These are some of the ways your lack of xAPI intelligence is limiting your LMS
Many professionals in learning and development have heard about Experience API or xAPI for short, but not as many have seen practical examples of xAPI in action. Even those new to this learning software specification will know that it expands on traditional eLearning approaches by allowing learning content and learning systems to essentially “speak” to one another in a way that records and tracks all different types of learning experiences.
But what does this really mean? Well, think of the traditional, limited eLearning-driven, SCORM-based LMS. In terms of learning intelligence, it can tell us whether or not a learner enrolled in a particular course, and whether or not they completed it.
Pretty limited. Unlike the alternative.
xAPI-driven eLearning systems are capable of providing so much more intelligence, and it’s only right we ask that of an LMS in the 21st century; in an environment where there’s so much talk about Big Data and the incredible possibilities of reporting and data visibility.
xAPI allows us to dig deep into learner progress (or lack thereof) and really understand not only how we can improve individual learner journeys, but how we can correct our learning approaches overall.
Here are three examples of how xAPI data – properly leveraged – can transform how you approach your learning strategy.
How are users accessing the content?
One area where traditional LMSs are not able to gain intelligence relates to how users actually access content. To address this, we can use an xAPI-based learning record store or LRS to capture unique learning activities, move data from one system to another, feed learning data to reports and analysis tools, and report on statement combinations.
This can give us the visibility we need to create responsive courses that, when viewed, inform the LRS with instant feedback on devices used to access and view the content, including:
- Desktop computers
- Smartphones (in landscape)
- Smartphones (in portrait)
- Tablets
This is data that cannot be gotten through standard means, through a traditional LMS.
And how is it relevant, you might ask, how learners access content? Well, how is it not relevant? When we put our learning content out there and tell our new hires to access it, how they choose to access it is very valuable information. It can help inform us on how to improve our overall user experience to make the learning journey more convenient and expeditious.
How are they behaving?
In some cases, in some sections of courses, we can add a “Learn More” button to see how learners interact with the course content they are consuming. In the traditional LMS scenario, however, we can’t get data on whether users are clicking these buttons, and when.
xAPI-enabled systems, however, tell a different story. Suddenly we can pull reports that tell us which pages have the highest volume of “Learn More” clicks. Inconsistency results can inform us to add additional interactivity in order to draw users to the relevant information. This can help us design better and more efficient courses that get the content to the learner more effectively.
What are they choosing?
Documenting course completions is great, but what will really help us build great course structures is understanding learner behaviour with the content they are provided.
In the case of one massive telecommunications giant (which we discussed in a recent webinar on the matter) that implemented an xAPI-based system, the company started to get all the answers they desired. Once blind to learner behaviour, the company all of a sudden had access to intelligence describing:
- The dates learners accessed welcome pages
- When they launched introduction videos
- Whether or not they completed pre-survey and post-survey questionnaires
- How they responded to questions within surveys
- Detailed information on simulation selection choices, help-button access requests, links to additional information, and more
Not only did this accumulated intelligence help the organization learn what was working and what was not working, it gave them the opportunity to completely reinterpret the effectiveness of its existing LMS, and also consider retraining legacy staff.
So, whether you’re new to an LMS or thinking of replacing your existing system, know that xAPI should be a key component of the conversation. Not only will it make your LMS run on an optimal, non-binary level, it will give you much deeper insight into the behaviour of your learners, and this will help you build a continually improving learning strategy.
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