Open edX® Tutorial: How to Use the SCORM Advanced Module
Note: If you want to go straight to the step-by-step tutorial then skip down to the Let’s Get Started section.
Do you want to know how to use the SCORM XBlock in Open edX Studio? It’s easy to use the SCORM XBlock if it’s already installed and configured in your Open edX platform. If it’s not already installed, you need to contact your Open edX Service Provider to request the installation of the SCORM XBlock. If you don’t have an Open edX Service Provider then you can contact our team of professional Open edX experts to get started. It may or may not be easy to install the SCORM XBlock in your Open edX instance depending on which version you are using.
What is SCORM?
SCORM is an easy way to use 3rd party content in your LMS. “SCORM, which stands for Shareable Content Object Reference Model, is a set of technical standards for eLearning software products. SCORM tells programmers how to write their code so that it can “play well” with other eLearning software. It is the de facto industry standard for eLearning interoperability. Specifically, SCORM governs how online learning content and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) communicate with each other. SCORM does not speak to instructional design or any other pedagogical concern — it is purely a technical standard. The biggest benefit of SCORM is interoperability. If you create content, your client will need to upload that content into their LMS. If you are an LMS or Learning Platform provider, a client will want to import content from other sources. SCORM takes care of making sure content is compatible with an LMS and that an LMS can import, launch and track content.” Source: scorm.com
Let’s Get Started!
Once you have installed the SCORM XBlock you can start using it in all of your courses. In this tutorial you will learn how to add your SCORM XBlock to a course via the Advanced Modules list in Studio Advanced Settings, and how to configure the SCORM component in a Unit of your course.
Image: Screenshot of what an example SCORM component looks like to your learners in the LMS view.
Note:
If you already know how to navigate to the Advanced Settings page of the course, you can go directly to Step 4 below.
If you already know how to add SCORM to your Advanced Module List of the course, you can go directly to Step 6 below.
Step 1: Navigate to your course Outline from inside Studio.
In order to access the Advanced Settings page, you first need to sign into Studio. From the Studio Home where all your courses are listed, click the course name of the course you want to enter. In the below image the course name is indicated as “Demonstration Course”. Go ahead and click it to go inside the course straight to the course Outline.
Image: A screenshot of the Open edX Studio Home page showing the course name”Demonstration Course”.
When you click the course name, you will immediately be taken to the course Outline, as shown in the below image.
Image: A screenshot of the course Outline in Studio.
Step 2: From the course Outline, open the Settings dropdown menu.
In order to access the Advanced Settings page from the course Outline, first click Settings to display the settings menu, as shown in the below image.
Image: A screenshot of the Settings menu in Studio, with the Advanced Settings page link highlighted in blue.
Step 3: Navigate to the Advanced Settings page from the Settings menu.
Click the last option named Advanced Settings under the Settings menu as per the above image. You will be taken to the Advanced Settings page as depicted in the below image.
Image: A screenshot of the Advanced Settings page showing the Advanced Modules List.
Step 4: Look at the first section named Advanced Modules List and add the SCORM XBlock.
In the Advanced Modules List section, add in the following code:
[
“scormxblock”
]
If you are using more than one advanced module (for example the pdf module) then separate each module with a comma as per the below code (you don’t need to put a comma after the last one):
[
“scormxblock”,
“pdf”
]
Step 5: Click Save Changes
When you add the code and click anywhere outside the box, an orange coloured Save Changes button will pop up on the screen asking you if you would like to save the progress, as shown in the below image. Don’t forget to click the Save Changes button to save the changes.
Image: A screenshot of the orange coloured Save Changes button.
When you click Save Changes, the page will automatically scroll up to the top of the page and displays a green check mark next to the message Your Changes Have Been Saved, as per the below image.
Image: A screenshot of the green tick and the message Your Changes Have Been Saved.
If you see the message Your Changes Have Been Saved, you are done adding the SCORM XBlock advanced module into your course. Next you need to start using SCORM components in your course Units.
Step 6: Go to your course Outline (or in other words go to the actual Unit of the course you want to add your SCORM component) and add a SCORM component.
From any Unit in your course, you will now be able to select SCORM components under the green Advanced button, as per the below image (you first need to have a Section, Subsection and Unit created in your course in order to start adding components).
Image: Screenshot of the components available in your course Unit.
Go ahead and click the green Advanced button to bring up the Advanced Modules List options. Then click Scorm from the options and the SCORM component will be automatically generated by the system.
Image: Screenshot of the SCORM component option.
Image: Screenshot of the SCORM component generated by the system with the template message “Look in LMS” which is telling you that it’s possible to see the learner view of the SCORM component from the LMS view.
Step 7: Click the Edit button to add your SCORM content.
Go ahead and click the Edit button to reveal the editor.
Image: Screenshot of the Editor open.
Step 8: Click the Choose File button to add your SCORM file.
Go ahead and click the Choose File button and search your computer for the SCORM file you want to use. Click the Open button when you’ve found the SCORM file. It could be a zip file.
Image: Screenshot of locating and uploading the SCORM file from the computer hard drive.
Image: Screenshot of the SCORM file already selected and added to the Editor.
Step 9: Click the Save button in the Editor to upload the SCORM file.
Go ahead and click the Save button and the SCORM file will uploaded. It might take a few seconds or minutes depending on the size of the SCORM file.
Image: Screenshot of the SCORM Unit component already generated. From this view you can’t tell if you’ve uploaded the SCORM file or not but you can check the LMS view to see it for real.
Step 10: Go to the LMS view to see how the SCORM component looks from the learner view.
Go ahead and click the Preview button at the top right hand side of the screen to go to the LMS view of that page.
Image: Screenshot of the View Live Version button and the Preview button visible on the far right hand side. Use those buttons to view your content live in the LMS.
You will be taken to the LMS view of that page where you should be able to see the SCORM component live in action!
Image: Screenshot of the SCORM component in the LMS view.
That’s all there is to it! You have successfully added a SCORM component into the course. If you want to view some more Studio tutorials you can click here.