Maximum size for a SCROM package?

[singru]

What is the maximum file size for a SCROM package? I'm working on a project which has a couple of slide videos and 4 quiz questions. The SCROM package is around 290 mb. 

The client has complained about buffering issues with the videos. Could it be the SCROM size or the LMS (number of users on the LMS) causing the buffering issues?

Thanks.

[RodWard]

The buffering will likely be due to your videos.  Your end users don't have sufficient bandwidth to pull them down from the LMS without buffering. 

Test by taking out the videos (or hiding the video slides) and republishing.  If the content still buffers then look deeper.  If that resolves the issue, look into making your videos smaller or lower quality.

[singru]

Thanks Rod. Is there a SCROM size that I shouldn't exceed? 

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

I haven't heard of any specific filesize limit that SCORM imposes per se. 

For SCORM 1.2 courses the issues around size are usually related to having too many quiz slides and blowing out the very limited memory allowed in that version for Resume Data to provide bookmarking.  If you are running into bookmarking issues, the usual fix is to move to SCORM 2004 (3rd version) which resolved the limitation by allocating more space to Resume Data.

Even so, if you try to pack too much into a single SCORM module your users are not going to enjoy the experience.  It is usually regarded as best practice to break your course up into smallish modules.  Opinions vary greatly as to what "smallish" means but a good goal is to keep them somewhere between 10-15 minutes in length. 

Most learners can remember 5-7 points in short-term memory.  That's the main 'buffer' you are dealing with as an Instructional Designer.  Not the technology limitations.

[singru]

Thanks Rod. Very helpful suggestions, as usual.

Can you please clarify how one moves to SCORM 2004 (3rd version) ?

Can I export it as Scrom 2004? My client uses Moodle 1.2, will it be compatible with that?

Sorry if these questions sound too simplistic -- 

[singru]

I researched this and found that Moodle is not compliant with SCROM 2004.

So for this particular client (they use Moodle LMS) the only solution would be to compress video files to address their bookmarking issues.

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

You are correct in stating that Moodle's support for SCORM is only for SCORM 1.2.

However, it is possible to purchase add-ons for Moodle that enable SCORM 2004:

https://moodle.org/plugins/mod_scormcloud

So I do NOT believe you are without options here.

Even if your client says they are unwilling to install an add on for Moodle to make it SCORM 2004 compliant you still have the option of breaking your course into smaller modules to avoid bookmarking issues.  And that would also likely benefit your learners as well by not overloading their brains with large modules.

Unlike all too many other LMSs, Moodle DOES have the ability to accept Multi-SCORM courses.  So that's also something to consider if you are using smaller modules.

[singru]

Thanks Rod!

I have suggested this to the client's LMS support team.

I have also compressed all my video files. Hopefully that will take care of the bookmarking issues and other strange issues I seem to be having.

Thank you.

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

Compressing videos further might help with buffering .  But bookmarking issues have nothing to do with the size of your video files.  That's usually related to Resume Data and videos do not get stored in Resume Data.  That's for details about completed quiz questions and scoring etc. 

[singru]

That's interesting. Since videos do not get stored in Resume Data --  if I have a slide containing video, and the user quits in the middle of the video, then Resume Data will not send them back to the same slide when they re-enter? 

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

All the resume data is tracking in that case is the identifier of the slide where the user stopped their session.  It doesn't need to store the entire video in Resume Data, just the slide number.  When the user resumes, they will land back at the beginning of that slide, even if they were halfway through the video on the slide when they terminated the session.

[singru]

Got it, thanks!

I learnt a lot from this entire discussion about SCROM and Resume data. Thanks!