IMS Content Packaging “describes data structures that can be used to exchange data between systems that wish to import, export, aggregate, and disaggregate packages of content.” http://www.imsglobal.org/content/packaging/ .
There are a number of projects in the programme which have identified themselves as using IMS Content Packaging, they are:

• Unicycle
  • http://unicycle-leedsmet.ning.com/
• Open Exeter
  • http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/oer/
• OpenStaffs
  • http://www.staffs.ac.uk/about_us/projects/openstaffs/index.jsp
• OLE Dutch History
  • http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dutch/OER/
• FETLAR
  • http://www.fetlar.bham.ac.uk/
• Open Educational Resources Pilot
  • http://www.engsc.ac.uk/an/oer-project/oer-project.asp
• CORE-materials
  • http://core.materials.ac.uk/
• OOER
  • http://www.medev.ac.uk/oer/
• Simulation-OER
  • http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/simshare/index.html
• UK Centre for Bioscience OER Project
  • http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/oer/

Some of the projects use Content Packaging in so far as the software they are using to manage OERs uses it or offers it as an export option. These projects are:

• Unicycle
• OpenStaffs
• OLE Dutch History
• FETLAR
• Simulation-OER

Some projects using IMS_CP as a mechanism to deposit content into Jorum

• Unicycle
• OpenExeter [tbc conversation about CP use occured early in project]

Some projects are mediating but not creating resources which are Content Packages

• OERP
• OOER

Observations

Although some projects have chosen to use CP, it should be observed that many projects are either submitting single resources or simply using zip to aggregate or bundle resources. There are a number of reasons CP may not have featured as much as usual, which include:

• different tools in use
  • In comparison to many e-learning development projects few projects in the UKEOR programme are using elearning specific technology (more on this in a future post) and as a result out-of-the-box support for CP is not prevalent in the programme. There is also only limited use of VLEs in the programme.
• detailed structuring seen as superfluous?
  • Another possible reason for the relative underuse of CP may be that the functionality and features it offers to support or store structured content was not considered necessary by projects.
• “Not using content packaging for repository- end users unlikely to use Reload so using  a more straightforward Zip based approach” Humbox project