Overview
Proserva provides several ways to build and organize learning resource repositories within courses. While it doesn't have a standalone "document library" feature separate from courses, instructors can create structured resource collections using course modules, lessons, and embedded content. This article covers how to set up resource libraries and important considerations when linking resources to Rise/SCORM content.
Resource Hosting in Proserva
Course-Level Resource Libraries
Resources are organized within courses using the same module/lesson structure as instructional content:
Dedicated resource modules: create a module labeled "Resources," "Library," or "Reference Materials" within your course. Add lessons containing downloadable documents, links, and reference materials organized by topic.
Module-specific resources: place resource lessons within the relevant content module. For example, a module on "Differentiated Instruction" could include both the instructional lessons and a companion resource lesson with related toolkits and templates.
Program-wide resources: create a standalone module at the course level with materials that apply across all modules — handbooks, policy documents, style guides, reference charts.
Per-Lesson Resource Sections
Every lesson can include a Resources / Links section where instructors add:
Downloadable files (PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, images)
External links (websites, SharePoint folders, Google Drive files)
Embedded content (videos, HTML widgets)
This keeps resources contextually tied to the content they support. A lesson on "Writing Effective Rubrics" could include a downloadable rubric template, a link to a sample rubric library, and an embedded instructional video — all within the same lesson.
District-Wide Resource Courses
Some organizations create a dedicated Resource Library course shared across their district or network. This course houses HR documents, policy handbooks, toolkits, templates, and other reference materials that all staff need access to. Enrollment can be set to members of specific entities or organizations, making it a self-service knowledge base.
Supported File Formats
Documents: PDF, Word (.doc/.docx), plain text
Spreadsheets: Excel (.xls/.xlsx), CSV
Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP
Video: all major formats, up to 2GB per file
Files can be displayed inline (PDFs, images, videos) or offered as downloads
External Resource Links
Proserva supports linking to external resources hosted on other platforms:
SharePoint: paste document or folder links. Learners must have access permissions on the SharePoint side.
Google Drive: paste share links. Set sharing to "Anyone with the link can view" or restrict to your organization's domain. Note: there is no direct Google Drive upload integration — files must be downloaded from Drive first before uploading to Proserva.
Any URL: links to external websites, article repositories, video platforms, or other web resources.
HTML / iFrame embedding: external tools and pages can be embedded directly in Proserva lessons for a seamless learner experience.
Connecting Resources to Rise/SCORM Content
When using Articulate Rise 360 or other SCORM authoring tools alongside Proserva, there are important architectural decisions about where resources should live. Here are the key considerations:
1. Link Stability
Any external link embedded inside a Rise module becomes part of the exported SCORM package:
If a document is moved, renamed, or deleted on SharePoint/Drive, the link breaks inside the SCORM package.
Fixing a broken link requires re-editing in Rise, re-exporting as SCORM, and re-uploading to Proserva — a multi-step republishing cycle.
When links are stored in Proserva lessons instead, updating a link takes seconds — edit the lesson, paste the new link, save.
Recommendation: keep resource links in Proserva lessons alongside your Rise content, not embedded inside the SCORM package.
2. Access Permissions
External links: SharePoint and Google Drive links require the learner to have access permissions on the external platform. If a SharePoint folder is restricted or a Google Doc isn't shared correctly, learners hit a permission wall.
Proserva-hosted resources: access is controlled through the course's enrollment and privacy settings — invited only, entity members, or public. No separate permission layer to manage. If a student is enrolled in the course, they can access the resources.
3. Tracking Limitations
SCORM only reports completion and score back to Proserva. Clicks on external links, time spent viewing PDFs, or activity on SharePoint/Drive are not tracked.
If a learner needs to prove they reviewed a specific document (for compliance or licensure), hosting that resource as a Proserva lesson gives you lesson completion tracking — the platform records that the learner marked the resource as viewed.
External SCORM courses open in a new browser window. Ad blockers can prevent this window from loading — something to flag for district IT teams during rollout.
4. SCORM Technical Notes
SCORM 2004 4th Edition is recommended over xAPI for Rise exports. xAPI has known inconsistent completion reporting from Rise.
When a SCORM lesson is used as a prerequisite lock for other Proserva lessons, the lock only releases when SCORM Cloud confirms completion. If the Rise content doesn't properly signal completion, dependent lessons stay locked.
The completion flow is: Student completes Rise content → Rise sends completion signal to SCORM Cloud → SCORM Cloud notifies Proserva via postback → Proserva updates lesson status and unlocks dependents.
Recommended Architecture
Rather than embedding resource links inside Rise modules, use this pattern:
Course → Module 1 (Core Content) → Rise SCORM lesson + Proserva resource lesson (module-specific docs, links, templates)
Course → Module 2 (Core Content) → Rise SCORM lesson + Proserva resource lesson
Course → Module 3 (Program Resources) → Toolkit downloads, external links (SharePoint, Drive), reference documents and handbooks
This gives you centralized resource management (update links without re-exporting SCORM), access control through course permissions, lesson completion tracking on resources, and no link brittleness from being buried inside a SCORM package.