Free Online Course on GPS Offered – October 13th, 2014 through November 24th 2014
7 Oct 2014Mark your calendars! Stanford University’s Per Enge and Frank van Diggelen have teamed up to teach a massively open online course (MOOC) about GPS basics during the fall of 2014.
When is the Course Offered?
The course itself, titled GPS: An Introduction to Satellite Navigation, with an interactive Worldwide Laboratory using Smartphones, takes place between October 13 and November 24 and focuses attention on the basics of GPS using smartphones.
Each week during the course a new lesson, or module, will be released along with a series of short quizzes to accompany the lessons. Some weeks will also require participation in a GPS lab, which is conducted outside with your smartphone or tablet. During these labs it is up to you to collect data and share it with the virtual classroom.
The fact that the class is offered online means that you have the flexibility to participate according to your own schedule. You have the option of doing all the week’s work in one sitting or breaking it up into small chunks during office lunch hours or whenever is convenient for you.
Course Information
There is a great deal of excitement surrounding the course, the first of its kind taught in a MOOC (massively open online course) environment. The course, “GPS: An Introduction to Satellite Navigation, with an interactive Worldwide Laboratory using Smartphones,” is carried by the education platform Coursera.
The course guides students through the basics of satellite navigation to gain a deeper understanding of GPS and its role in our lives. After all, GPS technology is widely prolific, including GPS tracking applications, such as in animal and wildlife tracking, sports, weather monitoring, tracking of children, elderly dementia patient tracking, fleet tracking, and so much more.
- The first module is the basic introduction explaining how GPS works and how we use navigation all the time.
- The second module is entitled “Pseudoranges” and is much more technical in nature.
- The third module discusses orbits and signals. Once these first three course are complete you’ll move on to part two.
- The fourth module offers the basics about receiver design basics.
- The fifth module explores assisted GPS.
- And the sixth and final module theorizes about the future of GPS and satellite navigation in general.
What do Students Get Out of the Class?
Aside from the obvious benefit of learning more about GPS, students who complete the basic track of the course will receive a Statement of Accomplishment for completing the course. Those who do all the labs in addition to the basic requirements will receive a Statement of Accomplishment with Distinction.
Don’t forget that GPS knowledge is a skill that’s growing in demand in many professions. While this introductory course will not land you GPS engineering jobs, it can help you get GPS-related jobs in many industries.
Learning new skills is never a bad thing. It’s even better, though, when you’re getting Stanford quality instruction in the bargain. You really can’t go wrong with an opportunity like this aside from not taking advantage of it!
Here is an online video to learn more:
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