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Education

Ecotech Institute’s Free Online Course, “Introduction to Sustainability”, Changes the Way Students Approach Sustainability

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Student Feedback Demonstrates Appreciation and Value for the Course

Denver, Colorado, April 23, 2014 – Student feedback from Ecotech Institute’s free online “Introduction to Sustainability” course proved the opportunity was valued by students across the globe and changed the way they approached sustainability initiatives.

Kyle Crider, Ecotech Institute’s Program Chair and Manager of Environmental Operations, led the free online course for a second time earlier this year. There was a diverse mix of students, both men and women from all educational backgrounds and walks of life. Many students applied what they learned in the course to their communities and have said they’ll continue to expand on their education now that the course is complete. The course material applies to general green energy jobs, including solar jobs, wind turbine jobs, and overall careers in renewable energy.

“The first Intro to Sustainability course last year was such a wild success, we felt like we had no choice but to bring it back,” Crider said. “I’m so happy that we did. The feedback we received proves that the course truly changes students’ lives. By allowing people to learn free of charge, we can help more people learn what sustainable living is all about.”

The Introduction to Sustainability course is a “massive online open course” (MOOC), offered through the Canvas Network. MOOCs are a popular way for educational institutions to offer free courses to the public. Based in Aurora, Colorado, Ecotech Institute is the only college entirely focused on sustainability-related job training.

The MOOC course explores various definitions of sustainability used by governments, businesses, and individuals to address environmental, societal, and economic problems around the world. In addition, students learn ways to apply sustainable concepts to their own lives. As part of the course, students have to complete a capstone project that involves writing their own sustainability-focused mission statement, vision, and goals.

Some of the feedback includes:

“Thank you, Kyle! It’s been a rewarding experience. So much so that I decided to apply for a formal course of study, MSc in Environmental Tech. I have an interview with the school in a couple of weeks!”

“Thank you for such a wonderful class. By allowing people to learn free of charge, you have taught so many more. Just finding out about the Aral Sea in the first lesson has been the buzz of my village for weeks. Just thank you for implanting this knowledge. I so appreciate it.”

“I wasn’t aware of how far solar energy has come. I’ve been a fan of it but didn’t realize the cost had dropped so much that it was actually viable.”

“I never thought that one day I would be doing a course with people from different continents and countries. Technology really improved our standard of living, so there is no need to go overseas to study when you can study at home.”

Due to the overwhelming positive feedback, Ecotech Institute plans to offer future MOOC courses. The school will provide updates on future courses through its Facebook page, which users can “like” to access at https://www.facebook.com/EcotechInstitute. For more information on Ecotech Institute visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America’s workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainability and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, it offers eight highly practical green energy degree programs that provide graduates with skills valued by today’s alternative renewable energy employers. Classes start once per quarter and applications are always accepted. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit ecotechinstitute.com or call 877-326-5576.

Contact:
Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
jfoust@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Education

Ecotech Institute’s First Free Online Course, “Introduction to Sustainability,” Receives Positive Student Feedback

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Course Provided New Ways of Looking at Sustainability to U.S. and International Students

Denver, Colorado, August 19, 2013 – Descriptions such as “inspiring” and “eye-opening” were included in student feedback from Ecotech Institute’s recent free online “Introduction to Sustainability” course.

Students came from “all walks of life and from around the globe,” according to Kyle Crider, Ecotech Institute’s Program Chair and Manager of Environmental Operations, who led the course. There was a diverse mix of men and women in the class, ranging in educational background from high school to Ph.D., about half of whom had never taken an online course before.

“Many participants were so engaged that they actually requested that the class continue beyond the ten weeks,” said Crider. The course was designed to help participants think critically about environmental sustainability and how it impacts people at all levels, from corporate behavior to personal lives.

The course was Ecotech Institute’s first “massive online open course” (MOOC) through the Canvas Network, a popular way for educational institutions to offer free courses to the public. Based in Aurora, Colorado, Ecotech Institute is the only college entirely focused on sustainability-related job training.

The course explored various definitions of sustainability used by governments, businesses and individuals to address environmental, societal and economic problems around the world. In addition, students learned ways to apply sustainable concepts in their own lives, including the capstone project of writing their own sustainability-focused mission, vision and goals.

Some of the feedback includes:

“I’ll always remember it as the course that gave me the push I needed in deciding to continue study in a master’s program in Sustainability.”

“I learned a lot, removed some general misconceptions about sustainability, and am truly inspired to continue learning and reading more about these topics. Plus, I am taking actions to change my personal habits.”

“It was a much needed eye opener and has inspired me to open a consulting business (which I did last week) and have a little fun helping people save themselves…well, from themselves!“

MOOC instructor Crider continued, “I was invigorated by the engagement and passion that came from the course attendees and we were able to explore a wide variety of critical topics together. The diverse student population supports the fact that regardless of our differences we all live on the same planet and collectively need to play our part.”

Due to the overwhelming positive feedback, Ecotech Institute plans to offer future MOOC courses. The school will provide updates on future courses through its Facebook page, which users can “like” to access. For more information on Ecotech Institute visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

Bookmarking: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ecotech-institutes-first-free-online-131000093.html

LinkedIn:
Subject: “Introduction to Sustainability” Receives Positive Student Feedback
Body: Ecotech Institute’s first massive online open course (MOOC), “Introduction to Sustainability,” was designed to help participants think critically about environmental sustainability and how it impacts people at all levels, from corporate behavior to personal lives. After the 10-week course was completed, it received glowing feedback from participants. “Many participants were so engaged that they actually requested that the class continue beyond the ten weeks,” said Kyle Crider, program chair and manager of environmental operations for Ecotech and who led the course.

Ecotech plans to offer future MOOC courses and provide updates on future courses through its Facebook page, which users can “like” to access. For more information on Ecotech Institute visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

Contact:
Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
jfoust@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com