Teaching Aerospace Structures and Materials to the World

Abstract

Although aerospace traditionally has always had a multidisciplinary approach to engineering and design, the increasing complexity of aircraft and spacecraft and the rapid digitization within the aerospace industry has led to a large number of related engineering and scientific disciplines such as electrical engineers, computer scientist to work much more directly within the aerospace domain than before. Next to that there is a shortage of highly trained engineers worldwide to meet demand. As a result, there is a clear need to provide basic knowledge to non-aerospace engineers working in the field and to motivate and attract more people to engineering and aerospace in particular. This paper details how the creation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) at an introductory level in Aerospace Structures and Materials provides an efficient and fit-for-purpose tool to achieve both aims. The paper will discuss the course design, the course set up, the course evaluation and how the course fits within the online learning philosophy of Delft University of Technology. It will use learning analytics to analyze our learners and their needs.