Glossary
SCORM
Sharable Content Object Reference Model
What is SCORM?
SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a technical standard for e-learning content. A SCORM course is packaged as a zip file with a defined structure, so any compliant learning management system (LMS) can launch it, display it, and record results - regardless of which tool created the course.
SCORM solves a portability problem: training built once should run anywhere. The two widely used versions are SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004. While newer standards like xAPI and cmi5 exist, SCORM remains the most common format for corporate and academic e-learning content today.
How SCORM Works
- Packaging - Course files plus an imsmanifest.xml are zipped into a SCORM package
- Launch - The LMS opens the content in the learner's browser
- Runtime communication - The course reports to the LMS via a JavaScript API
- Tracking - Completion status, time spent, quiz scores, and pass/fail are recorded
- Bookmarking - Learners can leave and resume exactly where they stopped
SCORM in Practice
- Authoring tools - Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, and iSpring export SCORM packages
- Moodle - Moodle has a built-in SCORM activity module; upload the zip and tracking works out of the box
- Compliance training - Organizations distribute the same certified course across multiple LMS platforms
- CCMS Moodle hosting - CCMS managed Moodle/LMS hosting is tuned for SCORM-heavy courses, with the storage, PHP limits, and backups large packages need