It’s really more than one question.
1. What does it do?2. How does it fit into what I already
know and am already doing?3. Why do we need it?- Where is it used?- When is it used?
4. Who has any questions?
What does xAPI do? How does it fit into what I know/do?
1. Grab a stack of cards2. One item/card: write down all the
activities/behaviors you do to learn or that you create for others to learn.
SCORM or xAPI?
SCORM xAPIContext Do: Experiment, participate
Fail Read
Complete Context
Answer questions Watch
Practice Move
Formal Instruction Discuss
E-learning Field trip
Research
Job Shadowing
Why do we need it?
• Learn more about the learning experience• Learn more about the performance• Correlate learning with
performance• Correlate learning with results• Correlate performance with results• Offer more targeted training • Support performance in better
ways• Learn from others• Share learning with others• Compare performance and
learning across learners• Deliver and track training outside
of the LMS
Where & when do we use it?
• It depends on your needs & goals.
• The following models are based on:• The nature of the experience• The nature of transactions• The context of the situation• The purpose for the evaluation• Who the initiator of the
transaction is
The experience is …
Social• Activity is (can be) shared
with and followed by others• Activity is consumed
horizontally across the organization• Encourages learning from
others (high performers)
Personal• Activity is (relatively)
private• Activity is primarily
consumed by the learner and vertically with leaders
S P
The transactions are…
Predictable• We know the triggers and
when to expect them• We know the possible
range of statements
Variable• Triggers are “random” or at
least not prescribed• Verbs and direct objects are
unknown until used
P V
The context is …
Learning• Transactions document the
learning process and/or performance simulations• Source of transactions has
(often) been created by the L&D team
Performance• Transactions document
actual performance • Source of transactions has
been created by (or in) another source and sent to or imported by the learning system
L P
The initiator is …
The learner• The learner
chooses when to document the experience.
An observer• An observer
chooses when to document the experience.
The environment• The experience is
documented behind the scenes. The learner may not be overtly aware of it.
L O E
The evaluation is …
Formative
• What do you know? What don’t you know? • Data is used to determine
learning gaps (and ultimately fill them).
Summative
• What have you learned?What can you do with it?• Data used to certify that
learning has happened.
F S
Exp
eri
en
ce is
…Tr
an
sact
ion
s are
..C
on
text
is…
Init
iato
r is
…Evalu
ati
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is
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Traditional SCORM Elearning• Learners access elearning in a learning
management system (LMS).• Important metrics include completion,
score, status, location.
E
L
P
P ersonal
redictable
earning
nvironment
S ummative
Exp
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ce is
…Tr
an
sact
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s are
..C
on
text
is…
Init
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…Evalu
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The learning to do list
• Personal learning checklist• The learner has a checklist of things to
accomplish as part of a curriculum. • SCORM and non-SCORM items can be on
the checklist. • Two-way communication with the LRS
means the learner can initiate some checks, and others can be gathered “hands-free.”
L
L
P
P
F
ersonal
redictable
earning
earner
ormative
Exp
eri
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ce is
…Tr
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sact
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s are
..C
on
text
is…
Init
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…Evalu
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The Fitbit® of learning
• Track performance as it happens.• As the learner is doing the work, activity
statements keep track of what’s happening.• It doesn’t actually track learning, it tracks
doing.• It’s real time.• Typically this underpins work that is
performed in a system or in something that’s tracked already.
E
P
P
P
erformance
nvironment
F ormative
ersonal
redictable
Exp
eri
en
ce is
…Tr
an
sact
ion
s are
..C
on
text
is…
Init
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…Evalu
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The ultimate scoreboard• Track performance that happened.• Data that reflects actual results is fed
from a business system to the learning system.• It doesn’t actually track learning, it tracks
doing or the results of doing.• It can be done at any time, including
historically.• Typically this underpins work that is
performed in a system or in something that’s tracked already.
E
P
P
P
S
ersonal
redictable
erformance
nvironment
ummative
Exp
eri
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ce is
…Tr
an
sact
ion
s are
..C
on
text
is…
Init
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…Evalu
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The marauder’s map
• Leave a trail for later• As the learner progresses through a large
body of knowledge, annotated bookmarks mark a path for later.• Others can see or follow the path.• Comments can be analyzed for meaning. • High performers can be followed.• Creates a personalized & transferrable
performance support.• L&D can see who uses what, what needs
to be changed.
L
L
V
S
?
ocial
ariable
earning
earner
Claire read Business Writing for ProfessionalsJohn practiced frosting birthday cakes
Lindsey watched the Company History videoLuke completed Oil Change Upselling
Actor verb objectActor verb object context
Anne wrote a blog post about local theatre that got 45 views and 3 comments
Lindsey rated A2ATD event xAPI Technology Competency @LearnShare @MMTorrance 4 stars “coffee rocked, room was cold”
Claire read Business Writing for ProfessionalsJohn practiced frosting birthday cakes Josh watched the Company History video
Luke completed Oil Change Upselling Cynthia completed Oil Change Upselling score 60%
Tonya simulated landing at DTWMolly simulated landing at DTW in SimSuite #4 and
was rated 98% by Instructor
Where it gets a little tricky
• Verbs need to mean the same thing to everyone (http://adlnet.gov/expapi/verbs/index.html or https://registry.tincanapi.com/#)
• So much data, so little structure
SCORM is “structured”
SCORM has “buckets” for everything it needs to store.. like an Excel spreadsheet.
So where do you put “experience” data? It doesn’t fit the mold!
Learner Course Time Score StatusHouck, R Compliance 101 28 M 85 Pass
Simpson, H Compliance 101 35 M 90 Pass
Torrance, M Compliance 101 26 M 70 Fail
xAPI is “unstructured”
• Unlike SCORM, the system doesn’t need to understand what data is being stored ahead of time.• This allows storage of information
that was previously impossible (or really, really hard) to collect.