This article covers the differences in LMS Integration functionality between CompTIA's older CertMaster Learn and Labs platform (2023 and prior), and the new CertMaster platform (2024+), formerly known as LabSim or TestOut.
This will be most useful to customers with an existing LMS integration with the older CertMaster Learn and/or Labs who are now setting up an integration with the new platform.
This is only for differences in LMS integration functionality. Differences between the platforms themselves are outside the scope of this article.
Our CertMaster Practice product is not affected by these changes.
What stays the same
- Single Sign-on (SSO) via the LTI 1.3 integration standard
- Automated, registration-free account creation based on a user's LMS user profile
- Grade syncing to the LMS gradebook within seconds of activity completion
- Easy course building using the LTI 1.3 content selector (Deep Linking)
What's different
Instructor/Admin Automation
|
CertMaster Learn+Labs Content released pre-2024 |
CertMaster Perform Content released 2024+ |
| Instructors must be created and assigned licenses manually. | Users with staff roles in the LMS are recognized automatically and provisioned with the Instructor role in the new platform. Licenses are assigned based on what content was clicked. |
| Instructors must log in separately in order to see their Instructor resources and reporting. Separate, student "fake" accounts are created for instructors who launch via LTI. | Instructors can click any integration link in the course to be logged into their normal account. |
| "Groups" must be created and populated with students/instructors manually. | Classes are created automatically when an instructor first clicks an LTI link from an LMS course. This must be done from each LMS course to create the class in our platform. |
| Reporting does not exist for CertMaster Labs integrations, aside from LMS grade syncing. | Greatly improved reporting that collects data on all activities within CertMaster Learn, Labs, or Perform. |
| Only the most recent grade is returned to the LMS gradebook. | By default, the highest grade is sent back, but it can also be set to send the most recent. |
LTI Tool Configuration and Course-building
|
CertMaster Learn+Labs Content released pre-2024 |
CertMaster Perform Content released 2024+ |
| Some older integrations required a separate LTI tool for each CertMaster Learn course, as well as separate tools for Learn and Labs. | A single LTI tool delivers all Learn, Labs, and Perform content across all certification content. |
| Integration work is required in the customer LMS on every new certification or version update release |
New content is automatically added to the LTI content selector on release. No action is required on either side. |
| The LTI Content Selector automatically decides which items are created as graded activities and which are ungraded. | Instructional Designers are given the option for each activity link to be created as a graded activity or not. All activities have the ability to report a grade. |
| Supports any LTI 1.3 Certified platform |
Currently only supports LTI 1.3 connections with Canvas, Moodle (version 4.0 and above), D2L Brightspace, and Blackboard (both Learn and Ultra), or LTI 1.1 connections with Schoology and Populi. We intend to add to this list over time. |
Financial Models
|
CertMaster Learn+Labs Content released pre-2024 |
CertMaster Perform Content released 2024+ |
| Monthly Usage-based Billing (UBB) is the only financial model supported. |
UBB is still a strong option, but students can also enter access codes purchased separately (such as in an online bookstore) into a dialogue presented when they click an integration link. |
When will my certification be released in CertMaster Perform?
CompTIA certifications receive new major version updates each on their own three-year cycle. Starting with Network+ (009) in June 2024, each new version release will deliver its content on the new platform. As a result of this staggered release, there will be customers that have courses using the old platform running alongside others that use the new platform.
CompTIA plans to have all CertMaster Learn/Labs/Perform content living in the new platform by 2025-2026. To get a rough idea of when your desired certificate's content will be released in the new platform, select it on this list, find the Launch Date in the details table, and if it's before 2024, add three years! The target release date on the new platform will be within a quarter of that date.