We recently held our 3rd annual user summit, Rustici: The Gathering, and the question that always comes up is “Is SCORM dead?” It’s understandable—after all, SCORM 1.2 is over 20 years old. But while SCORM might be considered “ancient” in tech terms, its age is actually one of its strengths. With its proven interoperability and widespread adoption, SCORM remains a workhorse in the learning technology world, even as newer standards like cmi5 and xAPI gain traction. Hear Tammy and Chris cover the topic in our recorded session.

Tammy and Chris presenting at Rustici: The Gathering 2024.

Why SCORM still dominates

Let’s dive into the numbers. At Rustici Software, we’ve been tracking learning activity through SCORM Cloud for years, and the data speaks volumes. Millions of course launches happen every month, and SCORM 1.2 still accounts for the lion’s share of them. If you include all the SCORM 2004 editions, the overwhelming majority of learning activities are powered by SCORM. Why? Because SCORM reliably captures the “big four” data points: completion, score, duration and satisfaction. For a lot of use cases, this is exactly what’s needed. It’s simple, dependable and widely supported.

That said, SCORM 2004 offers more advanced capabilities, such as branching “choose your own adventure” experiences, pre- and post-tests and the ability to track larger datasets. So, whether you need basic tracking or something more complex, SCORM has proven itself to be up to the task.

Registration by eLearning Standard - SCORM

The rise of cmi5 and xAPI

That doesn’t mean SCORM is the only eLearning standard in town. We’ve seen exciting growth in the adoption of cmi5 and xAPI over the last several years. The numbers and graphs tell an interesting story:

  • Pre-COVID growth: The data shows a surge in cmi5 and xAPI adoption in 2019 as organizations began experimenting with more innovative approaches to learning.
  • The pandemic pivot: When COVID hit, the focus shifted to immediate solutions. SCORM’s plug-and-play simplicity made it the go-to option for organizations scrambling to move training online.
  • Post-pandemic innovation: Now that things have stabilized, we’re seeing renewed interest in cmi5 and xAPI as organizations invest in future-focused learning strategies.
Registration by eLearning Standard - xAPI and cmi5

SCORM vs. newer standards: What’s next?

SCORM remains the most popular standard, but it’s not without limitations. That’s where newer standards like cmi5 and xAPI come in. These standards address modern challenges that SCORM can’t, such as tracking learning outside of an LMS and supporting more personalized, interactive experiences.

The adoption of xAPI as an IEEE standard in 2023 is a big milestone, helping to cement its role in the future of learning technology. Meanwhile, cmi5 offers a bridge between SCORM’s simplicity and xAPI’s flexibility, making it an attractive option for organizations looking to modernize their training.

So, is SCORM dead? Far from it. SCORM continues to do what it does best: provide a reliable, interoperable way to deliver and track eLearning. But as the industry evolves, so do the tools we use. Whether it’s SCORM, cmi5 or xAPI, the right standard for you depends on your organization’s goals and the kind of learning experiences you want to create.

In the end, it’s not about old versus new—it’s about finding the right tool for the job. And for many organizations, that still means SCORM. Have questions about the data, eLearning standards or anything? Ask us! We love to chat.

As Senior Marketing Manager, Tara leads the charge on our marketing strategy by developing targeted campaigns to generate demand for our products. She coordinates our large events, advertising and enjoys digging into the data to analyze the performance of our efforts. She’s also a serious skier – she got engaged in Vail and honeymooned in Banff.