Standard ← All terms

cmi5

The modern successor to SCORM, built on xAPI

01 Definition

cmi5 is a specification describing how an LMS and learning content communicate, using xAPI as the underlying data language. It combines the structure of SCORM, starting, completing, passing or failing, with the richer data capability and the loose coupling of xAPI.

02 Why it matters

SCORM dates from a time when learning content ran in the browser and had to live inside the LMS. cmi5 lets content run outside the platform, which is what VR applications, mobile apps and simulations that do not fit in a browser window need.

03 In practice

For anyone deploying VR or a field app, this is the practical route. With SCORM you end up at completed or not completed; with cmi5, what happened during the session comes back and the LMS administration stays intact. The limitation is the market: not every platform supports it, and that is a question to ask before purchase, not after.

04 Related solutions
Learning Management → VR & XR Simulations → Learning Apps →
05 Frequently asked questions
Does cmi5 replace SCORM?
That is the intention in time, but in practice SCORM 1.2 is still everywhere. Choose cmi5 when you have content that runs outside the browser; for classic e-learning modules it adds little over what you already have.
What is the difference between cmi5 and plain xAPI?
xAPI only says how you record events, not how a course is started, completed or assessed. cmi5 lays those agreements on top, so an LMS can handle it the same way it handles SCORM.
Does our LMS support cmi5?
That varies a great deal by supplier. Ask explicitly and ask for a demonstration with real content, because support on the specification sheet is not the same as support in practice.
06 Related terms

xAPI →

A richer learning data format for VR, simulation and scenario training

SCORM →

E-learning standard for LMS integration and progress tracking

LMS →

The platform in which training is assigned, followed and recorded

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M

Milan

Business development, STARK Learning