by ADELE PETERS, Fast Coexist
In this unique course at the Open Online Academy, 5,000 students team with local organizations to go head-to-head developing ideas for the developing world. The typical design competition tends to result in a lot of fantastical ideas that are far from realistic. But the Open Online Academy had set up real-world contests to solve world challenges with an unusual structure: The participants who compete are all enrolled in a MOOC (or massive open online class). “We’re basically using education as a way to promote change and build a better world,” says Ivan Shumkov, the school’s founder. In one recent class, the Open Online Academy took on the challenge of building resilient schools in the Philippines, after Typhoon Haiyan destroyed 4,500 schools there last November. Other class challenges have included designing emergency shelters, smart mobility, and infrastructure in the developing world.
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3030535/this-online-class-helps-designers-solve-real-world-problems
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