Overview

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PhET Interactive Simulations (https://phet.colorado.edu/), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides free, research-based, interactive simulations for teaching science and mathematics across all educational levels. Used by millions of learners worldwide, these simulations make STEM concepts visual, dynamic, and accessible. In this course, you will learn how to use PhET simulations in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this approach, you will connect foundational STEM topics to global challenges, helping your students develop a deeper and more relevant understanding of the world. You will engage as a learner with model lessons, explore a wide range of simulations, and be guided through PhET-based design strategies that support deep conceptual understanding while connecting STEM topics to the SDGs. By the end of the course, you will have participated in discussion activities, designed a contextualized global STEM learning experience, and reflected on its implementation in your own classroom.

Syllabus

Introduction to PhET Simulations for Global Sustainability

This module makes the case for teaching global sustainability within STEM by showing how scientific and mathematical concepts underlie the world's biggest challenges, anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Learners get oriented to the PhET simulation collection and teacher resources, and experience "open play" as a way to introduce a simulation.

Global Teaching Readiness with PhET

Work through two model globalized lessons from a student's perspective and then study Kerkhoff's Global Teaching Model (GTM) as a framework for describing globally competent teaching. They analyze how the model's four dimensions appear — or are absent — in real activity sheets, and examine what makes a contextualized lesson effective.

Selecting Activities

Using backward design, this module has learners start from their own STEM learning objectives and identify a UN SDG that genuinely resonates with the content. They explore the PhET Activities database for adaptable lessons and weigh the responsible, strategic use of generative AI in lesson design.

Contextualizing Your Activity

Build your own student-facing activity sheet section by section — warm-up, open play, activity/lab, synthesis, and extension — using the 5E + Equity framework to decide where global context fits best. Practice weaving in the more challenging critical and intercultural dimensions, then draft their lesson and exchange peer feedback.

Implement Your Lesson

Learners teach their globalized PhET lesson in their own classroom and gather evidence of how it went. They then reflect on what worked and what they would change, assemble their course portfolio, and optionally contribute their activity to the PhET database.