Which LMSs does a SCORM package work in?

In every LMS that supports SCORM: Moodle, SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone, Docebo, TalentLMS, Blackboard and others. That is what the standard is for.

Is SCORM 1.2 still used?

Yes. In corporate training 1.2 is still the most widespread version. Almost every LMS supports it and it is enough for most corporate training.

Can a PowerPoint presentation become a SCORM package?

Not directly. The presentation is taken into a content tool, interaction and completion logic are added, and it is then exported as SCORM.

Is an LMS enough for xAPI?

xAPI statements are written to an LRS (Learning Record Store). Some LMSs include a built-in LRS, others need a separate one. If you use cmi5, the LMS must support cmi5.

What is SCORM? Why does it matter in corporate training?

What does SCORM do?

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a standard that defines how e-learning content is packaged and how it talks to a learning management system (LMS). When a training is prepared as a SCORM package it becomes a single zip file. That file can be uploaded to any LMS that supports SCORM and played there, and the LMS records who watched how much, what they scored in the quiz and whether they completed it.

The real value of the standard is independence: the tool that makes the content and the system that delivers it are separate. If you use one LMS today and move to another tomorrow, you do not have to rebuild your training.

The difference between SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004

SCORM 1.2 (2001): The most widespread version. It stores the basics: completion, time, score and pass status. Almost every LMS supports it; in corporate training it is usually the default choice.
SCORM 2004 (four editions between 2004 and 2009): Adds sequencing and navigation rules (for example, you cannot move on until this section is finished), keeps completion and success apart, and stores more data. It is more flexible, but LMS support is not as universal as for 1.2.

Rule of thumb: if your LMS supports both and the content has no complex navigation rules, 1.2 is enough. If a required order between sections is needed, choose 2004.

When do you need xAPI and cmi5?

xAPI (Experience API, formerly Tin Can) was not built to replace SCORM but to go beyond its limits. The content does not have to run inside an LMS; any experience, such as a mobile app, a simulation or a classroom session, can be written to a record store (LRS) as an “actor – action – object” statement. cmi5 is the profile that organises the use of xAPI inside an LMS: it combines SCORM’s familiar “upload the package, play, record” flow with the data richness of xAPI.

For most organisations the order is: start with SCORM 1.2; move to xAPI or cmi5 when learning data must leave the LMS or you need detailed analysis.

How is a SCORM package uploaded?

Export the training from the content tool as SCORM (1.2 or 2004); you get a zip file.
In the LMS create new content or a course, choose the “SCORM package” type and upload the zip.
Set the completion criterion: viewing only, or passing the quiz.
Assign the training to people or units. Records are kept automatically.

What to watch for

The completion criterion must be consistent in the content and in the LMS; otherwise it shows “watched but not completed”.
Browser and mobile support: if a package only works well on a desktop, field staff cannot finish the training.
Size: video-heavy packages cause problems at upload and at launch; use compressed media.
Testing: before going live, complete the package once from start to finish with the LMS’s test account.

SCORM at Seriftech

Trainings prepared in the Training Studio are exported as SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI and cmi5 packages and uploaded to your existing LMS. If you do not have an LMS, the Training Platform uploads SCORM and xAPI packages, assigns and tracks them and produces the certificate.