Publishing Storyline Content in Canvas LMS

Jan 15, 2014

Andrea Cohn
By Andrea Cohn

Hello! I just wanted to share a recent success I had with getting my Storyline files in to the Canvas LMS. Although I haven't quite found a way to use SCORM reporting features, this is an option to upload your presentations into Canvas that will allow for all of the great interactions we so love in Storyline!

The trick is, when you publish, you have to make sure to choose Launch Player in a New Window. Here are all of the steps I followed (including making it work for iPad).

In order for Storyline presentations to work in Canvas, you have to publish with these player options:

BEFORE you publish, you have to go in to the Player - Other - Launch Player in a New Window

If you choose Prompt to Resume, make sure to leave the "Ignore Flash Cookies in LMS" option UNCHECKED.

It should look like this:

When you publish, make sure to have LMS selected, and checkmark all the boxes in the Publishing for HTML5 and mobile devices.

In Canvas, you need to navigate to the course and page (assignment, module, etc.) where you will be adding the content. THIS IS VITAL. You have to be in the course you want to add the content in before you choose the FILE option on the left-hand side.

Choose "Files" option in the left-hand navigation.

Create a new sub-folder for the course and then choose the upload zip file. Upload the Storyline zip file into the subfolder.

Now create the assignment, announcement, module, etc. that you wanted to create. Choose Add File from the right-hand menu. Navigate to the subfolder you created. Once there, you need to find the "launch.html" file and click on it to add it to your assignment. If you want to allow iPad users to see your content, you also need to click on the IOSLaunch.html file and add it to the assignment.

Save your assignment.

Make sure you have popup blockers off, and then test it out. It should launch in a new window on all browsers. On iPad, you need to have the Articulate Mobile App to interact with the content.

Hope this helps!

55 Replies
Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard
over 7 years ago01/20/17 at 5:06 pm (UTC)

Hi Holly,

I am not sure that other users are still subscribed here to weigh in on Canvas specific issues, so you may want to reach out to the Canvas LMS Team that you work with or message individual users directly using the "contact me" button on their ELH profile. 

You could also look at testing the content within the SCORM Cloud as it's a industry standard for LMS testing. That way you could compare the behavior there with your LMS and use that to help determine next steps or information to share with your LMS team. 

Sue Chacon
over 6 years ago01/08/18 at 10:14 pm (UTC)

Hi, I followed your instructions for publishing Storyline Content in Canvas LMS, and when I went to launch my project, I received the following error message.  "Unable to aquire LMS-API.  Content may not play properly and results may not record.  Please contact technical support.  I am not sure what this means. Can you please help with this?

Thank you, Sue

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard
over 6 years ago01/09/18 at 1:25 pm (UTC)

Hi Sue,

Have you reached out to your Canvas LMS team? They likely are familiar with what this error means in their system. In the instances that I've seen folks have that error and share in ELH, one of these options tend to fix it:

1. If your learning management system (LMS) automatically launches content in a separate browser window, don't set Articulate Storyline to launch content in a new window. Otherwise, you may encounter an LMS communication error.

To make sure Storyline doesn't launch your course in a new window, do the following:

  1. Go to the Home tab and click Player.
  2. Click Other on the ribbon.
  3. Uncheck the box to Launch player in new window (creates launch page).
  4. Click OK.

​​

2. This may be caused by the version of Java that you have installed.

Some LMS’s use a Java API object to load content. Since content created in Articulate does not require Java, please do the following:

* Contact your LMS provider and ensure that your installed version of Java is compatible with the version of the LMS you are using.

Let us know if you need anything else! 

 

Shauna Kay
6 years ago02/14/18 at 7:59 pm (UTC)

I am following the directions above but I am stuck on this step. Any suggestions?

You have to be in the course you want to add the content in before you choose the FILE option on the left-hand side.

Choose "Files" option in the left-hand navigation.

Create a new sub-folder for the course and then choose the upload zip file. Upload the Storyline zip file into the subfolder.

Becky Hayes
6 years ago02/15/18 at 9:26 pm (UTC)

Hi Shauna,

I don't have a ton of experience with this, but I am guessing that what is tripping you up is that you need to choose the Expand It option when you upload the zip file to Canvas, because Canvas can't work with the file if it is zipped up. The files have to be expanded (see the attached Expand It Screenshot), so that you can then locate the specific file you want the link to point to.  I had to work through this one myself with a little trial and error. I can tell you from experience that you want to keep you file tree as shallow as possible: it will make it much easier to locate the file. For me, locating the correct file is the trickiest part. If you are still having trouble, feel free to contact me privately and maybe I can help you further. 

