What is the difference between xAPI and SCORM?

SCORM was developed in 1999 as a specification to define the communication protocol for how eLearning courses communicate with the LMS, and alternately how eLearning course information can be shared and reused from one LMS to another LMS. SCORM allows us to only track things like time, completion, a score, or if someone passed or failed a course. Since 1999 the capabilities of eLearning content delivery and blended learning experiences have greatly advanced in variety, complexity, and possibility. xAPI is a replacement to SCORM that allows us to capture the learner’s experience beyond the LMS. With the many new tools and technologies available in the learning ecosystem today, xAPI allows us to collect many other more granular data points in real time about informal and formal learning activities and experiences as they take place. Additionally xAPI is extensible, meaning that unlike SCORM, it can be extended to adapt alongside the evolution of learning and training technologies and experiences. That evolution is guided by the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL) and the IEEE xAPI TAG.

• Learn more about the history of SCORM and why xAPI was developed to track learning in emerging technologies beyond the LMS.
• Print out this xAPI one-pager from ADL, the original creators of xAPI, that outlines the differences between different learning and experience data technologies.
• For further discussion and another perspective check out “Is xAPI Ready?” in Learning Solutions Magazine.