Introduction to xAPI
The Experience API (Tin Can)
Agenda
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Definition
History
xAPI Benefits
xAPI Statements
What is an LRS?
xAPI Myths
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Definition: What is xAPI?
• “The purpose of the xAPI is to store and
provide access to learning experiences. The
xAPI enables tracking of learning
experiences, including traditional records,
such as scores and completion. It also (can)
records learners’ actions, like reading an
article or watching a training video.”
-ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning)
• Tin Can and xAPI are the same thing
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How did we get here?
• AICC (1988)
• SCORM
Sharable Content Object Reference Model
– 2001, 2004
– Initially based on AICC
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SCORM
• LMS to training content communication
• Designed for the desktop
• Uses a common packaging, communication
and launching mechanism
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What’s wrong with SCORM?
• All learning MUST be launched from LMS
• Content must reside in same domain as LMS
– Cannot put content on CDN to improve
performance
– Inefficient
• SCORM is complicated
• SCORM content MUST be run in a browser
– No mobile “apps”
– No “off line” (yet…but it is more than 10 years
old)
• Easily Hacked - Old technology
• …and on and on…
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The changing landscape
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Proliferation of mobile devices (BYOD)
Social networking / Social Learning
Gaming
Simulations
YouTube
• How can we track it?
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xAPI Benefits
• Learning can be recorded wherever it
occurs
• Learning content does not have to reside in
a browser
• Learning does not have to be “launched”
from an LMS
– Mobile apps
– Social Networking
– Gaming & Simulations
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xAPI Benefits (cont)
• Learning content can be distributed
• Uses modern, common technology
– (REST, JSON)
• Much simpler than SCORM
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xAPI Statements
• Statements: Actor, verb, object
I did this.
• Based on work done by Google, Facebook
and others: Activity Stream
• Examples:
– “Jack completed safety training.”
– “Christie experienced the Great Wall in Second
Life”
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Verbs
• xAPI does not “require” any particular
verbs
• http://adlnet.gov/exapi/verbs
• https://registry.tincanapi.com/#home/verbs
• Each verb has description and can be
translated
• Verb “ID” should be unique iri
ex:
http://adlnet.gov/expapi/verbs/completed
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xAPI has many layers
• Complex Statements
[In the context of ___] Actor [ or group ___]
verb object [with these results]
– Examples:
• “On an iPad, while offline, John completed Sales
Training 101 with a score of 100.”
• “In WordPress Tim contributed to an article called ‘The
Emerging Standards for Mobile Learning’”
– Team-based statements
• “Team 3 completed special ops training”
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Learning Record Store (LRS)
• Stores xAPI statements
• Also required to “return” statements when
queried with valid credentials.
– Implications
• Data can be fetched from one LRS into another
• An organization may implement multiple LRS, each
specializing in some type of reporting
• Can be standalone or integrated into an
LMS
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LRS Data Sources
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E-Book
LMS
Social
Network
LRS
Blog
SharePoint
Game
E-Learning
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Myths: xAPI replaces SCORM
• SCORM is not going away…yet
• ADL may develop a SCORM version that
uses xAPI as its transport layer
• At the moment, ADL is not updating
SCORM
– Conflicting stories
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Myths: LRS will replace LMS
Scheduling
Learning
Records
Requirements
Tracking
Assessment
Sequencing
Certification
Competencies
User
Management
Curricula
Definition
Delivery
Reports
Search
Course
Management
Player
Preferences
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Who’s using xAPI?
• xAPI was released April 26, 2013
• >70 Adopters listed on TinCanAPI.com website
• Examples:
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Articulate Storyline (adopted)
Adobe Captivate (announced)
Blackboard (adopted)
DomiKnow Claro (adopted)
Float Mobile (adopted)
RISC VTA LMS (adopted)
Saltbox LRS (adopted)
Lectora (adopted)
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What’s Next
• Analytics reporting from LRS is just getting
started
• Additional protocols will be developed on
top of xAPI
– Example AICC CMI5
• Libraries are available to create your own
apps write to LRS
– Ex: Float Mobile has free iOS library for
sending xAPI statements
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References
• ADL
http://www.adlnet.gov/tla/experience-api
• xAPI Specification
https://github.com/adlnet/xAPI-Spec
• Tin Can Project
http://tincanapi.com
• Layers of the Tin Can Onion
http://tincanapi.com/wpcontent/assets/Onion/Layers-of-the-Tin-CanOnion.pdf
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Introduction to xAPI
Thanks for attending
Art Werkenthin
artw@risc-inc.com
@RISC_INC
@AWerkenthin