What is SharePoint Learning Kit?
2 August, 2010
What is SharePoint Learning Kit?
SLK is a simple but powerful SharePoint tool that gives instructors the flexibility to deliver almost any computer document as an eLearning resource. In a nutshell it allows the assignment, tracking and grading of work.
Type of Learning Resource
SharePoint Learning Kit has 2 main types of resources which can be assigned:
Rich Resource
This is a SCORM or Class Server package.
These are self-contained packages containing contents defined by the SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) standard or Class Server for web based e-learning. This can include sequencing and automatic marking of tests. SLK is a SCORM certified product.
SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a generic standard while Class Server is the Microsoft Virtual Learning Environment from the SharePoint 2003 era. It was not updated for SharePoint 2007 and SLK is it’s successor. It was a key requirement for SLK to support Class Server content.
Any other electronic document
A teacher can assign any document within a SharePoint learning resource library to learners. The learners can then upload the completed assignment and any supporting files back to SharePoint when they have completed it.
Licensing
SLK is an open source product hosted on CodePlex (http://www.codeplex.com/slk). It has a very permissive license which allows anyone to take the code and extend it with no restrictions.
Background
SLK was originally developed in house at Microsoft for SharePoint 2007 as a replacement for some of the Class Server functionality. It is the upgrade path for organisations using Class Server when they upgrade to SharePoint 2007 and SharePoint 2010.
Once the first release was completed, Microsoft released it under on open source license on CodePlex, but initially Microsoft employees remained as the project coordinator.
In January 2009 I took over as project coordinator and it is now fully a community product. Microsoft have occasionally funded some work since then such as the initial work for version 1.4, but in general progress is down to time freely committed by myself and other potential contributors.
Requirements
SLK requires SharePoint 2007 (WSS3 or MOSS 2007) or SharePoint 2010 to run. However, there is a sample distributed in the source code called Basic Web Player which allows the SCORM player to be used in a standard asp.net application.
All provisioning for assigning instructors and learners is implemented using standard SharePoint features