Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is offering a free massive open online course, or MOOC, at its website starting April 7. The five-week course, “The Human Factor in Aviation,” is only the second such course to be offered by the school. The course will be taught by Asst. Prof. Dennis Vincenzi, of the Department of Aeronautics at ERAU Worldwide. He has more than 16 years of human-factors experience in a range of disciplines including training and simulation interface design. The course will explore how psychological or physiological elements, such as pilot fatigue or a mechanics complacency, can contribute to aviation accidents.
Students who complete the MOOC will receive a certificate, but they do not receive college credit from ERAU. The course will providevideo lectures, many reading materials, live Q&A with the professor, online peer-to-peer discussions and Twitter conversations. Each student is free to participate as they choose. The course could be useful to high school students, aviation professionals, ERAU students and others, the university said. Online registration is open now, and enrollment is capped at 2,000. The university said more free online courses in aviation and aerospace will be offered online in the coming months.
