Content packaging
This page discusses content packaging in relation to teaching and learning resources, describes current activities in this area and lists recommended standards to be used. See also the Recommended standards on Content packaging.
You may also be interested in reading the VET e-learning content development guidelines.
- What is content packaging?
- What is an IMS content package?
- What are the advantages for interoperability?
- What is happening?
What is content packaging?
Content packaging refers to the ability to combine learning resources into self-contained packages that can be readily transported between different repositories and learning management systems.
The need to package electronic learning resources has been given impetus by the development of the learning object model - the idea that self contained ‘objects’ can be obtained from a variety of sources and combined to create an individual learning experience.
Learning resources for online delivery can be as small as single web page or graphic, however for practical and educational purposes it is desirable to combine these into larger units ranging from a single lesson or the material needed to teach a unit of competency through to a complete course or qualification.
What is an IMS content package?
An IMS content package is a compressed folder (often in the form of a zip file) that contains a self-contained set of learning resources.
The folder contains a file named imsmanifest.xml that lists all of the files that comprise the package . This file may also indicate the order in which the content will appear in a menu, and may provide metadata about the package as a whole. An IMS compliant Learning Management System uses this manifest file to import and present the learning materials.
The Reload Editor tool is commonly used to produce the manifest file and supports both the IMS Content Packaging Specification and its SCORM extension.
View more information about SCORM - Sharable Content Object Reference Model >
The relevant recommended standards for the VET sector are IMS Content Packaging. SCORM 1.2 and Vetadata for SCORM. See the Recommended Standards page for more details.
What are the advantages for interoperability?
Consistent and standardised packaging of learning resources will allow web based learning content to be separated from the Learning Management System (LMS) which actually delivers the content to the learner. This provides three major advantages:
- content can be moved around and managed at a larger and more practical scale than the individual web page or file
- content from different sources can be more readily combined
- the training provider is not locked into a particular LMS. The LMS can, in theory at least, be readily replaced because existing content (whether obtained externally or developed internally) which complies to a packaging standard can be transferred to a new system.
What is happening?
The Flexible Learning Toolboxes project is developing SCORM compliant learning objects that use IMS content packaging in the Toolboxes, and is re-packaging some of the earlier Toolboxes in this manner. The VET Learning Object Repository Network uses IMS content packages as the common format for the sharing of learning objects among its constituent repositories.
View Flexible Learning Toolboxes project outline: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2006/pid/67
View VET Learning Object Repository Network project outline: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/projects/2006/lorn
