Tin Can + LMS = New PossibilitiesJune Jamrich Parsons, Author

New Perspectives on Computer Concepts

New Perspectives Microsoft Excel

Practical Computer Literacy

The Practical PC

Practical Open Source Office

Practical Microsoft Office

What do you think?

• Which LMS do you use?

• What do you like best about it?

• What do you like least about it?

First Encounters

LMSScores

32

97

86

20

88

76

First Encounters

LMSScores

32

97

86

20

88

76

First Encounters

LMSScores

32

97

86

20

88

76

SC

OR

M

What’s under the hood?

SCORM

SCORM

• Shareable Content Object Reference Model

• Developed by ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning) initiative under the direction of the U.S. Department of Defense

• SCORM 1.1 released 2000

• Current: SCORM 2004 4th Ed. released 2009

SCORM is “Siloed” Technology

• Siloed Application: An application that does not interact with other applications or information systems. A siloed application is any software that functions on its own to solve a problem. Such applications are often found within the many departments of large enterprises.

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“Shared” means that once you create a module, you can install it on any compliant LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

“Shared” means that once you create a module, you can install it on any compliant LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LessoLesson 1n 1

“Shared” means that once you create a module, you can install it on any compliant LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LessoLesson 1n 1

LessoLesson 1n 1

“Shared” means that once you create a module, you can install it on any compliant LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LessoLesson 1n 1

LessoLesson 1n 1

LessoLesson 1n 1

“Shared” means that once you create a module, you can install it on any compliant LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

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LessoLesson 1n 1

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n 1n 1

But there is no access to external data

LMS

LMS

LMS

LMS

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SCORM doesn’t handle scores from:

LMS

MOOCsMOOCs

Khan AcademyMobile Apps

Instructional CDs

Cloud-based Textbooks

Tin Can to the Rescue!

• Tin Can is a modernized version of SCORM that frees instructors, students, and data from the confines of siloed learning management systems.

• Also referred to as “the Experience API” or “Next Generation SCORM”

• Developed by ADL (SCORM developers) and Rustici Software

• Released in 2012• Tin Can is an API (application

programming interface)

• Tin Can is an API (application programming interface)

• Open source (free)

• Formal Learning• Test scores

• Completing a reading assignment

• Submitting homework

• Informal Learning• Attending class• Participating in a mentoring session• Accessing a social network• Finding a fact with Google• Reading a Wikipedia page

Share most any learning data

Rich reporting language

Asserted by

Subject Verb Object Target Result Date

Khan Academy

Sally Student

Completed Quiz 2 100 90 12/10

Rich reporting language

http://youtu.be/cRJaF9ikhMc

Tin Can collects data from any compliant app...

MOOCsMOOCs

Khan Academy

Mobile Apps

Instructional CDs

Cloud-based Textbooks

MOOCsMOOCs

...and ships it to an LRS

LRS

LRS

• An LRS (learning record store) is basically a database for Tin Can data

• It can be used on its own or in conjunction with an LMS

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Track data from any compliant source

• The learning experience to be tracked doesn’t have to originate in the LMS. In SCORM, the only way to track a learning experience is to login to an LMS, register for a preselected e-learning course and then launch it from within the LMS. In Tin Can, it doesn’t matter where or when students discover and begin a learning experience, it can all be tracked.

Setup optional

• The LRS doesn’t need to know about activities ahead of time. In SCORM, content must be imported and registered with the LMS before it can be delivered and tracked. This limits what can be tracked to e-learning content that the LMS administrator has preselected. A Tin Can LRS collects data on the fly for learning activities and even for your student roster.

Let’s try it

• Tin Can Bookmarklet

Let’s try it

• Cloud-based textbook

Learning data becomes ubiquitous

• Collect data from many sources

• Collect data for a wide variety of activities

• Publishers as well as instructors can collect data

Issues

• Understand the meaning of what you collect– Time on page– Access to page– Unproctored scores

Issues

• Student Privacy– How much data about a student’s study habits

should be available to instructors and publishers?

– How do you factor in soft skills with hard results?

More to Explore

• tincanapi.com

• scorm.com/tincanoverview/

• www.saltbox.com/ [WaxLRS]

• tincanapi.com/what-is-tin-can/adopters/