Integrating 360 with Learndash

Feb 10, 2020

Hello! 

Although I have some experience designing elearning content, I have yet to integrate my storyline modules into a LMS. For a project I'm working on, we're using learndash within our Wordpress site to host our modules and collect data. I'm having a hard time knowing how to go about this process. From what I can tell, learndash (or Wordpress) does not allow me to upload Storyline files so I need to install a plugin to perform this task. I've previously the "insert or embed articulate content wordpress" on my personal site without a problem, but this doesn't seem to work within learndash. As I understand it, I will need the following:

  • Plug-in to open the Storyline content (e.g., tin can, GrassBlade, LearnDash Topic Progression)
  • LRS (e.g., GrassBlades LRS)

Is there anything else I need to know? If anyone has suggestions regarding what product would be most useful, please let me know! I'm really a newby with this stuff! Thanks!

14 Replies
Jeff Forrer

Hello, 'typically' when you want to take SL360 to an LMS, you need to package the files for the LMS, and the most typical format is HTML5 files into a .zip file.  The .zip file is what you would upload to the LMS.

See Articulate documentation here on how to do that:
https://community.articulate.com/series/articulate-storyline-360/articles/articulate-storyline-360-user-guide-how-to-publish-a-course-for-lms

I am not familiar with LearnDash, but assuming it will want a package (.zip file) for you to upload, and depending on what standard it will accept (TinCan, SCORM, AICC), you will want to publish to one of those standards.

Hope that helps!

Saurabh Chauhan

Hi Tadd,

I think you already came across GrassBalde xAPI Companion and GrassBlade LRS. This is just enough for all your Storyline Content (HTML5, xAPI and SCORM) needs in WordPress with LearnDash LMS.

You can follow this tutorial use it on your site. If you want to try it yourself, you can do it here.

To use your content on LearnDash LMS, you need GrassBlade xAPI Companion. If you want reporting data and integration between LearnDash LMS, you need to connect it with an LRS (GrassBlade LRS for integration).

GrassBlade xAPI Companion allows you adding content on LearnDash LMS lessons, topics and quizzes. It can pass the Storyline Content score into LearnDash Reports and certificates with the help of GrassBlade LRS.

GrassBlade LRS is optional if you don't want any reporting. The GrassBlade xAPI Companion allows uploading and managing your Storyline Content. You can add it wherever on WordPress pages or LearnDash lessons.

This is a LearnDash Course with Storyline content. https://demo.nextsoftwaresolutions.com/courses/advanced-completion-behaviour/ 

If you have any queries related to GrassBlade xAPI Companion and GrassBlade LRS.  You can write to us here (https://nextsoftwaresolutions.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).

Regards
#TeamGrassBlade

Jeff Dodge

I personally use the https://www.uncannyowl.com/downloads/tin-canny-reporting/ Plug-In to load all of my Storyline content on my LearnDash LMS system and it works amazing!  I am able to report on what my learners do and it makes it super-easy to upload your Storyline/Rise content.  All you do is upload the Zip file and your done!  :)

I'm a WordPress/LearnDash Geek.   If you need any help!  Let me know.

Regards,

Jeff

Tadd Farmer

Jeff, thanks for your reply. This is good to know. I emailed Uncanny about their plugin but they mentioned to me that their plugin does not pass data directly from the Storyline to the LearnDash LMS. In fact, this is what they said:

"We capture xAPI quiz data, store it and make it available to admins, but we definitely don't pass it into LearnDash directly--and it wouldn't be a good idea to do that. The Tin Canny reporting tools also allow Group Leaders and learners to see Storyline and LearnDash quiz results together, in the same report, but xAPI data is separate from LearnDash."

Again, I'm pretty new to this stuff but this sounds like it contradicts what you're describing. So, from your experience, can users take quizzes in your Storyline modules and can that quiz data be passed into LearnDash? Is there anything else that is needed (e.g., LRS)? How many users will it support?

Jeff Dodge

Good Question.

I do all of my testing outside of Storyline and use the LearnDash LMS to do the quizzes, I do have small "exercises", one question here and there inside of the Storyline project and that data is reportable inside of the TinCan plugin; what is nice is that if a user fails those tests inside of the Storyline it doesn't allow them to take the test which is in LearnDash.  It does not show that "continue" to the test button unless they pass the exercise questions in the storyline project.

I would suggest using Storyline for the course content and then do the testing within the LearnDash system? 

As far as the LMS and LRS.    I think LearnDash is the LMS and TinCan Plugin is the LRS.

-Jeff

Pankaj Agrawal

Hi Tadd,

The LRS (Learning Record Store) is a part of an Experience API (xAPI) ecosystem as defined by the Experience API specification. 

When developing the specification, the idea and requirement was that the learning happens outside LMS as well, and that should be trackable. This bring a new component, a data store, of all learning data. 

In case of GrassBlade, it sends LearnDash related data to the LRS. And it sends the storyline completions to LearnDash.

LearnDash doesn't accept Quiz Responses from Storyline. So that cannot be built. However, GrassBlade can show Rich Quiz Reports on LearnDash Profile page along with Quiz Responses. 

Pankaj

 

Tadd Farmer

Interesting. In hindsight, I think designing it so that the assessing takes place in LearnDash would've been the best option, but we've designed around 8 modules now with quizzes as an integral part of those modules. 

I like what you said about how learners can't take the LearnDash quiz if the exercises are not completed in Storyline. Very cool feature. Thanks again for your help!

 

Tadd Farmer

Thank you again for your explanation. I'm a slow learning but I'm picking it up. If I may ask another clarifying question. So GrassBlades will essentially pass to quiz completion or overall quiz scores to LearnDash, but if I want to see more granularity (e.g., how users scored on a single question), then I would need to utilize something like LRS? Is that accurate? Or does the LRS not even send overall quiz scores (e.g., 80%) to LearnDash but instead just send completions? The rich reporting would have to occur outside of the LearnDash platform. 

Michelle McGrann

Hi,

Does anyone use Learndash, grassblade, tincanny and Articulate( You do not have to use all of them) for business or are the example above all for a school? To be clear,  business is going to be defined as a company that uses their LMS that has a some type of payment for like a certificate or something similar. And school, I ma defining as education such as university or K -12. 

Thank you

Jessica Atterton

Hi all, I am having trouble with designing my lesson pages. It all works fine it just doesn't look very nice. I feel like it is all very blank as opposed to other online courses that people are used to where there is lots of text etc on the page and maybe some videos throughout. Because there is little information on the page and just the storyline course it looks rather blank. I'm just wondering if anyone that has embedded their storyline courses in LearnDash would be willing to share how they set up the design of their pages.

Also do you embed as iframe or lightbox: What are peoples preferences and why? I originally embedded as an iframe to the page but didn't love that look, I am now trailing embedding as a lightbox on the page Anyone thing i need to be aware of that makes one option better than the other?