Using SCORM Cloud's LRS for xAPI learner data reporting

If you don’t have a Learning Record Store (LRS) already, SCORM Cloud is a great place to get started. SCORM Cloud is a training delivery platform which can host elearning content and deliver it to learners. While it doesn’t offer many of the more complex features that an LMS can provide, it does offer an LRS function that can receive data reported via xAPI (sometimes known as TinCan API).

In this tutorial, you'll set up a SCORM Cloud account, add xAPI tracking to an Elucidat Online Link course, and view its data in the SCORM Cloud LRS.

Broadly, the process can be broken down into the following steps:

1. Set up a SCORM Cloud account
2. Enable xAPI tracking on your Elucidat Project
3. Retrieve the SCORM Cloud LRS endpoints and credentials
4. Add the endpoint and credentials to your Project
5. Release the course and begin receiving data

1. Set up a SCORM Cloud account

In order to use the SCORM Cloud LRS, you'll need to create an account. Go to https://cloud.scorm.com and select Sign up now.

Once you've created an account, you'll be taken to the SCORM Cloud homepage.

Keep SCORM Cloud open—you'll need it later.

2. Enable xAPI tracking on your Elucidat Project

For your course to be able to send xAPI statements, you need to change its tracking mode to xAPI/TinCan 1.0.

Steps

1. Open your Project in Elucidat

2. Select Configure

3. Switch to the Learner tracking tab

4. Choose xAPI/TinCan 1.0 from the Tracking mode drop down menu

Keep this page open as you'll need to add some information from SCORM Cloud into the endpoint, username, and password fields.

3. Retrieve the SCORM Cloud endpoint and credentials

The endpoint URL tells your Elucidat Project where to send its xAPI data. The credentials add a layer of security, ensuring that your statements aren't going somewhere they shouldn't.

Steps

1. In SCORM Cloud, select xAPI LRS from the left-hand sidebar menu

Under the LRS Endpoints tab, there is a list of URLs. The URL labelled SCORM Cloud is your endpoint URL.

2. Switch to the Activity Providers tab

3. Select Add Activity Provider to add a new LRS

A box titled Unnamed Account will appear showing your credentials, labelled Key and Secret.

4. Add the LRS endpoint and credentials to your Project

1. In your Elucidat Project, paste the endpoint URL that you copied from SCORM Cloud into the LRS Endpoint URL field

2. Add the word ‘statements’ to the end. It should look something like this:

https://cloud.scorm.com/lrs/FOEMWG2YH6/statements

3. Return to SCORM Cloud and copy the code displayed next to Key

4. In your Elucidat Project, add the Key into the LRS User field

5. Return to SCORM Cloud and copy the code displayed next to Secret

6. Return to Elucidat and paste the Secret into the LRS password box

7. Under Learner access control, select Identify

8. Press Save changes

Your course is now set up to report xAPI data to SCORM Cloud's LRS.

5. Release the course and test

Once you've set everything up, you should test the course to confirm that xAPI data is being sent correctly. To do this:

1. Release the course as an Online Link

2. Open the course and complete a few interactions (e.g. answering a question, completing a page).

3. Return to SCORM Cloud and go to LRS Viewer—ensure that SCORM Cloud is selected in the View Statements In: drop down menu

5. Look for new statements with your Project name or activity ID

If you see recent statements, your course is successfully sending xAPI data to the SCORM Cloud LRS.