Introduction to PhET Simulations for STEM Education (Coursera)

Introduction to PhET Simulations for STEM Education (Coursera)

PhET Interactive Simulations, a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, you will learn how to access and share PhET simulations with your students, and explore the features that make PhET sims a powerful tool for science and mathematics teachers. You will also review strategies for how to use PhET in circumstances where you are presenting a simulation in front of the whole class using a projector, interactive whiteboard, or sharing your screen online.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

This course is the first one of the specialization “Active Learning in STEM with PhET Interactive Simulations”, that include 3 courses in total.
To finish this course, you need to complete two assignments with Peer Review: 1) Selecting PhET sims, 2) Select a strategy for a Whole Class set-up, and design your first activity.

What You Will Learn

  • Learn what makes PhET simulations unique.
  • Find simulations that are relevant to your classes.
  • Design your first PhET activity.

Course 1 of 3 in the Active Learning in STEM with PhET Interactive Simulations Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction to PhET Simulations
In this module, you will learn how to access and share PhET simulations with your students, and explore the features that make PhET sims a powerful tool for science and mathematics teachers.

WEEK 2
Whole-Class Strategies
In this module, we will review strategies for how to use PhET in circumstances where you are presenting a simulation in front of the whole class using a projector, interactive whiteboard, or sharing your screen online.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique

How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera)

In this project-based course, you will outline a complete scientific paper, choose an appropriate journal to which you'll submit the finished paper for publication, and prepare a checklist that will allow you to independently judge whether your paper is ready to submit. What you'll need to get started: This course is designed for students who have previous experience with academic research - you should be eager to adapt our writing and publishing advice to an existing personal project.

Jun 8th 2026
4 Weeks
Innovative Practices for Engaging STEM Teaching (European Schoolnet) European Schoolnet Academy
European Schoolnet

Innovative Practices for Engaging STEM Teaching (European Schoolnet)

The “Innovative Practices for Engaging STEM teaching” course aims to provide teachers, school counsellors and career advisers with resources and ideas to increase pupils’ interest for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects and careers. The course is designed in response to the worrying disengagement of young people from STEM subjects in school, and their decreasing interest in related careers. The “Innovative Practices for Engaging STEM teaching” course will last 8 weeks and will be animated by a European Schoolnet panel of experts who will contribute to it with their specific expertise and will engage participants through collaborative activities.

Legacy Course
Self-Paced
STEM & Sustainability (edX) EdX
The University of British Columbia,UBCx

STEM & Sustainability (edX)

STEM & Sustainability is a hands-on, self-paced, course designed to provide teachers the knowledge and resources to incorporate sustainability topics into their existing STEM curriculum. Each module will feature engaging activities on a limited budget so as to be accessible for every classroom. Each activity uses an inquiry lens to allow students to focus on aspects of sustainability that are important to them and to build student agency and ownership around these topics.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Fostering women's participation to STEM through MOOCs (POK) Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE
Politecnico di Milano

Fostering women's participation to STEM through MOOCs (POK)

This course aims to raise awareness about the importance of gender balance in the STEM field and illustrates a tool for the creation of gender-balanced MOOCs. Gender stereotypes and under-representation of women in STEM affect the way girls and young women perceive themselves, and it is one of the reasons for their limited presence in the STEM field. Believing that MOOC and gender-balanced educational content, in general, can be part of the solution, in this MOOC through the voices from the field of teachers, instructional designers, visual designers, students, and people who work for a more inclusive environment in the STEM field we will understand how to build a more inclusive environment.

Available
3 Weeks
Opening Minds to STEM Careers (European Schoolnet Academy) European Schoolnet Academy
European Schoolnet

Opening Minds to STEM Careers (European Schoolnet Academy)

Demand for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) professionals and associated professionals is expected to grow by around eight percent between now and 2025. This means that Europe needs more young people to pursue STEM subjects and careers to become part of a much needed qualified workforce in the coming years. In the Opening Minds to STEM Careers MOOC, we will explore different ideas and we will introduce a number of tools to help you be an active actor in STEM career guidance processes.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Information & Digital Literacy for University Success (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Sydney

Information & Digital Literacy for University Success (Coursera)

This Specilaization is aimed at preparing students for undergraduate study in an English-speaking university. The course equips you for full participation and engagement with your studies by building awareness and understanding of the core values and expectations of academic culture, and providing you with practical strategies to apply to your studies. In this course, you will learn how to develop your Information & Digital Literacy Skills to help you achieve success in your university studies.

Jun 8th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Teach English Now! Foundational Principles (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Teach English Now! Foundational Principles (Coursera)

Through a series of engaging metaphors and stories, prospective and current EFL/ESL teachers will identify, summarize, and evaluate 7 basic language learning paradigms. Learners will be presented information on such foundational principles as motivation, risk taking, two different modes of learning, and balancing the teacher profession. Learners are also given an understanding of basic techniques founded on those principles, such as teacher talk, looking “ridiculous” in order to lower the affective filter, and networking. With these foundational principles in mind, ESL/EFL teachers will scrutinize common assumptions about language learning by comparing how they stack up to research-based core principles.

Jun 8th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom (Coursera)

Welcome to Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you effectively assess student performance virtually, including compliance issues, feedback models, online grade book functions, and data analysis. We will discuss why effective measures of performance and assessment are a crucial component of any virtual program, and the importance of teachers and administrators understanding both the myths and challenges of assessing performance virtually, administering standardized testing with geographical challenges, and complying with state and local requirements to make sure students are meeting requirements.

Jun 8th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Whole Class with PhET for STEM Education (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Whole Class with PhET for STEM Education (Coursera)

PhET Interactive Simulations, a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers.

Jan 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
English for Teaching Purposes (Coursera) Coursera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

English for Teaching Purposes (Coursera)

Thinking about teaching your university subject in English but it’s not the Language you normally use? Then, English for teaching purposes is the course for you. A course on English and teaching methodology that aims to help university lecturers do their teaching in English, in line with university internationalisation policies. The course structure is the same for all learners and there are opportunities for them to link up with colleagues from universities all over the world who share the same discipline and discourse community, to ask questions and exchange ideas.

Jun 8th 2026
4 Weeks