Tracking usage of Scorm course

Hi there, wondering if anyone could assist. I work for a firm that offers specialized compliance training, we have a proprietary learning management system (LMS), but some of our clients want to use their LMSs to host the courses.

Most courses have been developed using Articulate. We currently rely on our clients, who host our courses on their LMSs, to have some degree of faith in our utilization. I wanted to know if there was a method to add a tracker or counter to the score files so we could monitor usage, or if there was a company that could offer the necessary software.

Hi there!

It sounds like you’re looking for ways to track the usage of your compliance training courses hosted on your clients’ LMSs. Here are a few suggestions that might help:

  1. Articulate’s Built-in Tracking: If your courses are developed using Articulate, you can leverage SCORM, xAPI (Tin Can), or AICC standards.

These standards allow you to track various metrics such as completion rates, quiz scores, and time spent on each module.

  1. User Flow Analytics: Tools like ClueLabs’ User Flow Analytics can provide a comprehensive view of learner interactions within your courses.

This includes tracking actions such as button clicks, time spent on slides, and exit points.

  1. Reach 360: If you have an Articulate 360 subscription, Reach 360 can be a great tool to share your courses and track learner activity.

It allows you to view reports at the learner, group, and content level, and export data for deeper analysis.

  1. Third-Party LMS Tracking Software: There are several LMS platforms that offer robust tracking features.

For example, Absorb LMS, TalentLMS, and iSpring Learn provide detailed analytics and tracking capabilities.

These platforms can integrate with your existing systems and offer features like real-time reporting, progress tracking, and more.

Implementing one of these solutions should help you gain better insights into how your courses are being utilized and ensure that your clients are getting the most out of your training programs.

Hope this helps!

1. SCORM or xAPI Compliance

  • Ensure Compatibility: Confirm that your Articulate courses are SCORM or xAPI compliant. These standards facilitate data exchange between various platforms.
  • Leverage LMS Capabilities: Most modern LMSs support SCORM or xAPI, allowing them to track user interactions and relay data back to you.

2. Custom Tracking Mechanisms

  • Embedded Tracking Code: Integrate a custom tracking script into your Articulate courses to gather user data and send it to your server.
  • Data Analytics Platform: Utilize platforms like Google Analytics to analyze user behavior and monitor course completion rates.

3. Third-Party Tracking Services

  • LMS Integration Platforms: Investigate platforms that specialize in integrating with multiple LMSs to collect usage data.
  • Learning Analytics Tools: Consider learning analytics tools to gain insights into learner behavior and course effectiveness.

4. Manual Tracking (Temporary Solution)

  • Excel Spreadsheets: Maintain a manual record of course usage for clients until a more robust tracking solution is implemented.

Key Considerations

  • Data Privacy: Ensure compliance with data protection regulations when collecting and storing user data.
  • Cost: Assess the cost-effectiveness of each tracking method.
  • Complexity: Consider the technical expertise required for implementing each solution.
  • Client Cooperation: Secure necessary permissions and cooperation from clients to access usage data.

I faced a similar challenge at my firm, which also provides specialized compliance training with courses developed using Articulate. Our proprietary LMS couldn’t track usage once clients hosted our courses on their own systems. To address this, we integrated Tin Can API (xAPI) into our courses. This allowed us to track and report detailed usage data back to our servers, regardless of the client’s LMS. We used a service like Watershed LRS to handle the data aggregation and analysis, ensuring we could monitor course usage effectively. Implementing xAPI was straightforward with Articulate, and it gave us the insights we needed without relying solely on client reports.

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Hey Acetrent,

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’ve been struggling with a similar issue at my company.

We also use Articulate for our compliance training courses, and our LMS can’t track the courses once they’re hosted on clients’ systems.

Integrating the Tin Can API (xAPI) sounds like a great solution. I’ve heard of xAPI but wasn’t sure how to implement it effectively.

Your mention of using a service like Watershed LRS for data aggregation and analysis is really helpful. It’s reassuring to know that the integration with Articulate is straightforward.

Did you encounter any major challenges during the implementation?

Also, how long did the whole process take for your team? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for the insight!

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Hi!

I’m glad the info was helpful! Integrating xAPI can definitely be a game-changer for tracking and analyzing your training data.

We did face some challenges during implementation, mostly around ensuring that all our content was properly configured to communicate with the LRS.

It took us a bit of time to get everything streamlined and to troubleshoot some minor issues, but overall, the process was pretty smooth once we got the hang of it.

The whole setup took us about 4-6 weeks from start to finish, including some testing and tweaks.

My biggest tip would be to make sure you have clear documentation and support from both your LMS and LRS providers, they can be lifesavers when you hit a snag.