Through a partnership with edX and with the support of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Columbia University, Dr. Ellen Meier presents Innovating Instruction: Learning Design in the STEM Classroom, a free professional development MOOC for designing authentic STEM projects for middle school classrooms. 

The MOOC was available starting July 11th. This course provides interested K-12 educators with an approach for developing authentic projects that can be implemented by teachers in their own classrooms.

The course has 4 modules, including Our Changing World, The Critical Role of Design in Teaching, Integrating Technology for Innovating Instruction, and Assessing Student Learning and Embracing Change, which guide educators through the use of a design-based approach to integrating STEM into the classroom with the help of technology.

The modules address design-based technology integration approaches, learning theories, personal learning networks, and innovative formative assessment strategies. Academic readings are combined with video interviews with education experts such as Renee Hobbs (Media Literacy), Jay McTighe (Understanding by Design), who weigh in on the changing world of technology integration in K-12 classrooms.

The MOOC is free on the edX website and was live on July 11th. Participants can sign up for Innovating Instruction: Reimagining Teaching with Technology on the edX website through this link:

https://www.edx.org/course/innovating-instruction-reimagining-teaching-with-technology