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Without a doubt, choosing the right content standards while creating an online training course will contribute to the longevity of content. While it can be confusing to pick between SCORM and xAPI, getting to understand the two standards and your requirements will make your choice easier.

Although SCORM is a widely used standard, xAPI has many features that can help to track and deliver personalized learning experience. These features include simplicity, accessibility, offline tracking, and tracking outside LMS.

Let’s have a look at a few benefits of the two standards. Hopefully, you should find reasons to choose one that merits the requirements for your learning program.

SCORM vs xAPI – what are they and what are their benefits?

What is SCORM?

Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a content standard for e-learning that ensures contents get integrated with the LMS. It’s a widely used content standard because of its interoperability which enhances communication.

Technically, it has five versions including SCORM 1.1, SCORM 1.2, and SCORM 2004 (2nd, 3rd and 4th version), used for packaging content and exchanging data.

• Packaging content

That helps to determine how the content should get delivered in the physical sense. SCORM has a document known as lmsmanifest, which contains every information needed by LMS to import and launch content without human involvement.

• Exchange data

That takes care of how content interacts with LMS while it’s in play. It focuses on delivering and tracking of data. SCORM 2004 enables instructors to track passes or fails, completion rates, time spent, and single scores.

Also, it introduces sequencing to specify the order in which learners can experience content objects. SCORM is an essential tool in e-learning as it can be used to create content one time and used without modification on different systems.

Note:
It only enables online training. Hence, it's not suitable for
tracking offline training.

What is xAPI?

Experience Application Programming Interface, also known as Tin-Can or xAPI is an open-source API that enables content to interact with the learning system, to track learning experience.

Unlike SCORM that enables tracking in LMS, xAPI allows you to track learning experience in almost every context. It also allows you to personalize, record, and track training activities, both online and offline.

xAPI is an essential tool that can help to make a direct link between learners’ performance on the job and their learning experience. It also makes use of newer technology, and that contributes to its ease of use and accessibility.

The benefits of SCORM vs xAPI

Although we often make SCORM vs xAPI comparison, both standards are different communication protocols for tracking learning activities. They work differently. However, they provide similar results. Below are a few benefits of the SCORM and xAPI.

• Benefits of SCORM

One of the benefits of SCORM is that it’s a widely used content standard, and it helps to improve the appearance of a course. It can track a few learning experiences like completion rate, time, pass/fail, and a single score.

Apart from that, it is easy to apply for courses built with authoring tools like Wizcabin. That means you need no programming knowledge before you can develop your online training course.

• Benefits of xAPI

As earlier said, xAPI has many extra features that are not available in SCORM. It offers flexibility and can be accessed anywhere. Unlike SCORM, which is particular to elearning modules, you can use xAPI in mobile apps, websites, resource libraries, and serious games.

Apart from that, xAPI can store up and track data offline. So, in the case of air-plane mode, learners can finish up their training offline, and later the data gets transferred to LRS.

Finally, in the case of tracking data, xAPI will help to track every learning experience, including those trackable by SCORM.

SCORM vs xAPI: which is the better choice?

Choosing one of the two depends on your learning requirements.

• Requirement 1: Opt for SCORM if you are only interested in;
  • Tracking a single learner at a time.
  • Creating a large library of learning objectives.
  • Using a Learning Management System to manage and deliver your courses.
  • Tracking and collecting learners’ performance.
  • Designing courses that monitor learners’ behaviour and meet up with their needs.

• Requirement 2: Opt for xAPI if you are interested in;
  • Tracking learners’ performance offline.
  • Recording all learning experiences including simulation, serious games, mobile learning, and many more.
  • Tracking more than a single learner’s performance or score.
  • Empowering learners to access your course at their convenience, on the go.
  • Tracking employees’ performance.

xAPI can offer different features to track all forms of learning experiences. However, it might not be the perfect solution for your learning program. It can not create things like video animation automatically to improve the appearance of your mobile learning course.

So, take the time to examine your requirements before opting for one of the two for your training program.