Understanding the Completion Engine

Learning activities are comprised of learning components. When a learner enrolls into a learning activity he or she receives an attendance status and a passing status for each learning component within the activity. As updates are made to the attendance and passing status, the completion engine determines the completion status for the learning component. The learning component completion engine determines the completion status by evaluating the combination of the attendance and passing status according to completion rules.

As the completion status gets updated at the learning component level, the activity completion engine updates the completion and passing status for the activity. In other words, the passing status and completion status for the activity is based on the passing status and completion status for each learning component within the activity.

This chapter provides the following overviews:

Understanding the learning component completion engine.
Understanding the activity completion engine.

Understanding the Learning Component Completion Engine

This section discusses:

Learning component completion engine.
Learning component completion statuses.
Learning component completion rules.
Learning component attendance statuses.
Learning component passing statuses.
Auto Mark Activity Completion process.

Learning Component Completion Engine

The learning component completion engine automatically determines the completion status for a learning component based on the attendance and passing statuses for that learning component. When the attendance or passing status is updated, the learning component completion engine is triggered to update the completion status for that learning component. There are four ways the attendance or passing status can be updated:

Manually (attendance status only), by an instructor or administrator on the Component Roster page.
Automatically, by Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) or Aircraft Industry Computer Based Training Committee (AICC) compliant content.
Automatically, through webcast integration.
Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion Application Engine process (LM_AUTOATTD). You must select the Auto Mark Completion check box on the Activity Details page to engage this automatic update.

Attendance and passing status are the two values that determine a learner’s completion status for a given learning component. A learner must be marked as having attended and passed a learning component to get credit for having completed the learning component. However, for cases where the learning component has been defined as not requiring passing, the attendance status is the only value that determines the completion status. In this case, the learner would only have to do be marked as having attended that learning component to complete it. The learner would not be required to pass it.

The following diagram illustrates the various attendance status and passing status triggers and how the learning component completion engine works:

Learning component completion engine

The triggers determine the attendance status and passing status. The learning component completion engine uses the attendance status and passing status (if passing is required) to calculate the completion status.

Learning Component Completion Statuses

The following table presents an overview of the fields and values that affect completion at the learning component level:

Learning Component Field	Possible Values	How Value is Set
Completion Status	Not attempted In progress Completed Not completed	Automatically, based on the attendance and passing status for the learning component. If passing is not required then attendance is the only value that determines completion. Assignment learning components can be marked as completed directly by the learner or manager on the Assignment Progress page, or administrator on the Component Roster page.
Attendance Note. Attendance value names can be changed on the Attendance Scheme page. However, when you change or add an attendance status it must be tied to a delivered attendance status so the completion engine knows how to interpret it.	Unknown Attended Did not attend	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, when the learner first launches content from a web-based, test, or survey learning component. Automatically, when the learner launches the last session of a webcast component. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.
Passing Status Note. Passing status values can be changed on the Passing Scheme page. However, when you change or add a passing status it must be tied to a delivered passing status so the completion engine knows how to interpret it.	Pass Fail Pending Not marked Not required	Automatically, when SCORM or AICC compliant content provides the learner's scores and the completion engine compares these scores with the minimum passing score required for the learning component. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.
Grade	Custom defined values defined on the Grading Scheme page.	Manually, when an instructor or administrator enters the grade on the Roster page.
Score	Free form numeric field.	Automatically, when derived from lesson scores passed back from SCORM or AICC compliant content. Autonomically, when received from webcast vendor. Manually, when an instructor enters the score on the Roster page. Note however, that in this case the system will not automatically update the attendance or passing status based on the minimum score. The instructor must manually update those statuses.

