The Experience API is an e-learning software specification that allows learning content and learning systems to speak to each other in a manner that records and tracks all types of learning experiences. Learning experiences are recorded in a Learning Record Store. LRSs can exist within traditional learning management systems or on their own.
Summary
The Experience API is meant to succeed SCORM, the Sharable Content Object Reference Model, which has been the de facto e-learning standard for packaging e-learning content. There are several drawbacks to SCORM. The new Experience API allows trainers to deploy several new capabilities that were not supported with SCORM, such as:
Platform transition; e.g. start e-learning on a mobile device, finish it on a computer
The ability to track games and simulations
The ability to track real-world performance
Team-based e-learning
Tracking learning plans and goals
The Experience API is an open source API. It is a Representational state transferweb service that uses JavaScript Object Notation for its data format. The web service allows software clients to read and write experiential data in the form of “statement” objects. In their simplest form, statements are in the form of “I did this”, or more generally “actor verb object”. More complex statement forms can be used. There is also a built in query API to help filter recorded statements, and a state API that allows for a sort of “scratch space” for consuming applications.
History
In 2011 Advanced Distributed Learning, the United States Department of Defense-sponsored stewards of SCORM, recognized the need for a newer and more capable software specification than the original SCORM specification, which was then more than ten years old. To address the need, ADL issued a Broad Agency Announcement asking for assistance in improving SCORM, and the BAA was awarded to Rustici Software, a Nashville-based software company experienced with SCORM. Rustici Software conducted numerous interviews with the e-learning community to determine where to make improvements and then developed the research version of the Experience API specification. This process was called Project Tin Can. The moniker "Tin Can API" was derived from Project Tin Can, and is still used interchangeably with the name "Experience API". The Experience API was developed by a community working group and released as version 1.0 in April 2013. There are currently over 160 adopters.
Current Status
The current version of the specification is 1.0.3. Released early October 2016. There are no plans for any minor updates to the specification. Previous versions include: 1.0.2., 1.0.1., 1.0.0. version 0.8 and version 0.9 0.95.
