What Is A SCORM Compliant LMS And Why Should You Use One?
Sep 09, 2021
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During the initial phases of eLearning, most of the vendors were creating content that was compatible with only their learning management systems or other eLearning platforms. However, as the popularity of eLearning rose, this practice started creating numerous problems for course creators as well as users.
Restricted compatibility meant that content created on one LMS could not be run on another LMS. As a result, people had to use different systems in order to access different types of content. This made the process not only expensive but also very time-consuming. This restricted compatibility of content also restricted the market of the course creators as they could only cater to the needs of the buyers who used the same LMS to access the content which they used to create the course in the first place.
Thus, in order to eliminate these hurdles and allow compatibility between different course authoring software and learning management systems, the Department of Defence’s Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative created a set of standards which are now known as SCORM.
SCORM or Shareable Content Object Reference Model is a set of technical standards for eLearning software that enables course creators to create and share courses across multiple platforms. In short, SCORM compliance ensures interoperability of various LMS and other eLearning platforms being used in the market.
What is a SCORM compliant LMS?
A SCORM compliant LMS is one that follows the SCORM standards. Users can upload different SCORM compliant courses on such a system and users can access the content using any system they want.
In simple terms, using a SCORM compliant LMS to create and deliver online courses means that your courses will work on a variety of eLearning platforms without any modifications. Plus, you will also be able to track the data related to each learner’s progress.
Why should You use a SCORM compliant LMS?
SCORM compliance can offer a multitude of benefits. Some important ones are:
Interoperability
The first reason to use SCORM compliant LMS is also its basic characteristic, i.e interoperability. This means that the LMS can interact with all types of course content in a fast and efficient manner. Simply put, SCORM compliance allows LMS of different brands to support programmes built using authoring tools of a different brand. This can prove beneficial especially when an organisation wants to replace its existing eLearning platform with a new one.
Affordability
A SCORM compliant LMS improves the efficiency of the content creation and delivery process by lowering the time and cost associated with it. Businesses do not need to use multiple tools to manage different types of content. Instead, they can invest in just one high-end SCORM compliant system which will allow them to integrate all eLearning content.
Interactive Content
Since a SCORM compliant LMS allows you to use multiple authoring tools, you have the freedom to use various unique features of all these tools to make your eLearning content more interactive and engaging.
In addition to this, you can also use stimulating options available in a SCORM compliant environment such as instructing learners to click on various onscreen elements in order to access quizzes, assessment, and much more. Such elements can also be complemented with gamification features like leaderboards, etc.
Easy Editing
SCORM enables course creators to edit and change the course content with great ease. They can utilise various feature-rich authoring tools and update the content as per their wish, without compromising the overall efficiency of the training programme.
Reusability
Another benefit of SCORM-compliant software is its reusability. This is a great function, particularly for companies that have a high demand for learning content. Using SCORM's plug-and-play functionality, courses can be created just once and then made available to users over different platforms.
Such reusability of content can not only save time but also reduce the cost involved in this process in the long term.
Conclusion
Today, many businesses are leveraging these benefits of using SCORM compliant LMS to streamline their employee training and course creation initiatives. Thus, we hope that this article proves informative and helps you decide if a SCORM compliant LMS is a right choice for you.