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Replace a SCORM or Tin Can (xAPI) module in a course

Elizabeth
  • Updated

Update a SCORM or Tin Can module in a published course

LearnUpon supports SCORM v 1.2, SCORM 2004 (3rd and 4th edition), and Tin Can aka xAPI protocols. See SCORM and xAPI (Tin Can): overview for background.

Availability: all customers

Replace content: feature overview

Replace Content lets you swap a new SCORM or Tin Can ZIP file for an existing one in a module, without changing the module settings. 

This feature lets you make limited changes to update and correct the content, without publishing a new version of the course.

For updates that change the structure of the modules, see Publish a new version of a course.

This option applies to both SCORM and Tin Can modules, including Create+ SCORM modules.

What you can change with Replace Content

Broadly, you can make the following changes to modules offline, and then swap the revised module for the one stored in LearnUpon:

  • HTML coding
  • images
  • layout
  • colors
  • branding

Replace Content limitations

This feature has the following limits:

  • you can't replace a SCORM file with Tin Can, or vice versa: you can only replace "like for like"
  • the structure of your new SCORM or Tin Can module must match the structure of the current module 

When your course is in use and has learners In Progress, this replacement process aims to retain your learners' position in the course. LearnUpon looks for "bookmarks" called suspend data, that tell LearnUpon how far your learner progressed before stopping.

When a revised module has a different structure, the process fails. This failure can affect your learners in Not Started and In Progress statuses.

When replacing content, admins can optionally clear the suspend_data. This option affects learners' access to the module:

  • learners with In Progress status must restart the module
  • when course settings allow them to relaunch a module, learners with Completed status access the new version of the module automatically

Note: Always test a module with sample learners with In Progress and Completed statuses, before changing the module for a published course in use.

Replace content vs. create a new version: how much can I change?

How much a content module changes is up to your content developers. 

It's hard to predict what changes can require a new module version, because both SCORM and Tin Can standards generate flexible content modules. Check the support pages for your content-building software, like:

LearnUpon is not responsible for content outside this website.

Best practice for replacing content successfully

  • request a detailed summary from the content developers about changes in the module - consider a before-and-after list to make sure you can see the changes clearly
  • test, test, test: in your test environment with sample users, test out what kinds of changes prompt an exchanged module to fail with In Progress users
  • keep a record of what modules required a new version vs what modules exchanged smoothly

When in doubt: create a new course version

When you need to change a SCORM or Tin Can module for one with a new structure, revise the course and publish it again. 

See Create a new module version, to manage bigger content changes elsewhere in this article.

Swap an existing content module for new

  1. From main navigation, go to Courses > your course name.
  2. From the secondary navigation select Content to view the course modules.
  3. Select the SCORM or Tin Can module.
  4. Select Start Replace Process to open the Upload File option, and follow the prompts to upload a new file.
  5. A dialog opens explaining that LearnUpon is retaining your learners' position for In Progress courses:
    • To proceed with this default option, select Replace File
    • To require your learners to restart this module, select Don't want to retain this data > Replace File
  6. LearnUpon proceeds with the replacement. You can navigate away from this page if required.

The following screenshot shows a module after selecting Start Replace Process.

sample upload new scorm or tin can zip.png

Create a new module version, to manage bigger content changes

To change the structure of the SCORM or Tin Can module in an existing course, you need a new course version. For the smoothest sequence for your learners:

  • create a new version of the course and let your current learners complete the existing course uninterrupted
  • in the new version, remove the existing SCORM or Tin Can module
  • create a new module, with the new SCORM or Tin Can ZIP file
  • publish the new version of the course

See Publish a new version of a course

Change library or course modules?

When you create or upload a content module, the module is a single "chunk" of content, that LearnUpon shows in 2 places: within your course, and in the Library.

So if you change the module, the changes appear wherever the module is in use: in courses, and also in the library. 

You can update the module from a course, or from the library: the effect is the same. 

Note: using library content is different from copying a module, where you want to edit the copy's content, without changing the first version. See Courses: copy a module. 

See: 

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