The Connexions Project

In the Connexions Project we are developing a new paradigm for the electronic publication of course materials. The linchpin of university teaching has traditionally been the textbook. The fact that textbooks are presented in a written medium constrains them to cover topics sequentially. In reality, mathematics, science, and engineering concepts are highly interconnected. Sequential coverage misleads students and can be boring when the state-of-the-art topics are only addressed at the end. the unique capabilities of the Internet, the World Wide Web, XML, and browser technology have yet to be fully exploited in educational publishing. Most web-based publishing merely migrates standard textbook material to the Web with no adaptation to its unique structure. Now, however, thanks to several conceptual innovations at Rice University, we have a remarkable opportunity to change the foundations of education.

Connexions is an experimental course publishing philosophy and methodology that directly exploits modern information technology. Our environment rests on four fundamental concepts; they are not unique in isolation but together represent a fresh approach to writing and using books in courses and curricula. The key notions are:

The Connexions Project is a clear departure from most other web-based education projects. Connexions integrates state-of-the-art Web standards as well as new application to create a novel framework for electronic publishing and learning. So different is the environment that we must develop a new publishing philosophy and methodology that directly exploit the capabilities of the Web electronic and print media while combining them with the spirit of open competition.

Course Modules

The concepts in any course divide naturally into a set of self-contained modules of information that cover a specific topic within the greater subject; a module typically corresponds to several pages in a textbook or a portion of a lecture in a course. In Connexions, each module consists of one or more Web pages containing demonstrations, animations, interactive experiments, video and audio recordings, assessment mechanisms, and other supporting materials not technically possible in a traditional book. Hyperlinks ("point and click") point to prerequisites, follow-up concepts, supplementary material, and related material. Courses and entire curricula can be woven from Connexions modules, allowing fundamental concepts to be easily revisited and more advanced applications and related materials to be easily glimpsed (by following hyperlinks between modules). Furthermore, an array of modules can be developed for a given concept, each taking a different pedagogical approach to reach a different student learning style or to represent alternative (possibly conflicting) philosophies, ideologies, or methodologies. This organization frees teachers and students from the constraints of linear thinking and imposed by printed textbooks and standard curricula (Calculus I followed by Calculus II and then III).

Roadmap

Connexions' web-link, non-linear interconnections of modules will be a much more realistic reflection of how knowledge is organized; however, it will also be more complicated. the increased complexity of the system opens up a much greater number of learning opportunities for student users who will be able to follow their own instinctive curiosity in pursuit of further knowledge. Connexions will provide a graphical "roadmap" that explicitly indicates the connections between modules, making it straightforward for students to navigate and explore the course materials and curriculum. This map will show a student where they have been and where they are going, providing an anchor within the non-linear matrix of modules. The instructor will configure the map as the backbone of the course. Of course, students will be encourages to diverge from the map and explore linked and related topics.

Course Composer

The Connexions system serves educators by allowing them to be directly involved in creating course material. A course roadmap can be constructed and customized by an instructor using the Course Composer. The Course Composer is used to select and organize modules that cater not only to the course, but also to particular student backgrounds, interests, and learning styles (several road maps can be created for a particular course, each designed to satisfy the needs of different student learning styles). The instructor will chose which modules to include (from many related topics and disciplines) and in what order they are to appear in the course map; the Connexions system allows instructor the freedom to express their vision for a particular course. Furthermore, instructors can always annotate the modules taken from Connexions or add their own locally-created modules (i.e., modules that do not exist within Connexions but are unique to that instructor's course). Connexions will allow authors to contribute new material while freeing them from having to repeat material adequately stated in another module; there will no longer be the need for each author to create anew an all-inclusive and free-standing textbook. The course Composer's output specifies which modules comprise a course and weaves modules together so that both print and electronic media versions can be created.

Annotation

An integral part of the Connexions system will be the ability for instructors to customize and students to personalize modules through annotation. An instructor might chose to do so in order to add commentary, pointing out particular aspects of the content or enhancing the presentation. A student might annotate a module for their own purposes (akin to highlighting) or to share their ideas with others participating in the course. Annotation allows commentary to be included as an addition to the course material without it becoming an indistinguishable part of that content; it serves an important role that is different, but complimentary, to that of the instructor's ability to modify modules for his customized course.

Open-Source Development

This developmental approach will allow the Connexions materials and tools to continuously improve. The Internet, World Wide Web, and Linux operating system were all developed in an open source culture and continue to operate and evolve this way. Using this development model, modules will not be authored by a single person or coordinated team but by a distributed community of passionate contributors who will work (for free) to write, test, debug, and suggest improvements. Because modules can constantly be revised, they are never completely "finished works" that suffer the inevitable fate of becoming out-dated. By not being restricted to the ideas and methodology of a single individual or of a small associated group of academics, this project can develop in diverse ways not possible with traditional publications.

In addition to having the potential for a vast array of contributors, all Connexions materials will be provided free of charge to anyone; they can in turn copy, modify, and use the materials as long as they allow others to do the same. Of course, one of the obvious advantages of this approach is that it allows for the introduction of a great diversity of ideas, ideologies and pedagogical methodologies.

The Connexions Project will take upon itself the responsibility of ensuring that all material accepted, be it as module modification or as totally new modules, will meet the highest educational standards. All material submitted for general distribution will first be evaluated by the Connexions Project. Whereas the quality of submissions will be closely monitored, every effort will be made to enforce an inclusive philosophy in respect to content, i.e., within the accepted norms of freedom of expression, no material will be excluded for ideological reasons.

CNXML Language

The basic premise behind the CNXML language is that it is content oriented. The CNXML tag set allows authors to include information in a module while giving them minimal ability to control its appearance. This model provides unique advantages compared to traditional book authoring.