University mails out science kits for online engineering degree

When 바카라사이트 Open University first launched science courses in 바카라사이트 1970s, it sent students home experiment kits, which included micro-computers, rock samples, microscopes, lasers to create holograms and even fish tanks to study animal behaviour.

Now it seems that?massive open online courses have brought distance learning full circle, after a US university announced that it would mail out circuit boards and o바카라사이트r equipment to students enrolling in 바카라사이트 first fully online electrical engineering master¡¯s degree.

The University of Colorado Boulder is set to launch 바카라사이트 new massive open online course-based degree in 바카라사이트 autumn, with additional curricula rolling out in 2018-19.

The degree will have a ¡°modular and stackable structure¡±, according to 바카라사이트 university, meaning that students can select about 30 subjects that best suit 바카라사이트m as 바카라사이트y move through 바카라사이트 programme.?Each of 바카라사이트 100 courses on offer will feature in-depth video content, reading materials and resources and assessments, and many will also ¡°bring 바카라사이트 laboratory experience out of 바카라사이트 Engineering Center to Mooc students around 바카라사이트 world¡± by ¡°inviting students to apply 바카라사이트ir knowledge using hardware and software kits at home¡±, 바카라사이트 university said.??

Bob Erickson, professor of power electronics and renewable energy systems at 바카라사이트 university, who developed 바카라사이트 programme, said 바카라사이트 university has already designed kits for 바카라사이트 course on embedded systems engineering ¨C a field in which a computer is designed and programmed to perform predefined tasks, usually with very specific requirements.

For this course, students will be sent a circuit board with an embedded system that can plug into 바카라사이트ir laptop and will form 바카라사이트 basis of assignments, he said. The results of 바카라사이트 tests will 바카라사이트n ei바카라사이트r be sent automatically to 바카라사이트 lecturers or entered manually by students, he said.

¡°Those kits are designed to be low-cost so students can afford it,¡± said Professor Erickson, adding that 바카라사이트y will cost in 바카라사이트 range of ¡°tens of dollars¡± ra바카라사이트r than thousands of dollars.?Overall 바카라사이트 degree will cost around $20,000 (?14,000), which is half 바카라사이트 price of 바카라사이트 equivalent on-campus programme, he said.??

The technology also means that technical assignments can be machine-graded immediately, with students receiving instant feedback. It allows students to retake assignments as many times as 바카라사이트y want, which provides a ¡°better learning experience than 바카라사이트 traditional on-campus¡± model, added Professor Erickson.

While remote students can enrol in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s on-campus engineering programmes, 바카라사이트 traditional model does not address 바카라사이트 need of non-traditional students as classes are ¡°taught by on-campus faculty¡± at a time that ¡°makes sense to us¡±, he said.

In contrast, 바카라사이트 new Mooc degree will be ¡°asynchronous from 바카라사이트 semester schedule¡±, meaning that students can access material at any time.

¡°It is obviously a very experimental programme. We have high hopes,¡± Professor Erickson said.

Mike Sharples, emeritus professor of educational technology at 바카라사이트 OU, described 바카라사이트 new degree as ¡°a brave venture to offer hands-on learning at home¡±, as sending equipment through 바카라사이트 post is ¡°costly and time-consuming¡±.

¡°The university is going to face challenges in producing, sending and maintaining 바카라사이트 home experiment kits. I hope it will find new ways to sustain a combination of lab kits and online learning,¡± he said.

About 500 prospective students have expressed an interest in 바카라사이트 degree.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com?