Advanced Content Authoring and Reporting - Using interactive Storyline modules with WordPress/GrassBlade, Learning Locker, and Canvas [UW-Madison]

This document outlines the process of using Storyline for advanced content authoring and reporting. It includes information on how to host your content in WordPress via Grassblade, embed it in Canvas as an assignment, setup grade passback to Canvas, and request student activity. It is for instructors who need access to more detailed information on how students use their Storyline modules, such as how students answered specific questions within the module. This is a reasonably complex solution. It will be of interest to technically inclined instructors, instructors who have local learning technology support staff to support them with this process, or instructors for whom using a SCORM module with Canvas won't meet their pedagogical needs.

Background

Articulate Storyline 360 is an interactive content authoring software for Windows only. UW-Madison does not have an institutional licence for Storyline, so Storyline licenses will need to be purchased by departments.

Storyline can be used to create eLearning modules which allow students to take a role and make decisions, apply what they've learned in class, and get feedback on the choices they've made.

Storyline projects can be packaged as a Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) module and uploaded to Canvas directly using the Canvas SCORM Tool. SCORM is a standard governing how online learning content and Learning Management Systems (LMSs) communicate with each other. For more information on how to upload a SCORM module to Canvas, see Instructure's guide How do I import SCORM files as an assignment? While using Storyline modules published with SCORM in Canvas requires fewer steps than the process described below, there are a few downsides:

  • SCORM reports are not available on more detailed student usage of a module. For example, you cannot see information on how a student answered a particular question.
  • Users can retake SCORM assignments in Canvas multiple times.
  • Only a student's most recent attempt of a SCORM assignment is stored by Canvas.
  • If a student re-enters a SCORM assignment and doesn't complete it, their score will be reset to 0.

In order to collect more granular analytics from Storyline projects, those projects must be published with xAPI modules to work with Grassblade and Learning Locker. xAPI is a specification that makes it possible to collect data about a wide range of student experiences and allows multiple technology systems to communicate with each other. 

Support

  • General Storyline support is provided by the vendor (Articulate). This support is included as part of the Storyline Teams licenses. Because of their excellent service, we recommend making use of this support whenever possible.
  • The Learn@UW-Madison Team provides documentation and support to assist faculty and staff in setting up the integrations between Storyline, Grassblade, Learning Locker, and Canvas. School, college, and department instructional technologists will be responsible for providing any additional end-user support when possible.
  • If you have a question on your module's integration with Canvas, Grassblade, or Learning Locker,  please request a consultation with Learn@UW-Madison staff by contacting the DoIT Help Desk. If possible, be sure to include a link to the module you are having trouble with and  a link to your Canvas course.

Overview

This is an outline of how to use a Storyline module with advanced content authoring and reporting:

      As always, if you need help during this process or would like a consultation, please contact the DoIT Help Desk.