Beyond the Acronym - Understanding SCORM

Thanks in part to SCORM, online training courses have revolutionized the way employers and employees access the training material they need to work safely and in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. While eLearning courses are designed to be user friendly and easy to navigate, what goes on behind the scenes is more complex. This is because eLearning software uses precise technical standards to ensure that the learning management system (LMS) and online learning content interact seamlessly with each other.

SCORM stands for "Shareable Content Object Reference Model" and is regarded as a primary technical standard in online learning development. It was developed through the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative, which was established by the Department of Defense in 1997. The SCORM acronym can be broken down into two key parts: SCO and RM. A shareable content object, or SCO, is an online training material unit that can be reused and shared across systems. An SCO is anything that would have its own section in the table of contents, such as a module or chapter. RM stands for reference model, signifying that SCORM is a collection of specifications and standards for eLearning technology. Essentially, SCORM standards are a common, uniform approach for developing and using eLearning content.

SCORM is a powerful tool for the development and use of online training. Courses built following SCORM standards offer greater interaction between the course taker and the employer's learning management system. A SCORM course can track numerous pieces of user data, including the following:

• Correct and incorrect question responses
• Which answers were selected for each question
• Course progress and placement (this allows the user to resume a course later, rather than having to finish it all in one session)
• Time spent per page and total time in course
• Mastery score (the minimum passing score for the course exam)

Compliance Training Online offers SCORM-compliant versions of our online training courses. They act as an interface between your learning management system and the course content. SCORM's interoperability gives it the ability to work with different systems and products without restrictions or limitations. This allows for efficient, effective, and interactive online training. Rather than spend work hours traveling to off-site training functions, participants can take initial and ongoing training wherever they have access to a computer and the internet. Our training courses feature audio and/or video content that keeps learners engaged, ensuring a higher rate of subject matter retention.

The regulations and compliance training courses offered by Compliance Training Online span multiple industries and regulatory bodies in both Canada and the United States. We offer training and certification in a variety of subjects, including OSHA regulations, EPA standards, HAZMAT regulations, HAZWOPER courses, IATA DGR standards, healthcare topics, MSHA regulations, Cal/OSHA California's OSHA courses, Canada OHS training, EEOC courses, and more. There are no time restrictions for course completion, and training records can be easily accessed through the student's course profile. Contact Compliance Training Online for additional information about the benefits of online learning with SCORM courses.