Learning Component Completion Rules

The completion engine determines the completion status by comparing the attendance status and passing status to the rules that determine when a learner has successfully completed a learning component. The following table provides the rules the completion engine uses to determine completion status:

Learning Component Attendance Status	Plus	Learning Component Passing Status	Equals	Learning Component Completion Status
Unknown	+	Pass Fail Pending Not marked Not required	=	Not attempted
Attended	+	Pending	=	In progress
Attended	+	Pass Not required	=	Completed
Attended	+	Fail Not marked	=	Not completed
Did not attend	+	Pass Fail Not marked Not required Pending	=	Not completed

Learning Component Attendance Statuses

Depending on the basic learning component type, attendance status values are set one of three ways:

Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page.
Automatically, when the learner first launches the web-based, survey, or test learning component content or the last session in a webcast learning component.
Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.

See Understanding the Auto Mark Activity Completion Process.

The following table shows how each attendance status value can be set based on the learning component type:

Basic Learning Component Type	Unknown	Attended	Did Not Attend
Sessions	Default Value	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page.
Webcast	Default Value	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, when the learner launches the last session in the webcast.	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.
Web-based, Test, or Survey (compliant or noncompliant)	Default Value	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, when the learner first launches the online content.	Manually, when an instructor or administrator makes changes on the Component Roster page. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.
Assignment	Attendance is not tracked.	Attendance is not tracked.	Attendance is not tracked.

Learning Component Passing Statuses

Depending on the basic learning component type, passing status values are set one of four ways:

Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster.

Grades are associated with passing statuses. When a particular grade is selected for the learner the completion engine automatically updates the passing status by comparing the grade with the minimum grade required to pass, as defined on the Grading Scheme page.
Automatically, when derived from lesson scores passed back from SCORM or AICC compliant content.

The completion engine automatically updates the passing status by comparing a score that is derived from the lesson scores that were sent back from the compliant content with the minimum score required for passing, as set on the Completion page.

See SCORM 1.1 and 1.2 and AICC Compliance.
Automatically, when derived from scores retrieved from webcast vendors.

Some webcast vendors provide learner's scores. The Auto Mark Activity Completion process retrieves scores from webcast vendors and posts the scores to the Component Roster page. This triggers the completion engine, which compares the scores with the minimum score required for passing, as defined on the Completion page.
Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion application engine process (LM_AUTOATTD). You must select the Auto Mark Completion check box on the Activities - Activity Details page to engage this automatic update.

See Understanding the Auto Mark Activity Completion Process.

The following table shows how each passing status value can be set based on the basic learning component type:

Basic Learning Component Type	Pending	Pass	Fail	Not Marked	Not Required
Session	Default value.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster. Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster.		Automatically, when passing is not required for learning component (which is set on the Completion page).
Webcast	Default value.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster. Automatically, when derived from scores retrieved from the webcast vendors by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster. Automatically, when derived from scores retrieved from the webcast vendors by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process (when the process expects to retrieve lesson scores but does not).	Automatically, when passing is not required for learning component (which is set on the Completion page).
Compliant Web-Based, Survey, and Test	Default value.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster. Automatically, when derived from lesson scores retrieved from the SCORM or AICC compliant content by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster. Automatically, when derived from lesson scores retrieved from the SCORM or AICC compliant content by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process (when the process expects to retrieve lesson scores but does not).	Automatically, when passing is not required for learning component (which is set on the Completion page).
Non Compliant Web-Based, Survey, and Test	Default value.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster.	Automatically, when an instructor or administrator enters a grade on the Component Roster.	Automatically, by the Auto Mark Activity Completion process.	When passing is not required for learning component (which is set on the Completion page).
Assignment	Passing status is not tracked.	Passing status is not tracked.	Passing status is not tracked.	Passing status is not tracked.	Passing status is not tracked.

Auto Mark Activity Completion Process

The Auto Mark Activity Completion Application Engine process (LM_AUTOATTD) sets attendance and passing statuses when one of the following conditions has been met:

The learning period date for the activity has been reached.

Learning period is set on the Activities - Activity Details page.
The end date for the activity has been reached.

Activity end dates are set on the Activities - Activity Details page.
The end date for the activity has been reached and the number of days entered in the Mark Completion After field on the Activities - Activity Details page has been met.

