STEM

Open Courses Focus on Engaging Girls in STEM Fields

• By Sri Ravipati
• 08/29/16

Beginning this September, girls who are interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) can explore open courses that cover diverse STEM topics, including courses that examine CSI cases and humanitarian work from a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Canvas Network, an educational platform from Instructure, will be offering six open, online courses that seek to engage girls in STEM.

The Girls in STEM series, as it is called, consists of the following massive online open courses (MOOCs):

• “He Named Me Malala: Inspiring Girls in STEM,” a course that teaches high school teens about Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and examines her passion to make a difference in STEM and education for girls;
• “Think Like a Scientist,” a course on lab safety procedures, basic microscopy and measurements;
• “Supporting Girls in STEAM,” an introductory course for parents and teachers to learn strategies to inspire girls to stay engaged in STEM;
• “Zappar Powered STEM Learning Using Augmented Reality,” a course that teaches students in grades 3–5 about the water cycle and has them create an augmented reality poster;
• “Think Like a CSI,” a course on forensic science for high school students; and
• “Think Like a Physicist,” a course for high school students to explore natural forces and conduct hands-on experiments and projects.

"Immersing girls in STEM is vital for the health and progress of our future economy," said Melissa Loble, vice president of platform and partnerships at Instructure, in a statement. "We're eager to add all we can to ensure girls are inspired to pursue careers in these critical fields. These courses promote a collaboration between students, teachers and the larger community to build an understanding of why having both men and women in STEM is essential for innovation and progress.”

To learn more about the MOOCs, visit the Canvas Network site.