Integrating Training Simulations and e-Learning Systems: The SimSCORM platform

From a technological, pedagogical, and commercial perspective, the world of training simulators has always been separate from the world of e-learning. There is a need, however, to merge both worlds. This would allow the pedagogical capabilities of the e-learning community to be combined with the operational training capabilities of simulators. Until now, this integration was held back due to the high cost and complexity of connecting training simulators with e-learning tools such as Learning Management Systems (LMSs). With the recent, rapidly growing adoption of standards for both simulation (e.g., HLA) and e-learning (e.g., ADL SCORM), integration can now be achieved much easier and at a lower cost. TNO has studied the integration of e-learning and simulation and developed an approach based upon integration by means of de facto standards in both worlds. The SimSCORM platform was built as a proof of concept of this approach. The SimSCORM platform provides a dynamic integration of e-learning systems and training simulators. Although not a unique effort, TNO has chosen a rather distinctive and flexible approach. In this approach, each learning task in the LMS is treated as a separate simulation component, which has its own direct link to the HLA simulation. This integration allows real-time, two-way interaction between one or more simulator(s) and the active learning task running in the LMS. The LMS, which can be any LMS as long as it is SCORM compliant, can be used for tracking, evaluation, and administration of training results, as well as for configuring and starting scenarios for the simulator. As a result, the SimSCORM platform enables cost-effective reuse of expensive simulator features in e-learning settings, joint training simulations, real-time assessment using ADL SCORM objectives, team training, and requires no adaptations to the simulator or LMS as long as they are respectively HLA and ADL SCORM compliant.