Another issue I had was with the size of the player on Canvas not fully displaying the module once I published the link. To solve this issue, I choose "Scale player to fit browser window" in the dialog where you get to pick the browser settings. I attached a screen shot (Module Size Screenshot) for good measure. I don't know how people get the screenshots to display within their messages, that seems to be beyond my skills. :)

Best of luck,

Becky

 

Cynthia Govreau
6 years ago03/19/18 at 3:06 pm (UTC)
Andrea Cohn

Navigate to the subfolder you created. Once there, you need to find the "launch.html" file and click on it to add it to your assignment. If you want to allow iPad users to see your content, you also need to click on the IOSLaunch.html file and add it to the assignment.

So does it only work with assignments? I am so confused by the instructions.

Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard
6 years ago03/20/18 at 12:49 pm (UTC)

Hi Cynthia,

No need to feel stupid, I'm also unsure about these directions for uploading into Canvas. 

I don't have enough expertise to weigh in on the Canvas set up (I've never used it) but typically there is an option to upload a SCORM zip into an LMS, and the LMS will unpack the zipped folder once it's uploaded. That way if you've had to identify a file to launch (i.e. launch.html) the LMS should handle the rest. 

I'd suggest reaching out to your Canvas admin if you're stuck. Also, if someone in the ELH community has the Contact me enabled on their profile that'll allow you to message them directly and perhaps they can provide more help one on one! 

Best of luck - and please feel free to keep us posted! It seems you're not the only one unsure when uploading to Canvas, so any additional information will be helpful! 

Becky Hayes
6 years ago03/20/18 at 12:59 pm (UTC)

Hi Cynthia,

Don't feel stupid, it is a complex process! You have to choose the Expand it option when you load the file into Canvas. (I attached a screenshot of this in my last post on this thread.) Feel free to reach out to me one on one and I will see if I can help you out. I have had lots of help from others on here, so I am happy to pass it on. :) I'll double check my profile now to make sure you can reach me.

Cynthia Govreau
6 years ago03/20/18 at 1:02 pm (UTC)

Ah, SCORM - now that makes sense :) Thanks for your response!

Thanks,

Cyndi Govreau
Miami University eLearning Department
Instructional Design and Technology Specialist
Laws Hall #307G
513-529-1583 (Direct)
513-529-6068 (eLearning Miami Office - ELM)
Interested in Canvas training? Check out our Canvas Training Schedule

webpage or the Miami Train Calendar
.

Shauna Kay
over 5 years ago08/20/18 at 4:34 pm (UTC)

Rebecca,

My name is Shauna Kay and I contacted you way back in February about
transferring Storyline to Canvas. I have finished creating all the
Storylines and now I am ready to put them into my Canvas class. Are you
able to help me with this? I remember trying it way back then and I messed
everything up.

Thanks,
Shauna Kay

Kevin Thompson
over 5 years ago08/20/18 at 6:50 pm (UTC)

Hi Shauna,

Here is how we import Storyline content into Canvas. Most of the time we have an interest in tracking completion of the learning objects, so my directions are focused on that goal.

1. Publish from Storyline for the LMS 
-- we tend to use SCORM 2004 v.3 with the Passed/Incomplete setting
-- we usually base completion on a certain score on a final quiz or a course completion trigger at the end of the module

2. ZIP the published output.

3. In Canvas, enable the "SCORM" LTI tool in you navigation settings.

4. In the SCORM tool, click "Upload" and select your ZIP package.

5. Import the ZIP package as a graded assignment.
This will host your files in a cloud-based storage location since Canvas itself cannot host the files and have them function as a trackable object.

6. You'll now have an assignment in Canvas and there will be a column in the Grades tool for the assignment. The Storyline object needs to be launched in a new window. 

We've also uploaded non-SCORM (therefore non-trackable) Storyline content into the Canvas Files tool, but since there are so many files involved it creates quite a mess if your Canvas course has a lot of other learning objects. 

We've had some trouble with the completion scores of Storyline objects resetting (from 100% to 0) if the learner re-launches the content after completion -- so would be interested to hear from anyone who has overcome that challenge. 

Regards
-Kevin

 

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