Building SCORM embedded WebLabs with LMS interaction

Abstract

Abstract: This paper outlines a new procedure for building educational Web Laboratories (WebLabs). These WebLabs are based on JAVA and are offered to learners from Learning Management Systems (LMSs). The Virtual-Remote Laboratories (VRL) are JAVA Applets embedded in Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) packages that are able to interact with the LMS where they are hosted. This interaction is based on the exchange of information defined by the Run-Time Environment (RTE) and the Run-Time Navigation (RTN) SCORM data models. Both models are managed by the LMS where the SCORM content has been loaded. There are three types of data: read-only, write-only and read/write. In addition, a new JAVA package called scormRTE is presented; it has been developed to facilitate the VRL-LMS information exchange. This package enables a JAVA applet to manipulate directly all the elements of RTN and RTE data models. For the validation, a VRL, created with Easy Java Simulations (EJS), has been developed using this proposal. This VRL has been embedded into a SCORM package in order to build a virtual WebLab about dynamic system modeling. In particular, it is the modelling and identification of a car's suspension dynamics. This WebLab is used in an Industrial Automation course that is offered in several Engineering Grades of the University of Jaén. It is available in the institutional LMS.