As a collection of technical standards and specifications, Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) makes the same online training materials accessible on any learning management system (LMS). A business or educational institution can invest in a SCORM compliant LMS system to create online training materials that can be reused and shared across multiple learning management systems (LMS systems). The learners can access the SCORM-compliant courses using any SCORM compliant LMS.
Your organization has the option to choose from a wide range of SCORM compliant LMSs in 2021. The LMSs differ from each other in several aspects – hosting, usability, features, data security, and cost. Also, you have to consider several factors to implement, manage, and upgrade the LMS without increasing operational expenses. That is why; it becomes essential to compare the SCORM compliant LMS systems using the right parameters in 2021.
11 Parameters for Choosing the Right SCORM Compliant LMS System in 2021
Customization
You cannot leverage the SCORM compatible LMS fully without customizing the software according to your precise eLearning goals. It is always important to choose an LMS that allows you to create SCORM-compliant training materials by integrating a variety of digital content – ebooks, PDFs, images, infographics, audio clips, and video. At the same time, you also need to check if you have the option to remove existing modules and add new modules according to your changing eLearning needs.
Scalability
The number of instructors and learners using the SCORM compliant LMS will increase consistently. You can easily accommodate more users by ensuring that the LMS is easy to scale. Unlike onsite software solutions, cloud-hosted LMS platforms are scalable on demand. Also, you can scale up the cloud-hosted LMS by paying according to the computing resources consumed or the number of current users. The scalability will help your organization to use the same LMS over a longer period of time. Here are some advantages of Cloud-hosted LMS platforms.
Accessibility
The learners can access the SCORM compatible eLearning materials across LMSs. But you must remember that a large percentage of learners these days access eLearning materials on their mobile devices. You must allow the learners to access the content and materials on both computers and mobile devices by choosing an LMS that is optimized for mobile users.
Learning Model
The LMS systems make it easier for organizers to facilitate self-learning. The learners can acquire knowledge at their own pace and convenience by accessing the SCORM compatible learning materials. But many organizers still prefer instructor-led teaching to self-learning. They encourage learners to interact with instructors despite accessing online learning materials anytime and anywhere. You must opt for an LMS that supports a blended learning model to facilitate both self-learning and instructor-led teaching.
Enrollment
Your organization can enroll learners into a course both manually and automatically. Also, it can allow learners to interact with an instructor or administrator before enrolling in the course. That is why; you must choose an LMS that allows you to implement the enrollment process in your own way. Also, you need to ensure that the LMS sends confirmation emails or notifications to a learner once he is enrolled in a particular course or training program.
Integration
You can use an LMS effectively for training employees and customers only when it is compatible with the existing ERP and CRM solutions used by your business. You can plan and run training programs without deploying extra staff by integrating the LMS with the ERP or CRM software. The integration will make the LML start employee onboarding training automatically once a new employee is added. You must remember that the cloud-hosted LMSs can be integrated with your existing ERP and CRM solutions seamlessly.
Reporting
The new-age LMSs enable instructors to personalize the learning experience of students based on real-time data. But an instructor can evaluate real-time data about learners only when the LMS generates reports on demand. You must check if the SCORM compatible LMS allows users to generate a variety of reports based on the latest data. The reports will help instructors to monitor student progress and personalize student experience by understanding critical information like the amount of time taken by a learner to complete an online training program and the assistance required by a learner to complete a course.
Certification
Many companies these days issue digital certificates through LMSs. They configure the LMS to issue certificates to employees automatically once they completed a course successfully. Likewise, many educational institutions also encourage students by issuing certificates highlighting their grades or achievement. If you want to issue certificates automatically, it is important to choose an LMS that is designed with this feature.
Data Security
Your organization can use the SCORM compatible LMS optimally only by preventing data breaches and targeted security attacks. While comparing the LMSs, you must check the measures taken by the vendor to boost data security and eliminate security risks. You can easily check if an LMS is secure by focusing on some important features – network security, data encryption, frequent security checking, infrastructure security monitoring, and user authentication mechanism.
Technical Support
There are always chances that the SCROM compatible LMS systems’ functionality and performance will be impacted by various technical issues and problems. You cannot deliver online learning continuously without resolving the technical issues proactively. That is why; you should choose a vendor who offers 24/7 technical support. Also, you need to ensure that you can contact the technical support executively through multiple channels of communication – emails, instant messages, text messages, and online chat.
Upfront and Ongoing Cost
You can easily reduce both upfront and ongoing infrastructural costs by opting for a cloud-hosted LMS. You can make the cloud-hosted LMS accessible to administrators, instructors, and learners without setting up an on-premise IT infrastructure. Also, you can scale up and down the cloud-hosted LMS according to the number of users. However, it is always important to compare multiple pricing models – monthly subscription, yearly subscription, and pay-per-user – offered by the vendors.
The SCORM 1.2 compatible LMS developed by Mintbook enables your organization to create sharable and reusable online learning materials by integrating a wide variety of digital content – ebooks, PDF documents, presentations, spreadsheets, audio clips, and video. You can integrate the LMS with ready-to-use digital libraries to make learners access over one million online resources in over 15 Indian regional languages from over 100 publishers.
