Offered By

University of Arizona

University of Florida

Drexel University

Introduction to the Orbital Perspective

University of Arizona

About this Course

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The goals of this course are to develop the student’s critical thinking skills, global awareness, and ability to work as an integral part of a team in an increasingly complex global job market. The course provides a foundation in such skills as team building, collaboration, and elevated empathy using real-world scenarios from some of world’s most effective collaborative projects including the Earthrise-2068 Project.  
Living on the International Space Station was a powerful, transformative experience—one that could hold the key to solving our problems here on Earth. On space walks and through windows, course instructor Ron Garan was struck by the stunning beauty of the Earth from space but sobered by knowing how much needed to be done to help this troubled planet. And yet on the International Space Station, Garan, a former fighter pilot, was working work side by side with Russians, who only a few years before were “the enemy.” If fifteen nations could collaborate on one of the most ambitious, technologically complicated undertakings in history, surely we can apply that kind of cooperation and innovation toward creating a better world. 

In this course Garan will convey what it was like learning to work with a diverse group of people in an environment only a handful of human beings have ever known. But more importantly, the course will address how we can apply the orbital perspective here at home, embracing new partnerships and processes to promote peace and combat hunger, thirst, poverty, and environmental destruction. This course is a call to action for each of us to care for the most important space station of all: planet Earth.

The course will also involve participation in the Earthrise-2068 project. Working with people from around the world, students will help craft a vision of our future in the year 2068. Students will also help craft a crowdsource strategy for both the co-envisioned future of the world in 2068 and a roadmap to get there. Students will also participate in the crafting of a “call-to-action” to be delivered at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2017.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructor

Ron Garan

Adjunct Professor

Science

1,817 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is the state’s land-grant university and a member of the Association of American Universities—made up of just 62 universities in the country. As one of the world’s premier public research universities, the university conducts more than $625 million of research annually. Home to two allopathic medical schools in Tucson and Phoenix, the UA Tech Park, and a member of the Arizona Space Grant Consortium, the university creates an $8.3 billion economic impact for Arizona. U.S. News and World Report placed 14 University of Arizona graduate programs among the top 20 in the nation and it is one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Scholars. With its strategic academic and business plan, “Never Settle,” as its guide, the university is producing graduates who are global citizens, engaged leaders, and fulfilled individuals.

University of Florida

The University of Florida (UF) is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in academic excellence, both on campus and online. Ranked in the top 10 of Public Universities, the University of Florida is the state’s oldest university and has a long established tradition of academic excellence.

Drexel University

Drexel is a comprehensive global research university ranked among the top 100 in the nation. With approximately 26,000 students, Drexel is one of America's 15 largest private universities.

Drexel has built its global reputation on core achievements that include: 1. Leadership in experiential learning through Drexel Co-op. 2. A history of academic technology firsts. 3. Recognition as a model of best practices in translational, use-inspired research. Founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Drexel now engages with students and communities around the world via: 1. Three Philadelphia campuses and other regional sites. 2. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the nation’s oldest major natural science museum and research organization. 3. International research partnerships including China and Israel. Drexel is one of Philadelphia's top 10 private employers, and a major engine for economic development in the region. Drexel has committed to being the nation’s most civically engaged university, with community partnerships integrated into every aspect of service and academics.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(1,638 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

The Orbital Perspective

In this first lesson the student will be introduced to the concept of the Orbital Perspective and given a glimpse to its implications for our global society.

1 hour to complete

3 videos (Total 26 min), 4 readings

3 videos

Introduction to the Course - Ron Garan2m

Orbital Perspective4m

Overview19m

4 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Foreword, Preface and Introduction10m

UN Sustainable Development Agenda10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 1- No Poverty10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger10m

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Looking Skyward - Part 1

In this lesson the student will be introduced to the history leading up to the International Space Station (ISS) partnership and to some of the technical and cultural challenges that faced the partners in the early days of the International Space Station Program

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 64 min), 3 readings

3 videos

Introducing Earthrise5m

Ron Ted with full tour-HD8m

Recording of Live Discussion 150m

3 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapters One & Two10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 - Good Health & Well Being10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education10m

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Looking Skyward - Part II

How did we go from those early days of mistrust and suspicion to building and operating the International Space Station? What was the secret ingredient that enabled a coalition of fifteen nations to work together systematically, in a fully integrated manner, to construct and operate the most complex structure ever built in space? Is there something we can learn from how the members of the ISS program learned to overcome differences and cultural misunderstandings in order to accomplish remarkable things together? Can we use these same techniques to reach agreements on things such as alleviating poverty, mitigating climate change, or achieving peaceful solutions to long-term conflicts?”

