604 Using the xAPI to Collect Learning Data from Simulations

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Thursday, November 17

Data and Measurement

105

You know that taking online courses isn’t the only way to learn. You want to invent new learning formats and experiences that better meet your audience’s needs. However, in many cases you need to include tracking, and the types of learning trackable by traditional learning management systems are limited. The Experience API (xAPI) specification is flexible enough to track a wide range of learning experiences, but it’s a new technology, and barriers to adoption still exist. How do you bridge this gap?

In this case study session, you’ll learn how the American College of Chest Physicians (known as CHEST) used the xAPI and a learning record store to collect learning data from its medical simulations and share the data with its LMS. CHEST’s experience of broadening what training can be tracked will give you a road map to adoption within your own organization. You’ll find out about the technical details, best practices, and lessons learned from CHEST’s experience with the xAPI, which will help you unlock the technology’s potential and deliver more innovative learning experiences.

In this session, you will learn:

  • About the opportunities the xAPI creates for education providers
  • About the advantages and disadvantages of the xAPI compared to earlier technologies like SCORM
  • How to decide what you want to track, and how to translate those objectives into xAPI activity statements
  • Best practices for building your API
  • Which factors to consider when choosing a learning record store (LRS)

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced developers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
The Experience API (xAPI), REST, CourseStage Health LMS, Moodle LMS, ADL LRS, LearningLocker LRS, Laerdal Airway Management Trainer.

Click here for the session trailer

Jon Aleckson

CEO

Web Courseworks

Jon Aleckson is the CEO of Web Courseworks. He is an educational leader and a consultant in learning technologies and eLearning, who works with an extensive list of clients on LMS implementation and development, platform alignment and integration, and online curriculum development. This gives him a holistic view of business models, operational practices, and educational approaches in eLearning.

Chad Jackson

Senior Director, Simulation, eLearning & Innovation

American College of Chest Physicians

Chad Jackson is the senior director of simulation, eLearning, and innovation for the American College of Chest Physicians. His teams develop a variety of educational programs for the members of CHEST, including live learning courses, online eLearning programs, virtual patient tours, and games for learning. Chad is active in the simulation community and has conducted numerous presentations and workshops on simulation-enhanced educational programs at regional, national, and international levels. He has a PhD in instructional systems with a focus on simulation-based learning and best practices.

John Ehringer

Director of Technology

Web Courseworks

John Ehringer is a director of technology for Web Courseworks. John provides technology leadership for new innovations such as reporting frameworks and connectivity pilots, including the xAPI and use of SAML for system integrations. John has developed content management systems and learning management systems toward the goal of providing quality, user-friendly online learning experiences since the early part of this century. John’s expertise in the LAMP Stack (Linux, Apache/Lighttpd, MySQL, and PHP 5) guided the build of several platforms for national associations. These components now serve over 200,000 learners at 1,800 separate locations with 65,000 course deliveries to date.

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