Forum Discussion
Everything we know about Cornerstone on Demand and Storyline!
I thought I would start a thread about Cornerstone on Demand so there's a central place for people to read and add to. There seems to be a dearth of information about how CSOD and Storyline interact with each other as well as the unresolved issues surrounding it. I've spent many hours scouring the web and speaking with Cornerstone trying to find a solution. Hopefully this thread will serve as a resource for others going forward.
On a side note, I love Articulate Storyline. I started with Adobe Captivate with limited success. It was a very steep learning curve, but I was able to get some basic functionality out of it. I tested out Storyline with it's 30 day trial, and I will say that time-to-effectiveness was drastically reduced. It really IS like using powerpoint. Granted there is less complex functionality and interactions available than Captivate, but so far it's given me everything I've needed to use. The benefit is that the learning curve is much less steep too. Think of it as the difference between iMovie and Final Cut Pro. The latter can do some crazy effects, but the former gives you 90% of what you need and can get you comfortable in 1/4 of the time.
It's nice to have a properly-working content creation tool when you're in an LMS like Cornerstone. I have enough trouble in CSOD as it is.
So some of the nuggets of wisdom that I've found are :
- Cornerstone does not track SCORM 1.2 content properly. You cannot pull a lot of the reports if they are not in SCORM 2004 format. You don't have the option to select that course in the reports.
- If you export into SCORM 2004, there will be an extra section on the left with text links to the module. This takes up 30% of the screen, and on smaller laptop screens may crowd out the module window. Cornerstone says this is a Storyline exporting settings issue. I couldn't find any settings that shows/hides that section. The workaround is to resize the module to the screen, which doesn't get rid of the section, but at least fits the module.
- When reporting, you can get the completion status for a course based on quiz result or last slide viewed. You can also get a final grade for course. Storyline passes the results information for each question (including short answer) but you cannot pull a list of the answers for an individual. Therefore, it may not be advisable to administer any testing where you'll need to review individual answers
- You can get a list of aggregate answers for a module. e.g. I can see how 100 employees answered this multiple choice question. This is helpful to determine if learners are absorbing the course information correctly.
- Web objects (such as websites, or links to sharepoint documents) work in modules if your IT has added csod.com to the trusted sites
- Popup windows that open up the articulate module in CSOD will work if you add csod.com to the allowed list for popup blockers. Your IT dept can also add this to everyone's computer. Otherwise when learners click the "launch" button, the module does not show up.
I'll post more as I think or find them, but feel free to add to this list!
SCORM Cloud (scorm.com) is a great way to test out if your Articulate courses are working properly. I used this to confirm things that Cornerstone is telling me about whether issues are with my export settings or on their side. It could also be a way to host your files with better functionality and reporting capabilities by bypassing what Cornerstone uses by using their "dispatch" feature. Of course Articulate Online is probably the best way way to track, though I haven't tried their services yet.
Nice Jason! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Jason, I've seen a few users asking about Cornerstone, so now I'll point them your way.
Jason:
"If you export into SCORM 2004, there will be an extra section on the left with text links to the module. This takes up 30% of the screen, and on smaller laptop screens may crowd out the module window. Cornerstone says this is a Storyline exporting settings issue. I couldn't find any settings that shows/hides that section. The workaround is to resize the module to the screen, which doesn't get rid of the section, but at least fits the module."
Do you mean the menu? We haven't gotten this as anything other than the menu which can be shut off in the Player portal on Storyline.
I have seen this. CSOD can change a back end setting to remove the unwanted menu section.
So for that Table of contents display issue from this thread, here's their answer....
"IT said the issue is being caused by a back end setting on our end that makes SCORM 2004 courses show a table of contents. I can have them turn this off, but it might impact other SCORM 2004 courses that are coming from other providers."
The initial response I got before I spent hours and hours testing/troubleshooting/researching that it was not an Articulate issue was this in case you get the same answer...
" Articulate Side Bar Issue- I talked to some colleagues who are more familiar with Articulate than me and they have not had a client who has had this issue. My sense is that you have a table of contents of something that you populated without realizing it and it shows up differently in Cornerstone. I have a meeting scheduled tomorrow with my colleague who hosts the content workshop. I’m hoping he may have run across a similar issue and can shed some light for us. I’ll keep you posted."
Whether this breaks other courses we have, I don't know yet. We currently don't have any third party courses that we are using, so maybe in the end it will have to be turned back on.
