Today, as a Learning & Development Manager, it’s imperative that you know how to create SCORM content. The overriding goal of becoming SCORM compliant is to create an interoperable system that works well with other compliant platforms.
SCORM stands for Shareable Content Object Reference Model. It’s a technical standard that regulates how the LMS communicates with the content in the LMS’s actual operational environment.
A SCORM package of your content item is made with compliant elements to make an interoperable asset — without time-consuming and expensive tweaks. You can potentially use each content object as is in various courses if needed. This makes migrating courses and reports across LMSs a seamless process.
Once you create a SCORM-compatible course, you’ll be able to track:
For organizations that want to track events offline such as job performance and performance support, you can also consider using xAPI.
But now, let’s unpack how to make SCORM content step by step:
The first step is to select an authoring tool to make sure it’s SCORM compliant. There are many versions of SCORM available now so it’s important to select one that’s relevant to your needs and is compatible with your LMS.
Some authoring tools include desktop-based, cloud-based, a combination of both, or self-hosted, web-based. These tools are categorized by how they’re accessed. Your choice would invariably depend on where and how your learners will access the content. For example, if your learner segment is highly mobile and learns on the go, it would be critical for your authoring tool to support swipe and scroll features. The screen should be responsive across various devices too: desktop, laptop, or mobile.
Another thing to note is the content creation features you’ll have. The types of activities you can create, like quizzes, videos, or simulations, vary from tool to tool. So it’s important to choose a tool that offers the activities you want to engage your learners in.
Harness the capability of customizing the settings to your desired outcomes and learner experience. You can configure various navigation buttons, menus, and icons to personalize your content. Some tools even allow you to customize your content according to brand colors and style.
All the effort you put into creating world-class content will mean nothing without rigorous pre-launch testing. So, we’ll show you how to test a SCORM package.
Export the SCORM package created with the authoring tool as a .zip folder to your LMS. Check all the elements of design, interactivity, sequencing, reporting, and tracking across different devices and with different use cases. This will help ensure your content is optimized for any learner.
There are also different types of SCORM testers available to help identify errors and check that the right statuses are sent before uploading to your LMS. These statuses refer to the completion status of the course being tracked.
Even if the testing phase went smoothly, it’s very important to periodically monitor the functioning of all content elements to do course corrections as needed. Keeping tabs on course performance and other key elements will ensure that you aren’t caught unaware if something goes awry. Timely action will also ensure a smooth learning experience.
Discover how to create a SCORM package from scratch, and learn how to track results via SCORM, LTI or xAPI.
Our experts created the ultimate guide to help you select an authoring tool that fits your organization’s needs.
With Easygenerator, an easy-to-use SCORM-compliant authoring tool, the task of making SCORM content becomes seamless and budget-friendly for all meeting all your training needs. There’s no need for prior training or specialized skills.
Just take these steps:
By this stage, you would have successfully exported your course to your LMS with full SCORM compliance. Your course is now fully functional including all the incorporated multimedia, design elements, complex navigation sequences, and reporting elements as desired.
Not only do you know how to make SCORM content, but your authors also needed a zero learning curve!
