If you’ve been intrigued by the possibilities offered by the Tin Can API like I have, you’ve been wondering how to get started with it. For this reason, I was really happy to have tech geek and entrepreneur Mike Rustici come and talk with our Fredrickson Roundtable for Learning Leaders. Mike’s talk was definitely full of exciting possibilities and at the same time covered real world examples and practical considerations.
So, how could you start using Tin Can API? Mike’s answer:
- Start small and focus on meeting specific needs.
- Get that working from beginning to end.
- To make the most of it, use a case where you can bring in analytics to prove validity.
Mike shared examples of areas where Tin Can is well suited to address challenges that many companies are struggling with. These are:
- Mobile learning
- Tracking training located outside of your LMS
- Tracking without requiring a login
This approach makes sense to me from a business, management, and technical perspective. It’s a proof of concept. It’s manageable. Your company, like most, has a lot of money and time invested in your existing LMS and its SCORM or AICC content. Yet, Tin Can may help solve issues your current system can’t. This approach confirms that you don’t have to replace or throw anything out. You don’t have to solve all your problems at once. Besides, as I’m sure you’re aware, new technology is great but also brings along challenges of its own as it “grows up.”
People are searching for solutions to a number of challenges that Tin Can API can handle. They know that though they may not have to solve them today, they will have to solve it soon and their current LMS can’t handle it. I’m very pleased to hear the creators of the API suggest a practical way to approach solving some of people’s current challenges while setting them up for the wouldn’t-it-be-cool-things they are contemplating.