Note. Attendance and passing status values can be changed on the Attendance Scheme and Passing Scheme pages. However, when you change or add a attendance or passing statuses they must be tied to delivered statuses so the completion engine knows how to interpret them.

The following table show the Auto Mark Activity Completion process sets attendance and passing status when one of the above conditions has been met:

Basic Learning Component Type	Attendance Status Marked	Passing Status Marked
Session	Attended	Pass
Webcast	Did not attend (if not already set to attended)	Not marked
Web-Based, Test, or Survey (compliant or non compliant)	Did not attend (if not already set to attended)	Not marked
Assignment	Attendance is not tracked.	Passing status is not tracked.

Understanding the Activity Completion Engine

This section discusses:

Activity completion engine.
Activity completion statuses.
Required and optional learning components.
Activity completion rules for completion status.
Activity completion rules for passing status.

Activity Completion Engine

The learning activity completion engine automatically updates the activity completion and passing status whenever a change is made to the completion status at the learning component level. Passing status and completion status are derived fields at the activity level, users cannot update them manually. The learning activity completion engine determines the passing and completion status for an activity by evaluating the completion status and passing status in every required learning component within the activity. The only exception to this is when the activity contains a test out learning component. When a learner passes a test out he or she completes the activity.

The following diagram illustrates how the completion and passing status for each learning component determines the completion and passing status at the activity level:

Learning activity completion engine

To successfully complete an activity a learner must achieve a passing status of pass (if passing is required) and a completion status of complete.

Activity Completion Statuses

The following table presents an overview of the fields and values that affect completion at the learning activity level:

Learning Activity Field	Possible Values	How Value is Set
Completion Status	Enrolled In progress Complete Not completed	Automatically, when an update has been made to the completion status at the learning component level.
Passing Status Note. Passing status value names can be changed on the Passing Scheme page. However, when you change or add a passing status it must be tied to a delivered passing status so the completion engine knows how to interpret it.	Pass Fail Pending Not marked Not required	Automatically, when an update has been made to the passing status at the learning component level.
Grade	Custom defined values defined on the Grading Scheme page.	Manually, when an instructor or administrator enters the grade on the Activity Roster page.

Required and Optional Learning Components

Learning components for an activity can be either required or optional, but there must be at least one required learning component within an activity.

The activity completion engine derives the activity completion status from the completion statuses of each required learning component in the activity. A learner can not complete an activity unless he or she completes every required learning component in that activity. That is, the learner must have a completion status of complete for all required learning components within an activity to earn a completion status of complete in the overall activity.

The learner’s performance on optional components will not affect his or her activity completion status, unless the activity contains an optional test out learning component. If a learner passes and completes an optional test out learning component he or she passes and completes the activity.

Activity Completion Rules for Completion Status

The learning activity completion engine updates the learning activity completion status whenever a change is made to any of the learning component completion statuses within the activity. The following table provides the rules the completion engine uses to determine the activity completion status:

Learning Component Completion Statuses	Equals	Learning Activity Completion Status
All components are not attempted.	=	Enrolled
At least one component is in progress, complete, or not completed.	=	In progress
All required components are complete.	=	Complete
At least one required component is not complete and all remaining required components have been marked complete or not completed.	=	Not completed
All test outs are complete.	=	Complete

Activity Completion Rules for Passing Status

The learning activity completion engine updates the activity passing status whenever a change is made to any of the learning component completion statuses within the activity. The following table provides the rules the completion engine uses to determine the activity passing status:

Learning Component Passing Statuses	Equals	Learning Activity Passing Status
All required learning components are passed.	=	Pass
All test out test learning components are complete.	=	Pass
At least one required learning component is failed.	=	Fail
At least one required learning component is pending.	=	Pending
All required learning components are not marked.	=	Not marked
All learning components are not required.	=	Not required

Note. Passing status value names can be changed on the Passing Scheme page. However, when you change or add a passing status it must be tied to a delivered passing status so the completion engine knows how to interpret it.