Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an emerging trend in higher education. And for the first time a course dedicated to urban planning made its debut this month. Could this trend transform planning education?
"MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, are a major new trend in higher education," says Stuart Andreason. Web-based, open to any student to enroll, and largely free, such courses are becoming increasingly popular and specialized.
"Earlier this month, the first urban planning MOOC launched on Coursera. Titled Technicity, the course is taught by Dr. Jennifer Evans-Cowley of The Ohio State University and Dr. Thomas Sanchez of Virginia Tech."
"While Technicity is the first planning specific MOOC, more are on the way. A five-week course on “Maps and the Geospatial Revolution” by Penn State on Coursera kicks off on June 17."
Read the full story: What Are MOOCs and Why Should They Matter to Planners and Commissioners?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello