Deciding which release mode is right for your Project

A release is an export of your Project that can be distributed to your learners as an elearning course.

Before you create a release, you must decide which release mode you want to use. Projects can be exported into several different formats.

This article briefly explains each mode, its benefits, and our recommendations.

Contents

1 SCORM package for Learning Management Systems (LMS)

2 Online Link 

3 Backup SCORM

4 API integration release

SCORM package for Learning Management Systems (LMS)

This release mode is most suitable for delivering content via a Learning Management System (LMS).

The package's content (including images, audio, and videos) is hosted on Elucidat's servers so content can be served quickly. When exported from the platform, the package takes the form of a zip file which can be uploaded directly to your LMS. The zip file contains two files inside:

• imsmanifest.xml
• launch.html

At 7KB, the file is much more lightweight than a Backup SCORM but it does requires an internet connection to work.

Features of this release mode

Using this release mode comes with many benefits:

• The Elucidat re-releasing feature allows you to update content changes within minutes without the need to re-download and re-upload the zip package to your LMS.
• You can use our powerful social polling and clips features to encourage social collaboration and allow your users to see how peers have answered questions in your course.
• Learner bookmarking so that learners are easily returned to the place they last visited in the course.
• Detailed user insights straight back into the Elucidat analytics interface. This means you can capture additional analytics right from inside Elucidat, giving you even more detailed insights into how effective your content is and how it's being used.

SCORM version support

See Available elearning standards to export from Elucidat to see the full list of supported SCORM formats.

Online Link

Choosing to release your course as an Online Link will generate a unique course URL for you to share with your users, allowing them to access your course instantly in their browser without the need for an LMS.

Like the SCORM for LMS release type, Online Links are hosted on Elucidat's servers and require an internet connection to be used. 

This release mode is most suitable for customers without an LMS.

Features of this release mode

Here are some benefits of using this release mode:

• Re-release allows you to update content changes within minutes without the need to re-share the original URL with your users.
• Supports our powerful polling and clips features to encourage social collaboration and allow your users to see how peers have answered questions in your course.
• Learner bookmarking so that learners can easily return to the place they last visited in the course.
• Learner identification means you'll get detailed user insights sent straight back into the Elucidat analytics interface. 
• Your content is hosted on our servers meaning you don't need to download a file or have an LMS to host your content. The link can easily be shared and also embedded on a webpage via an iFrame to give you even more options for reaching your users.

Online Links can also be configured to send xAPI data to a Learning Record Store (LRS). If using an LRS, you'll need to add xAPI tracking to your course. For more information, see Adding xAPI learner tracking to your course.

Backup SCORM

While the release modes described above are the most widely used, we also offer an alternative release mode for other use cases: the Backup SCORM.

Exporting a course in this mode will create a SCORM zip file that will include your course and all of the images, audio files, and video used in that course.

Like the SCORM for LMS method, the Backup SCORM should be launched in an LMS.

Features of this release mode

Unlike the SCORM for LMS or Online Link release modes, Backup SCORMs do not require a connection to the internet to work making it suitable for clients whose learners are likely to require access to their elearning offline due to factors like unstable internet connections or needing to work behind firewalls.

Considerations

There are some factors you should consider when using the Backup SCORM mode.

Supported services

Backup SCORMs are not optimized to work with our analytics, polling features or clips functionality.

Additionally, they do not use the Elucidat bookmarking microservice, instead using suspend data (stored as a long string of characters) to bookmark a learner's position in the course. These strings have length limits. If the suspend data exceeds this limit, no more bookmarking information can be stored.

If you would prefer to use these features, we recommend using either the SCORM for LMS or Online Link release modes.

Course size

Because the course assets of a Backup SCORM package are contained within the package itself, more content-rich courses will produce larger-sized packages.

Some LMSs enforce a size limit on SCORM packages which will prevent the package from being uploaded. For example, a Parent Courses with a high number of Variations, each with a high number of videos, might reach the limit.

If you receive an error message from your LMS to this effect, your options are:

• Use one of our online release modes instead
• Reduce the size of your course by removing media or uploading it at a lower resolution
• Release Variations individually rather than as one Multi-SCORM package

API integration release

This mode allows you to use our API to request a time-limited link to launch your course online. This mode is most suitable for customers without an LMS/LRS who still need to keep their content secure. 

If you'd like more information about this, see API: Launch Link.