Setting SCORM completion values in Lectora

I recently helped a colleague who was having problems getting a SCORM 1.2 course created with Lectora to be marked as completed on the LMS.  The colleague stated “Everything seems to work, but the course is not sending a "completed" signal to the LMS, which keeps the course "spinning" in an incomplete mode. The problem seems to be in how I ask the student to exit the course, which is set as an "on click" to exit the course and close the title. This action is not sending a message of complete to the LMS and I am wondering if there needs to be any additional conditions/variables set on the exit button. “

After several e-mails back and forth I realized that they had not ever instructed Lectora to send the “completed” message to the LMS.  They had mistakenly thought that be setting the course up to be SCORM 1.2 compliant nothing else needed to be done. Lectora has built in variables that will assist you greatly in sending the correct LMS messages but you still need to create the action in the appropriate spot in your course.

Additionally, a test had been created that needed to be passed in order to pass or complete the course. The test score to be passed to the LMS. Communication with the LMS message needed to happen in several spots.  I provided the following information for both SCORM 1.2 (and SCORM 2004 for future reference).   Notice that you can send different vocabulary values in the message based on what your LMS requires i.e. passed, failed, completed, or incomplete.  You need to work with your LMS administrator to see which exact vocabulary values must be used with the specific LMS. This particular instance required “passed” and “failed”.

The exam directs the user to different pages based on passing or failing the exam. Each of these pages then navigates to the last page of the course.

Because the test score was required to be sent to the LMS, following action needs to be on both the “passed” and “failed” test result pages.

Action Name: send score to AICC_Score

On: Show

Action: Modify Variable

Target: AICC_Score (a preset target)

Value: VAR(Test_Score)

Modification Type: Set Variable Contents

Then send the “lesson_status” of the course to the LMS.

SCORM 2004 course

1) Action Name: set lesson status

On: Show

Action: Modify Variable

Target: AICC_Lesson_Status (this is a system variable when your course was first set up as a SCORM course)

Value: passed (on passed page) or failed (on failed page).  

Modification Type: Set Variable Contents

SCORM 1.2 course

1) Action Name: set lesson status

On: Show

Action: Modify Variable

Target: AICC_Lesson_Status (this is a system variable when your course was first set up as a SCORM course)

Value: passed (on passed page) or failed (on failed page).  

Modification Type: Set Variable Contents

Finally, for a SCORM 2004 course add this action

Action Name: set completion status

On: Show

Action: Modify Variable

Target: CMI_Completion_Status (this is a system variable when your course was first set up as a SCORM course)

Value: passed or failed (or completed if that is what your LMS requires)

Modification Type: Set Variable Contents

The differences between SCORM 1.2 and 2004 are subtle but it is important to know what they are in order to be able to use either successfully.

mLearning anywhere

mLearning has been described as "pull" learnig when you need it, when you want it or anytime, anywhere. For example, I am attending a hockey tournament but I have my 3GS iPad2 with. During periods I am watching classroom videos from Stanford University for iOS programming. I get these from iTunesU. For me this is a great use of my time.

Using Photoshop Actions for Rapid, Quality E-Learning Images

When developing eLearning courses, particularly those of a longer variety, we often create re-usable page templates that include elements such as the GUI, a content area, and a designated space for graphics.  A simple picture (and its thousand words) often is the best visual tool for supporting the content, but just plopping down a raw image typically will jar the overall look-and-feel (especially if your GUI is up to modern standards) and can throw off the entire course (think of a Porsche with primer paint...).

Giving the image an appropriate border treatment or other graphic enhancement (whether we’re talking altering the photo itself or adding things like drop shadows or reflections) will allow your image to work like a part of the team, rather than a distraction that should be benched.

Of course, image treatment takes work and time...and remember my reference to courses "of a longer variety?" What to do when you need treated images on several pages?

You could spend all your time replicating the same graphic design technique over and over...Or you could do it once while recording your technique in Photoshop as an action and then apply that action to your stack of images, potentially saving you countless hours otherwise spent in a PS rut.

http://www.republicofcode.com/tutorials/photoshop/mass_resize/

Overview of Tech Trends

New blog entry that about technology trends and their importance to eLearning and mLearning, based information found in The 2011 Horizon Report.

http://edeveloperstuff.blogspot.com/2012/03/emergence-tech-trends-from-2011-horizon.html