I'm surprised that this seemingly common issue (uploading SCORM 2004 courses) doesn't have a lot of knowledge around it. Are there are not a lot of CSOD users that use Articulate, given that both products are in the Top 5 most popular softwares/systems in their respective fields? I'm starting to think that Cornerstone's product strength may lie in their performance and talent management (in which we use ADP for), less so as an LMS/LCMS. At least ILT events and sessions seem to be working correctly....
Oh well, enough ranting. Happy Wednesday. Moving on...
We use CSOD and adopted Articulate this last winter. We're currently producing our first set of branched courses and running into that same issue...will relate what we learn as we troublshoot
Rob Swanson said:
Jason:
"If you export into SCORM 2004, there will be an extra section on the left with text links to the module. This takes up 30% of the screen, and on smaller laptop screens may crowd out the module window. Cornerstone says this is a Storyline exporting settings issue. I couldn't find any settings that shows/hides that section. The workaround is to resize the module to the screen, which doesn't get rid of the section, but at least fits the module."
Do you mean the menu? We haven't gotten this as anything other than the menu which can be shut off in the Player portal on Storyline.
I was referencing this thread whic h has screenshots showing the problem. It's not the menu, it's an HTML Table of Content section in ADDITION to the menu. I know you can turn off the menu, but the ability to turn off the HTML TOC links is not something that is part of the export settings in Storyline. If you don't have that problem, that's great. It's possible that your site was pre-configured with that setting turned off. But at least I've gotten to the bottom of it on my site.
Do you export as SCORM2004 or SCORM 1.2 for your modules? The latter won't show the TOC, but also can't be reported on properly for my needs.
By any chance, do you have any issues with the above where you DO have issues not having the TOC display on modules from third party vendors?
Another helpful tip, at least for me -
When publishing, I set my player settings using the Other Tab to
- Browser Size - Resize browser size to fill screen
- Player size - Scale Player to fill browser screen
- Check Launch player in new window
- Check Display Window with no browser controls
- Check Allow user to resize browser
On my laptop screen, I ALWAYS have to resize the window, and/or fullscreen it as Cornerstone defaults the browser popup size to an odd size that's only about 1/2 the screen width. So at least this way, when I click the Launch button, the resulting browser window will fullscreen automatically.
just as a follow up - there is (now?) a CSOD preference that allows you to launch content in an 800x600 window OR fullscreen. So you can set CSOD to launch courses full screen by default, eliminating the need for a launch page.
thanks for this great info!
Jason Chan said:
So for that Table of contents display issue from this thread, here's their answer....
"IT said the issue is being caused by a back end setting on our end that makes SCORM 2004 courses show a table of contents. I can have them turn this off, but it might impact other SCORM 2004 courses that are coming from other providers."
The initial response I got before I spent hours and hours testing/troubleshooting/researching that it was not an Articulate issue was this in case you get the same answer...
I'm surprised that this seemingly common issue (uploading SCORM 2004 courses) doesn't have a lot of knowledge around it. Are there are not a lot of CSOD users that use Articulate, given that both products are in the Top 5 most popular softwares/systems in their respective fields? I'm starting to think that Cornerstone's product strength may lie in their performance and talent management (in which we use ADP for), less so as an LMS/LCMS. At least ILT events and sessions seem to be working correctly....
Oh well, enough ranting. Happy Wednesday. Moving on...
Whether this breaks other courses we have, I don't know yet. We currently don't have any third party courses that we are using, so maybe in the end it will have to be turned back on.
" Articulate Side Bar Issue- I talked to some colleagues who are more familiar with Articulate than me and they have not had a client who has had this issue. My sense is that you have a table of contents of something that you populated without realizing it and it shows up differently in Cornerstone. I have a meeting scheduled tomorrow with my colleague who hosts the content workshop. I’m hoping he may have run across a similar issue and can shed some light for us. I’ll keep you posted."
"IT said the issue is being caused by a back end setting on our end that makes SCORM 2004 courses show a table of contents. I can have them turn this off, but it might impact other SCORM 2004 courses that are coming from other providers."Hi Jason,
Fellow CSOD and Storyline user here. I also am having the same issue with the menu and publishing SCORM 2004 content in CSOD.
Basically, I'm attempting to limit the user to just one attempt on a test. If they fail, their status should be complete, but in a failed state. However, CSOD only allows this functionality with SCORM 2004 content.
