Ximera
Open online calculus course
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ximera (pronounced “chimera”) is an open-source, interactive textbook platform, most commonly used in teaching math.[1] The name stands for "Ximera: Interactive, Mathematics, Education, Resources, for All."[2] Content is authored using LaTeX,[3] and can run on GitHub and Overleaf with no prior installation.[4][2] Currently, there are at least 13 courses hosted on Ximera, and it is used by over 45,000 students with an estimated savings of $5.4 million.[5] A preprint on arXiv was also created with "the help of Ximera".[6]
Features
Ximera supports embedding of GeoGebra and Desmos interactive with a LaTeX command. An interactive answer box gives immediate feedback to students, and the grades can be integrated with Canvas, the learning management system.[7][8] The accessibility features have also been promoted by the Mathematical Association of America.[9]
Development
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The first Ximera course was initially released on Coursera in the Spring Semester of 2012–13 under the name Calculus One.[10] MOOCulus, an online platform that lets you practice Calculus was developed at the Ohio State University to provide students a place to practice Calculus problems. The platform, which was built using Ruby on Rails was built because Coursera didn't offer an engaging way to practice problems.[11][12] The whole course, which consists of 200+ videos, was typeset as a textbook on April 10, 2014. The textbook, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike License, incorporated some of its example and exercise problems from Elementary calculus: An approach using Infinitesimals.[13]
In 2023, Ximera received a $2.1 million grant from the Department of Education. Students are expected to save $4 million to $10 a year.[1] As part of the funding, accessibility (defined by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1AA) is a requirement, and they partnered with "Tailor Swift Bot" for that work.[14] This is to comply with United States Department of Justice rules for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, effective April 2026.[3]