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 64 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

3 videos

A Journey To Space6m

Pre-flight Remarks Before the Russian State Commission5m

Recording of Live Discussion 252m

3 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapter Three10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 - Gender Equality10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 - Clean Water & Sanitation10m

1 practice exercise

1 - Looking Skyward32m

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Looking Earthward - Part I

In this lesson the instructor will share a profound shift in perspective experienced during his first space mission and take a deep dive into the meaning of the orbital perspective. We will also explore examples how taking an orbital perspective can affect our global society.

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 120 min), 3 readings

7 videos

Seeds4m

Planetary18m

Recording of Live Discussion 31h

STS-124 Postflight Presentation18m

Cupola Corner with Chris Ferguson4m

Cupola Corner with Alexander Samokutyaev8m

Cupola Corner with Satoshi Furukawa4m

3 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapters Four & Five10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 - Affordable & Clean Energy10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 8 - Decent Work & Economic Growth10m

Week

Week 5

1 hour to complete

Looking Earthward - Part II

In this lesson we will explore the frameworks we use to construct our view of the world and the implications of taking on a conviction that we do not have to accept the suffering and conflict on our planet as inescapable.

1 hour to complete

3 videos (Total 17 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

3 videos

Collaboration6m

We Want Peace4m

Conversations with Emmanuel Jal5m

3 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapter Six10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 - Industry, Innovation, & Infrastrucure10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 - Reduced Ineqalities10m

1 practice exercise

2 - Looking Earthward30m

Week

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Looking Forward - Part I

In the third section of the course "Looking Forward", we will explore some of the many efforts to connect billions of minds and tap into our collective global genius. We will further examine the barriers to global collaboration and explore ways to break down those barriers. And we will hear some stories about amazing people who are building bridges to collaboration and making great strides toward overcoming our world’s biggest challenges.

2 hours to complete

2 videos (Total 58 min), 4 readings

2 videos

Sustainability from the Orbital Perspective5m

Recording of Live Discussion 452m

4 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapter Seven and Eight10m

Interview: Between the Lines10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities & Communities10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption & Production10m

Week

Week 7

2 hours to complete

Looking Forward - Part II

The exponential increase in collaborative technology is rapidly rewriting the way people and organizations interact. In this lesson we’ll look at several movements and initiatives that are synthesizing the orbital perspective and the worm’s eye view, making vast amounts of information accessible and bringing large groups of people together to work toward common causes. In some cases, collaboration is not facilitated by long-term personal relationships. Instead, the bond is the common cause, the shared experience, and in some cases simply being given the permission and means to help.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 68 min), 3 readings

3 videos

CSR from the Orbital Perspective5m

Call to Earth - A Message from the World's Astronauts to COP217m

Recording of Live Session 553m

3 readings

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Chapter Nine10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 - Climate Action & Climate Action for Businesses10m

UN Sustainability Development Goal 14 - Life Below Water10m

Week

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Call to Action - Part I

In these last three concluding lessons we will connect all the previous lessons into a specific “Call to Action”. Included in the call to action is a desire to spark a global conversation about the need to have a deeper level of collaboration toward solving the world’s toughest and most seemingly intractable problem.

1 hour to complete

3 videos (Total 15 min), 3 readings

3 videos

Risk Mitigation from the Orbital Perspective9m

Home1m

What Kind of World Do You Want?4m

3 readings

UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 - Life on Land10m

UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 - Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions10m

The Orbital Perspective – Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles: Excerpts from Conclusion10m

Week

Week 9

1 hour to complete

Call to Action - Part II

This lesson will focus on methods to create an actual or virtual “Control Room of Spaceship Earth”.

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 6 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

1 video

Crowdsourcing the Earthrise-2068 Vision6m

2 readings

UN Sustainable Development Goal 17 - Partnerships for the Goals10m

Ways you can Take Action to help achieve the SDGs10m

1 practice exercise

3 - Looking Forward20m

Week

Week 10

3 hours to complete

Call to Action - Part III

This concluding lesson will focus on ways to continue the momentum that was created by the course and continue to propel the Earthrise-2068 project forward.

3 hours to complete

1 video (Total 10 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

1 video

Carrying Earthrise-2068 Forward10m

2 readings

The Future Starts Now10m

20 Big Questions about the Future of Humanity10m

Frequently Asked Questions

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