Could you please explain how IT was able to turn this back end setting off?
Hi Tom,
I just got a reply from them today -
I just heard back from ourengineers and this request has been completed. Please let me know whenyou have a chance to upload SCORM courses again and confirm that the formattinglooks the way you anticipated.
Just to clarify, by IT, I mean CSOD IT, not my company IT. CSOD are the ones that can change the setting.
And I just tested it.......IT WORKS.
As far as an explanation, I don't have one, but it seems like they understood what the problem was and fixed it. I'm sure if you reference some of the explanation in this thread, they can figure it out. If not, I can PM you my CSOD contacts.Good luck.
I experienced the same issue when we switched from SCORM 1.2 to SCORM 2004 with the odd HTML menu appearing on the left side of the course. I called Cornerstone support to report the issue. When I asked about it, their support person said they could turn that off for me. They were able to flip a switch on their end and the links were gone the next day. They must have figured this one out and documented the steps to quickly resolve it.
Just fueling Jason's nice topic on CSOD / STL:
I am encountering issues with the way my STL modules are tracked in CSOD. I am generating reports that should display the highest score when someone takes the module several times, but it's not the case. As soon as someone takes the module, and whatever the score (even below the pass mark), CSOD understand it's complete, while I have set completion in STL against a 90% pass mark, and so it doesn't display in reports any subsequent tries.
OK because I wanted to move on I have uploaded the course on cloud.scorm.
I have taken it twice to see if the same issues occur as in CSOD.
1st try: got a 80% mark, success is "failed" (because course set up with a 90% pass mark), but status is "completed" (???)
2nd try: got a 100% pass mark, success is "passed", status is still completed.
see attached...
So my first guess here would be that the reason why CSOD (our corporate LMS I'm having trouble with, see my initial post) picks up the first attempt score only, is because the course is considered as "completed" even when the score is below the pass mark.
Anyone with an idea how to set up a course in Storyline so that it's not considered as "completed" until the pass mark is hit ?
Help!!
Thanks!Hi All,
Did anyone ever find an answer to Xavier's question? We are in the process of implementing CSOD and we came across this problem as well.
We're also having trouble with courses marking complete. They are SCORM 1.2 developed in Storyline, but if you fail the quiz it keeps you as "In Progress" and won't let you drop it or re-take the course.
Thank you!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
I haven't seen an answer to Xavier's question, and it seems CSOD specific - have you reached out to the LMS team to determine if there is a particular issue they could assist with?
Xavier Voilquin
Just fueling Jason's nice topic on CSOD / STL:
I am encountering issues with the way my STL modules are tracked in CSOD. I am generating reports that should display the highest score when someone takes the module several times, but it's not the case. As soon as someone takes the module, and whatever the score (even below the pass mark), CSOD understand it's complete, while I have set completion in STL against a 90% pass mark, and so it doesn't display in reports any subsequent tries.
OK because I wanted to move on I have uploaded the course on cloud.scorm.
I have taken it twice to see if the same issues occur as in CSOD.
1st try: got a 80% mark, success is "failed" (because course set up with a 90% pass mark), but status is "completed" (???)
2nd try: got a 100% pass mark, success is "passed", status is still completed.
see attached...
So my first guess here would be that the reason why CSOD (our corporate LMS I'm having trouble with, see my initial post) picks up the first attempt score only, is because the course is considered as "completed" even when the score is below the pass mark.
Anyone with an idea how to set up a course in Storyline so that it's not considered as "completed" until the pass mark is hit ?
Help!!
Thanks!Hello,
We’re experiencing the same issue that Xavier mentioned in an earlier post. Does anyone have a resolution or work-around?
Hi,
My experience with CSOD is that there is 2 completed fields (????)
Comparing these to tests I have done in SCORM Cloud one is that the user
has completed the course - that is they have gone from start to finish.
This is the field that is first seen. The second completion is based on if
the user successfully or unsuccessfully completed the assessment based on
the score set. If you were to click on the eye icon (from memory) you would
see this completion score.A colleague has raised the question of 2 completion fields with
Cornerstone. I have not heard if they received a response.Hope this helps.
Regards,
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Hello Xavier,
What you are describing is exactly the behavior that I am looking for on a course. Can you please share the settings you used for publishing? Did you use Passes/Incompleted, Passes/Failed, Completed/Incompleted, or Completed/Failed? Are you using SORM 2004 3rd edition?
Thank you!
-Aaron
