How to use this course

What is a MOOC?

A MOOC is a 'massive open online course' which is made available, often free of charge, to a large number of people via the internet. MOOCs typically use a mixture of videos, text and quizzes, and sometimes provide a forum for discussion and interaction with fellow learners.

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What does this MOOC consist of?

The course consists of five themed 'weeks', each of which is made up of several sub-topics. To start the course, go to the Course overview page and begin working your way through each week. If you prefer, you can jump straight to topics of your choice.

The core videos are labelled as 'topic' videos. In addition we’ve included extra insights from some of our experts. These videos are called 'Atmosphere Extras’.

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How to follow the course

Each topic begins with a video and is followed by additional resources for you to gain further understanding of the topic. Under each video you will find accompanying text which includes links to optional further reading and occasionally a  'mini task'; data viewers, which allow for you to view and explore a range of relevant satellite data;  a satellite tracking app to see the locations of satellites in real time. There are also quizzes for each topic, and a test at the end of each week.

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What other materials are available in this MOOC?

Throughout the course, we have provided a range of optional further reading, links, interactive activities and additional resources to help consolidate your learning. Here is a summary of what is available:

Optional further reading  - links to external websites at the bottom of each video page, for optional further reading.

Data viewer - This is the EUMETSAT Atmosphere MOOC Data Viewer specially created for this course. Using the viewer you can explore a selection of data relevant to the themes and topics in this course, including some of the latest Copernicus data from Sentinel 3. You can also use the time slider to view previous data. Additional information about the data is also included on the app.

There is also a 3D viewer in some topics. This allows data to be explored on a 3D globe. You can toggle the data sets on and off using the check box in the workbench located on the left side of the screen. You can also use the tools on the right side of your screen such as “toggle splitter” to view and compare different data layers at the same time. You can also change the base map and map view by clicking on the map icon on the top right of the screen

Satellite tracking app – This is an interactive map showing the current location of the satellites. You can find additional information and further links for each satellite on the app.

View featured imagery, animations and external links– Below the text on each video page, you'll find an image gallery containing images and data featured in the videos.

Weekly interactive exercises - At the end of each week, we have included a guided exercise, using interactive apps available on other websites, to help you become more familiar with looking at and working with EO datasets. You will be guided through the process of searching for, comparing and drawing conclusions from data relevant to some of the topics covered in that week.

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How long will the MOOC run for?

The MOOC is available here on a continuous basis, and can be enjoyed at your own pace.

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Can I download the videos?

You can watch the topic videos in your browser or download them using the links provided, and a transcript of each of the main videos is also provided. (In some cases, you may need to resize your browser or scroll down to see the full frame. You can also view the video in a smaller window by clicking the symbol in the bottom right corner of the video).

Buttons are provided under each video to help you navigate back to the course overview page, or subsequent topics.

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