Technology

xAPI

Jacques Leemans
, , ,
3 min. read

xAPI is a standard for recording e-Learning activities in a LRS

Introduction

xAPI, A.K.A The Experience API, AKA Tin Can API, records learner interactions via activity statements.

xAPI Terminologies

  • Activity Statements - User events
  • Activity Stream - A collection of activity statements.
  • Learning Record Provider - Something that sends activity statements.

xAPI Statement Structure

Actor - Person taking the action
Verb - Describes the action taken
Object - Target of the action

JSON Example:

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{
    "actor":{
        "mbox":"mailto:user@email.com",
        "name":"firstName lastName",
        "objectType":"Agent"
    },
    "verb":{
        "id":"URL",
        "display":{
            "en-US":"attended"
        }
    },
    "object":{
        "id":"URL",
        "objectType":"Activity",
        "definition":{
            "name":{
                "en-US":"Activity name"
            },
            "description":{
                "en-US":"Activity description"        
            }
        }
    }
}

xAPI uses IRI (International Resource Identifier)

The Actor Property

Defines who/what did the action

Actor using mbox:

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"actor":{
        "mbox":"mailto:user@email.com",
        "name":"firstName lastName",
        "objectType":"Agent"
    },

Actor using account field:

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"actor":{
        "account":{
            "name":"UserName",
            "homePage":"URL"
        },
        "name":"firstName lastName",
        "objectType":"Agent"
    },

Actor using mbox_sha1sum field:

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"actor":{
        "mbox_sha1sum":"614fa9df924816c39141f08f63ff65dc1075257d",
        "name":"firstName lastName",
        "objectType":"Agent"
    },

Actor using openid field:

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"actor":{
       "openid":"OpenId Provider",
       "name":"firstName lastName",
       "objectType":"Agent"
   },

The Verb Property

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"verb":{
        "id":"URL",
        "display":{
            "en-US":"attended"
        }
    },

The Object Property

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"object":{
        "id":"URL",
        "objectType":"Activity",
        "definition":{
            "name":{
                "en-US":"Activity name"
            },
            "description":{
                "en-US":"Activity description"        
            }
        }
    }

The Result Property (Optional)

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"result":{
    "completion":true,
    "success":true,
    "score":{
        "raw":50,
        "scaled":0.5
    }
}

The Context Property (Optional)

Has 9 optional fields:

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{
    "context":{
        "registration":"UUID",
        "instructor":"Agent",
        "revision":"",
        "platform":"Platform",
        "language":"",
        "team":"",
        "contextActivities":"",
        "statementProperties":"",
        "extensions":""
    }
}

xAPI Extension Property

Object, which can be used to add more informations
Must be a KVP, in the following format:

“IRI”:”Value”

Timestamp Properties

xAPI Providers and Tools

Courses

References

https://watershedlrs.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360029618392-How-do-I-send-an-xAPI-statement-to-Watershed-using-Postman-

https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Experience_API_(xAPI)

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