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Up to this point, SCORM has described the basic building blocks (SCORM Content Model Components) for content development. SCORM has also described how to bundle the building blocks into Content Aggregations and package those pieces for distribution from system to system. Once the SCORM Content Model Components have been built, it may be useful to describe those components in a consistent manner.
Describing the components with metadata facilitates the search and discovery of the components across systems. An LMS could use the metadata to give the learner information about the content organization (i.e., course, lesson, module, etc.). Metadata can also be used at run-time to help in the decision of what content model component to deliver to the learner.
This section provides specific requirements and guidance for using metadata to describe SCORM Content Model Components. The metadata defined in this section is directly based on the IEEE 1484.12.1-2002 Learning Object Metadata (LOM) [11] standard and the IEEE 1484.12.3 Standard for Extensible Markup Language (XML) Binding for Learning Object Metadata Data Model [14]. The IEEE provides roughly 64 metadata elements that can be used to describe SCORM Content Model Components. SCORM strongly recommends the use of the IEEE LOM for describing SCORM Content Model Components
There are currently no requirements defined in SCORM for the creation of metadata and the association of that metadata to the specific SCORM Content Model Components.
SCORM recognizes that the IEEE LOM is the defacto standard for metadata within the learning community and strongly recommends that LOM be used when describing SCORM Content Model Components. Although the Content Package Manifest provides a means for associating metadata instances to the SCORM Content Model Components, SCORM does not require such use. Organizations should work to define use cases and requirements around the creation of metadata and the association to SCORM Content Model Components. For example, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) provides the ADL Registry for registering content objects across the DoD and related organizations to enable search and discovery of registered content. The ADL Registry provides a specific application profile of LOM that defines additional requirements and practices for using IEEE LOM when registering content within the ADL Registry. For more information on the ADL Registry’s use of IEEE LOM refer to https://adlregistry.dtic.mil. ADL encourages communities of practice and organizations to determine the set of elements to be used, additional requirements and practices around their use and any constraints.
The following section is broken up into five basic subsections each describing a different aspect of Metadata and how it relates to SCORM:
Section 4.1: Metadata Overview. This section provides a general overview and background information on LOM and its relationship to SCORM.
Section 4.2: LOM Metadata Creation. This section defines requirements and guidance for creating metadata. The section provides the details on the requirements defined by IEEE and the details on building XML instances adhering to the IEEE LOM requirements.
Section 4.3: LOM XML Schema Validation Approaches. This section describes the validation approaches developed by IEEE and described in the IEEE Standard for XML Binding for LOM Data Model. The validation approaches provide different support for XML validation requirements depending on user needs.
Section 4.4: Metadata Extensions. This section describes the extension capabilities defined by IEEE Standard for XML Binding for Learning Object Metadata Data Model and SCORM. The section also discusses the pros and cons to creating extensions.
Section 4.5: Metadata and SCORM Content Model Components. This section describes one method for how metadata could be associated with the SCORM Content Model Components.
The purpose of metadata is to provide a common nomenclature enabling learning resources to be described in a common way. Metadata can be collected in catalogs, as well as directly packaged with the learning resource it describes. Learning resources that are described with metadata can be systematically searched for and retrieved for use and reuse.
SCORM describes how the IEEE LOM metadata element can be mapped to SCORM Content Model Components described in the Content Aggregation Model. This mapping of standardized elements and definitions from IEEE to the SCORM CAM provides the missing link between general specifications and specific content models.