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With the introduction of IMS SS into SCORM, there is a mechanism now in place to associate learning objective(s) with an activity. An activity may have one or many learning objectives associated with it. Each learning objective must be described using the elements shown in Table 3.10a.
Table 3.10a: Description of Objective Description
No. | Name | Description | Value Space | Default Value |
1 | Objective ID | The identifier of an objective associated with the activity. The ID is a link to the corresponding Objective Progress Information. | Unique Identifier | None Required |
2 | Objective Satisfied by Measure | Indicates that the Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure is to be used (True or False) in place of any other method to determine if the objective associated with the activity has been satisfied. | boolean | False |
3 | Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure | Indictes the minimum satisfaction measure for the objective, normalized between -1..1 (inclusive). If the Objective Measure Status for the objective is True and the Objective Normalized Measure for the objective is equal to or exceeds this value, the Objective Progress Status is set to True and the Objective Satisfied Status is set to True. | Real [-1..1] Precision of at least 4 significant decimal digits | 1.0 |
If the Objective Measure Status for the objective is True and the Objective Normalized Measure for the objective is less than this value, the Objective Progress Status is set to True and the Objective Satisfied Status is set to False. | ||||
The value is unreliable unless Objective Satisfied by Measure is True. | ||||
4 | Objective Contributes to Rollup | Indicates that the Objective Satisfied Status and Objective Normalized Measure for the objective are used (True or False) during rollup. | Boolean | False |
Source: IMS Simple Sequencing Behavior and Information Model [1]
SCORM does not describe how a learning objective is defined, used or interpreted, but for sequencing purposes, each learning objective associated with an activity will have a set of tracking status information that allows learner progress toward the learning objective to be tracked, thus enabling conditional sequencing decisions. Figure 3.10a shows the relationship between the objective description and the set of objective progress information associated with the activity’s use of the learning objective.
Figure 3.10a: Objective Description and Objective Progress Information Relationship
Each objective description consists of the following information:
Objective ID: The Objective ID element acts as a link between the corresponding objective progress information and the activity. There is no default value defined for the Objective ID element. The Objective ID element is only required if an Objective Map (refer to Section 3.10.3: Objective Map) is defined for the objective.
ADL Note: Although the data type for the Objective ID is a globally unique identifier, the data type does not imply that Objective IDs must be unique across all activities in an activity tree, but only unique within the scope the objective will be used (accessed). By default, an activity will only be able to access objective progress information for the set of learning objectives defined for the activity – these are called “local” objectives. For a given activity, all of its Objective IDs must be unique to ensure unambiguous resolution of objective progress information during sequencing evaluations. Two or more activities within the activity tree may define an objective with the same Objective ID.
Objective Satisfied by Measure (False – default value): The Objective Satisfied by Measure element indicates whether or not the Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure element, along with the objective’s measure (e.g. score), should be used to evaluate the objective’s satisfaction, in place of any other method to determine if objective is satisfied (refer to Section 4.2.1.2: Objective Progress Information).
If Objective Satisfied by Measure element is True:
o If the Objective Measure Status for the objective is True and Objective Normalized Measure for the objective equals or exceeds the Objective
Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure, then the Objective Progress Status is set to True and the Objective Satisfied Status is set to True.
o If the Objective Measure Status for the objective is True and Objective Normalized Measure for the objective is less than the Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure, then the Objective Progress Status is set to True and the Objective Satisfied Status is set to False.
o If the Objective Measure Status for the objective is False, the Objective Progress Status is set to False.
Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure (1.0 – default value): The Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure element indicates a threshold for attaining satisfaction of the objective. This element contains a real value between –1.0 and 1.0, inclusive. The default value for the Objective Minimum Satisfied Normalized Measure element, if not defined explicitly for the activity, is 1.0.
Objective Contributes to Rollup (False – default value): The Objective Contributes to Rollup element indicates whether the Objective Normalized Measure and Objective Satisfied Status for the objective are used during rollup evaluation.
ADL Note: Although this element is defined in the IMS SS Sequencing Definition Model, it cannot be directly set or altered. The XML element
<primaryObjective> in a SCORM Content Package (see the SCORM CAM Book, Section 5.1.7.1: <primaryObjective> Element) is used to indicate the single objective that contributes to rollup. For an activity, only the objective defined as the <primaryObjective> will contribute to rollup (have Objective Contributes to Rollup equal to True).