What is SCORM? Finally, we solve the mystery! Find out about its benefits and the problems SCORM solves! Check out what Juliette has to say about SCORM here: https://youtu.be/bOnMmy8xvEY

1. WHAT IS…
SCORM?
@juliettedenny

2. THE
BASICS
If you have any involvement whatsoever with online
learning, you’re going to need to wrap your head around
SCORM. Whether you’re dealing with eLearning content
creation or the administration of a learning
management system, you’ll have SCORM to thank for
making things run smoothly.
Sharable
Content
Object
Reference
Model

3. THE PROBLEM
SCORM SOLVES
The rise to prominence of online learning in the 90s was a
glorious thing, but it was not without its teething issues. One
of the main issues was a lack of agreed structure and
standards for eLearning content, which led to compatibility
issues and a lack of consistency throughout the industry.
In essence, this meant that every piece of content had to be
tailored for a specific delivery system. This was costly, and
meant that if an organisation wanted to switch to a new LMS,
all of their content would suddenly become obsolete!

4. THE
HISTORY
Eventually, in 1999, the United States Department of Defense
decided that enough was enough. They called for eLearning
production to be standardised, in what we would like to
retroactively name Operation Desert SCORM.
The Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL) answered
the call, and developed the Sharable Content Object Reference
Model, more conveniently known as SCORM. Though it faced
some competition from AICC, this eLearning specification
would become the dominant one, used almost universally
across the online learning landscape!

5. HOW DOES
SCORM WORK?
SCORM provides a list of technical specifications for
eLearning content. If all content is made to meet these
criteria, then it becomes much easier to provide a matching
system to host and deliver it.
This is the premise behind SCORM. There are currently two
specifications, called SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004, meaning
that there are only two shapes to fit. As long as your content
and your LMS are built to comply with the same
specification, then they should work seamlessly together.

6. AN
ANALOGY
Think about the last time you bought a DVD or a Blu-Ray
disc. You didn’t need to review the technical standards on
the back, to check that it would be compatible with your
player. You already know that these discs are created in line
with a specification that ensures they will work across all
standard players.
Without these technical standards in place, studios would
need to create differently formatted discs for each brand or
type of player. This was the case for eLearning units before
SCORM rose to prominence.

7. SCORM
ISSUES
Failure to Evolve:
SCORM has failed to evolve with the times. The last SCORM version was in 2004 (although
there have four editions since)! And yet many L&D professionals are so used to SCORM,
they are reluctant to move on to something new and improved.
Informal Limitations
SCORM works well when it comes to the linear world of formal training. It can track
learner progress and completion of online content. The difficulties arise when we want to
track all the other informal learning that happens when the formal course ends.
Reporting Deficits
If we can’t track learners’ full behaviour we definitely can’t accurately report on it. And if
we can’t measure it, we can’t change it. SCORM means L&D pros are only able to get data
on specific types of learner behaviour, such as completed training.
1
2
3

8. THE
ALTERNATIVES
We owe SCORM so much. It brought order out of
chaos and it’s been a huge help to everyone in L&D.
But at the moment, the only thing keeping SCORM
at the top of the pile is that everyone is already
using it.
• AICC
• xAPI / Tin Can
• cmi5