e4k mooc

Engineering-Design-Processmooc – massively open online course
MOOCs are the big new thing in education, whether for universities and colleges or business and special interest courses. “Learning is free, credit costs money.” Typically all the information and teaching is available online free of charge. Courses may have a specific schedule with regular assignments, discussions, live webinar sessions. MOOCs may be entirely self-directed or facilitated.

e4k – engineering for kids
For many years, Engineering is been the silent E in STEM (or STEAM with the inclusion of Art). The new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have elevated Engineering to be the fourth thread as an equal to Earth, Life and Physical Science. The important practice of integrating Engineering will provide greater visibility for the application of the other sciences. More than just toothpick bridges with a one-time load test, Engineering becomes real. Bio-mimicry of animal adaptation to make a better robot is a better representation of the practice of engineering and the kinds of engineering careers that have broader appeal.

e4k mooc
Based on open educational resources (OERs), the units / modules address the topics covered in the NGSS starting from the Engineering perspective.

  • address all the standards in the NGSS science curriculum
  • focus on lower grades when kids are still interested
  • lots of application, hands-on, self-directed, differentiation