS-LD player will have to call a SCORM player with this SCORM module at runtime when reaching this place in the design. Hence, in case of SCORM, and in distinction from IMS-CC (see chapter 5.4, last paragraph), all interaction with the SCORM module will happen at runtime [6] .

[1] 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 [2]. [2] A SCO is a collection of one or more assets that represent a single launchable learning resource that uses the SCORM RTE to communicate with an LMS [2]. [3] A learning activity may be loosely described as a meaningful unit of instruction; it is conceptually something the learner does while progressing through instruction. [4] A content organization is a representation or map that defines the intended use of the content through structured units of instruction (activities). The map shows how activities relate to one another [2]. [5] Content aggregation can be used to describe the action or process of composing a set of functionally related content objects so that the set can be applied in a learning experience. In terms of the SCORM Content Model, a content aggregation is also used to describe the entity created as part of this process or action. [6] Ingo Dahn (2009), Common Cartridge is not SCORM, Aspect research note (personal communication), p. 2.