Renewable energy sources, storage, efficiency, smart grids: These are only some elements of the Energiewende, the transformation of the energy system. It is discussed by science, society, and politics, not only in Germany. For exchange on the Energiewende on the international level – during studies, on the job, or on the private level - the corresponding English vocabulary is indispensable. The newly developed MOOC “Power Up: English for the Energy Transition” conveys this vocabulary and will start on September 21. The course is offered by KIT’s Center for Technology-enhanced Learning.
“Similar to many topics of global relevance, international discussion of the energy transition takes place in English. For this reason, the course conveys the most important vocabulary for communication on the private and professional levels,” Julia Thompson-Kleser, teacher of the language course “Power Up: English for the Energy Transition”, says. What makes this course special is that it is a massive open online course, briefly MOCC, which means that it is not only freely accessible and cost-free, but can also be attended in a time- and location-independent manner, e.g. parallel to the job.
Language learning focuses on major aspects of the Energiewende: The introduction will cover departure from fossil fuels towards use of renewable and sustainable energy sources. Then, possibilities of energy production will be dealt with. The participants will be given insight into present energy supply based on fossil fuels and atomic power as well as into energy conversion. Technologies using renewable resources will be introduced. In addition, the course will cover potential future infrastructure facilities, such as the principle of the smart grid, including storage and efficiency of energy. Finally, the course will focus on future energy supply.
The MOOC “Power Up: English for the Energy Transition” will be offered by KIT’s Center for Technology-enhanced Learning (ZML) in cooperation with KIC InnoEnergy. The course will start on September 21, 2015 on the Iversity platform. It addresses people working in the energy sector, students as well as persons wishing to advance their international career in the energy sector. The only requirement to join the course is level A2/B1knowledge of the English language according to the common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The MOOC may also be used for preparation for the “Energy English” course offered by ZML. The credits acquired in the MOOC are recognized.
More information:
https://iversity.org/de/courses/power-up-english-for-the-energy-transition
Contact Studies at ZML – Training Courses Relating to Energy
Training courses in the energy sector also include the contact study courses offered by ZML. These are certified courses of university level, which are organized in close cooperation with KIC InnoEnergy. They have an average duration of six months and consist of longer online phases and certain days of presence. “This type of training combines science and practice – we would like the participants to contribute their professional experience,” says the scientific director of ZML, Professor Gerd Gidion.
The courses “Erneuerbare Energien” and “Energy English” will start on November 16, 2015. The latter may be joined directly after the MOOC “Power Up: English for the Energy Transition”. The courses “Elektrische Energieübertragung – Netze, Betriebsmittel, Schalt-anlagen”, “Energiewirtschaft”, and “Technikfolgenabschätzung und Energiewende” will start in spring 2016.
More information on the contact studies (Kontaktstudien): http://www.zml.kit.edu/weiterbildung.php
New Course: MOOC on Idea Generation
On September 21, 2015, the MOOC “Idea Generation Methods” will start. Participants will be familiarized with methodologically based techniques for specific idea generation and apply them in an own project. Apart from theoretical contents, the practice of innovation management will be covered. A pilot course was run very successfully in spring, with the number of participants totaling about 16,000. The course language is English, participation is cost-free. The course may be joined any time once it has started. This MOOC is offered by ZML in cooperation with the Chair of Innovation and Technology Management (ITM) of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Technology Management, and Innovation (EnTechnon) and with the support of KIC InnoEnergy.
More information:
https://iversity.org/de/courses/idea-generation-methods-september-2015
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