Re: Intro + SCORM objects in Plone?

> Subject: [Plone-users] Intro + SCORM objects in Plone?
>
>
> My name is Lorenzo Rizzatto and I work for a Zope-based e-business
> consultancy. We are involved in e-learning development and projects.
>
> I am interested in ideas/discussion on how to extend Plone to become
a
> Learning Management System.
> I belive the right way to do so is to create some SCORM-compliant
> components and content structures
> (for example a SCORM-based quiz) and an implementation of tracking
of
> user interactions, as ZMS is doing
> (http://www.medvalue.net/live/medvalue/content/e83/e264/index_
> ger.html)

I responded to this on the Plone list as well but thought I would repeat the
post here.


Creating Scorm compliant quizzes and content is not strictly necessary (
unless you are thinking some future Scorm standard). The whole idea of
(current) Scorm compliancy from the content production end is to produce
portable content -- if your content is Plone/zope dependent anyway making it
Scorm tracking compliant is almost a non sequitar. It may be that once Scorm
tracking is in place that easiest mechanism for tracking captive learning
content information is by using Scorm thoughas the tracking ( and
reporting/management) mechanism would already be in place.

I believe there are some emerging standards for developing portable learning
content that is xml only, but as said just "emerging". Attempting to comply
to a moving target is not a joy I am keen on pursing.

My current focus is on a proving Scorm tracking and installation for
existing Scorm compliant authoring tools/authored pieces. This involves two
basic issues:

1) uploading Scorm compliant packaging ( there already is a basic Zope
product around that does this -- I forget the name of it off the top of my
head)
2) developing a mechanism for initiating the packages, providing the Scorm
API and recording the supplied information.

These are reasonably easy to do in my mind.




> I think the other features (collaborative modules like chat room,
> forums, etc. or learning objects subscription by users) are quite
easy
> to implement or are already there in Plone but the SCORM compliancy
and
> usage tracking are the critical ones.





I guess I am disagreeing with you're here.

I think the hard part is defining and developing strategies for managing
students, managing access to Scorm content, sequencing content, managing
lessons and reporting results in a human usable form.

I have a currently implemented Zope AICC compliant LMS and am in progress(
slow but steady) to adding Scorm compliancy. I am torn between using Plone
or ignoring it altogether and just tacking Scorm tracking into my existing
Zope LMS.


Plone offers some very nice features for content management outside of
standard Scorm compliant content but in many ways is constraining in that
arena -- with ideas and structures that don't ( in my mind) mesh all that
well with a traditional Scorm LMS.

Anyway I am willing to discuss this and depending on what develops,
participate in a project ( time permitting of course).





Brian Sullivan ( briansullivan-9t7PuWcLvar0gXAagfoFvgC/[email protected])
Courses by Wire ( www.coursesbywire.com)






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