Canvas - About the SCORM tool in Canvas [UW-Madison]

This document outlines the basic functionality of the SCORM tool in Canvas, and how to access it.

    About the SCORM tool in Canvas

    SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a technical standard for interactive learning objects. Canvas provides a simple SCORM player that can be used with SCORM packages produced from applications like Adobe Captivate and Articulate Storyline. With the Canvas SCORM tool, you can upload SCORM packages into a course and use them as either graded or ungraded assignments. Here's some considerations for the Canvas SCORM tool:

    • A SCORM assignment does not provide reports or analytics on student activity within the SCORM package, regardless of how the SCORM package is set up. For example, there is no way to see student responses to questions within a SCORM assignment.
    • Students can re-take SCORM assignments as many times as they would like within the Available From / To dates and times.
    • A SCORM assignment only records the student's most recent attempt, and there is no functionality record the first or highest score. As a result, If a student re-enters a SCORM module they have already taken and exit it without answering questions, it will reset their score to 0, the score of their most recent attempt.

    Please consider testing any SCORM based assignment you upload to your course by using the student view feature. You can make sure the assignment functions as expected and sends a grade to the gradebook before making it available to your students. You need to be familiar with how your SCORM assignment functions, so you can provide detailed instructions to your students, and they will know how to complete that assignment. 

    For example, if you select the "Load This Tool In A New Tab" checkbox for the assignment, when the student accesses the assignment, they will need to click a link to launch it in a new tab. Then the student must get to the end of the SCORM module and close the tab in order for the grade to be recorded in the Canvas gradebook. Also, if you (as the course instructor) access a SCORM object and click the "load in new tab" button you may get a browser error message like "scorm-prod.us-east-1.insops.net says: Failed to initialize communication with the LMS!" but the student should still be able to successfully complete the assignment.

    Adding the SCORM tool to your course navigation

    SCORM is hidden from the course navigation bar by default. To add the tool, navigate to the navigation tab in your course settings, and move the SCORM listing from the section of hidden tools to the main section. For more details, see Instructure's guide How do I reorder and hide Course Navigation links?

    Using the SCORM tool

    For more details about how to use the SCORM tool, please see  Instructure's guide How do I import SCORM files as an assignment?



    KeywordsCanvas, SCORM, report, reports, captivate, camtasia, storyline, adobe, articulate   Doc ID65984
    OwnerLearn@UW MadisonGroupLearn@UW-Madison
    Created2016-08-11 10:47:41Updated2023-02-21 14:43:51
    SitesDoIT Help Desk, Learn@UW-Madison
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