Using xAPI to integrate Articulate Rise content

[KMun1208]

I've been searching the forums about the best way to embed an Articulate course into Canvas. I've seen a lot of people with similar issues with accurate tracking/reporting. A solution seems to be using xAPI (Tin Can). Has anyone used this sucessfully? How do you upload an xAPI file to Canvas? Any advice or experiences would be very helpful.

[Jeff_F]

@KMun1208 we went round and round for a few years with several people making attempts at working with SCORM and other Articulate output formats such as xAPI. In brief, there isn't much support, and I've read about entire academic programs getting stuck due to something changing with some aspect of the file, Canvas, etc. and then all their Articulate Storyline SCORM files stop working with in the middle of a term. I am sure someone somewhere is making xAPI work, but if you have been searching for an hour and cannot find a guide, testimonials of how awesome it is, or any information about how to effectively use and support xAPI then I would take that as a sign. I do not aim to be Debby Downer here, but I do wish to be clear to express the opinion that I feel it is risky to use it given the lack of documentation, testimonials, etc. But that is just my opinion.

I also wish to share a few articles that inform why it is time to move away from the 20-year-old SCORM. These do speak to new format suggestions.

https://www.catalyst.net.nz/stories-and-studies/catalyst-blog/scorm-expert-stop-publishing-new-scorm...

https://davefoord.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/the-inconvenient-reality-that-we-should-stop-using-scorms...

Best, Jeff

[KMun1208]

Hi Jeff, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond! I agree it sounds like it isn't the correct solution. My company is quite set on using Articulate, are you aware of any better solutions? My understanding is that the only way to import Articulate is via SCORM.

[Jeff_F]

@KMun1208 I might suggest that you also access the Articulate user community which is here: https://community.articulate.com/ 

The last time this came up I suggested they consider publishing to a web server or Articulate Reach and linking to it from Canvas. 

[jasonVTC · Accepted solution]

From my understanding, Canvas has very limited support for the xAPI standard. You will need an xAPI-conformant LRS to store the xAPI data as Canvas does not include one. A list of conformant LRSes is provided by ADL here: https://adopters.adlnet.gov/products/all/0. Also, I don't believe you can upload an xAPI package to Canvas.  However, you can post back to Canvas using LTI, but what does it do with the data? https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/external-tools/file.xapi. Again, you need a conformant LRS for storing xAPI data. I have not seen an LMS that really supports xAPI yet.

To launch the content, you could try LTI or a third party proxy tool to play xAPI content from the LMS. There are a few options such as Veracity Launch and Rustici Dispatch.