Tools Used:
- WordPress
- Articulate Storyline
- GrassBlade xAPI Companion
- GrassBlade LRS
- LearnDash LMS
LMS Setup:
St. Joseph’s Health Center, of Toronto uses a WordPress site and plugins to provide a LMS for medical education. Operated by the Department of Medical Education, Research, and Scholarship (DMERS) the LMS is used to “on-board” and ensure training compliance for, med-school students, residents, and staff physicians. A twin website is also used for the training compliance of nursing students.
In terms of learning content our modules are organized along two main tracks/courses:
- Required Modules for Trainees on Rotation and
- Required Modules for Staff Physicians and Midwives.
There are other optional modules as well. Lessons are a mix of text and Articulate content. This can range from hospital orientation material (text) to general training on computerized patient management systems, emergency training, etc. (Articulate).
Role of Experience API (xAPI):
xAPI is integral to the efficient operation and management of learning data in our LMS. We use Grassblade LRS as our learning record store for both sites. xAPI statements and the natural language style it yields provides a very detailed view of the learning progress of our learners. The verbs are clean and the data is easy to interpret by non-technical staff.
Quick stats of our sys:
~2300 users
7 tracks/courses
32 lessons, most of them Articulate content
As the hospital leans towards simulation-based learning, we are excited to explore some of the next-generation capabilities xAPI offers. Moving forward, being able to capture experiential learning will be a key LMS design consideration. Having a transparent LRS like Grassblade helps us achieve this.
Future:
The hospital is designing a custom-built LMS to eventually replace the current production system. It is lightweight in nature and will likely implement the xAPI standard in some form down the road.
Domenic Schipani
LMS Specialist / Developer
St. Joseph’s Health Centre Toronto
