Glynn Moody blogs about Connexions, a non-profit organization started by Rice University, which is similar to MIT’s open courseware.

However, it is even more open than MIT’s offering. It’s based on the open source Rhaptos software, whereas MIT’s is proprietary. Anyone seems to be able to contribute modules and courses to the system. And, additionally to its open courseware, it is making materials available as print on demand books, that can be individually customised. It hopes that this move will enable it to become self-sufficient, helped along the way by another grant from the enlightened Hewlett Foundation.

Here is the self-description of Connexions:

Connexions is a rapidly growing collection of free scholarly materials and a powerful set of free software tools to help

• authors publish and collaborate
• instructors rapidly build and share custom courses
• learners explore the links among concepts, courses, and disciplines.

Our Content Commons contains small “knowledge chunks” we call modules that connect into courses. Thanks to a Creative Commons open license, anyone can take our materials, adapt them to meet their needs, and contribute them back to the Commons. And everyone is invited to participate!