Opportunities and Challenges of Digitalization …
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and the learning platform have to function on any of the devices of the user’s choice.
Since sustainability themes like the SDGs are of global interest and the number of
international students is increasing, an international strategy has to be developed
as well. Therefore, the lectures have to be expanded through incorporation of the
results of international research projects. All these challenges and new approaches
resulted in the conception of a new learning platform, which considers all the different
approaches to use digital media for ESD and provides opportunities to implement
new learning technologies.
The new learning platform is based on the concept of research-based learning.
Since the 1970s, the concept of research-based learning appeared in different contexts and discussions about higher education didactics. Also, learning and teaching
with digital media is part of the Bologna Reforms of the European higher education
landscape (Dürenberger et al. 2011). According to HUBER (2009) researched-based
learning contains the following features:
– Students design their own research process: The essential phases of the research
process (development of the research issues and hypotheses, selection of methods,
collection of data and verification and presentation of results) are performed in a
self-managed style.
– Results of interest to third parties are discovered and published: The discovered
results are published freely, so that third parties can use it for further research.
– Team research: Ideally research should be done in (interdisciplinary) teams.
– Phases of reflection: During the research process provision should be made for the
phases of reflection and comprehension.
There are some similar concepts, e.g. research-tutored learning, research-led
learning or research-oriented learning, but regarding the depth of research results,
research-based learning is the strongest of all concepts which have been considered
(Fig. 2).
Even though many positive effects are associated with research-based learning,
many of these only realize in small projects or very well equipped degree courses
with only a few participants (Reinmann 2012). However, the use of digital media
could support most of the components of research-based learning and could help to
make it accessible to a large number of students. Basic knowledge, methodological
knowledge and current research results could be distributed via learning videos,
podcasts, blogs or other forms of digital media. Today’s students grew up with digital
and social media and are experienced in processes to procure information through
different channels and engage in online sharing of content such as research results
(Reinmann 2012). Digital media provides the infrastructure to exchange content
beyond local learning groups and could even involve the international scientific
community. It is also conceivable to connect other areas (e.g. businesses) to the
research process. Relevant issues for businesses could be announced online, research
data could be collected directly from companies and feedback regarding research
results could be provided directly.
The concept of researched-based learning combined with the use of digital media
has the potential to make an important contribution to ESD. Students can engage
351
and the learning platform have to function on any of the devices of the user’s choice.
Since sustainability themes like the SDGs are of global interest and the number of
international students is increasing, an international strategy has to be developed
as well. Therefore, the lectures have to be expanded through incorporation of the
results of international research projects. All these challenges and new approaches
resulted in the conception of a new learning platform, which considers all the different
approaches to use digital media for ESD and provides opportunities to implement
new learning technologies.
The new learning platform is based on the concept of research-based learning.
Since the 1970s, the concept of research-based learning appeared in different contexts and discussions about higher education didactics. Also, learning and teaching
with digital media is part of the Bologna Reforms of the European higher education
landscape (Dürenberger et al. 2011). According to HUBER (2009) researched-based
learning contains the following features:
– Students design their own research process: The essential phases of the research
process (development of the research issues and hypotheses, selection of methods,
collection of data and verification and presentation of results) are performed in a
self-managed style.
– Results of interest to third parties are discovered and published: The discovered
results are published freely, so that third parties can use it for further research.
– Team research: Ideally research should be done in (interdisciplinary) teams.
– Phases of reflection: During the research process provision should be made for the
phases of reflection and comprehension.
There are some similar concepts, e.g. research-tutored learning, research-led
learning or research-oriented learning, but regarding the depth of research results,
research-based learning is the strongest of all concepts which have been considered
(Fig. 2).
Even though many positive effects are associated with research-based learning,
many of these only realize in small projects or very well equipped degree courses
with only a few participants (Reinmann 2012). However, the use of digital media
could support most of the components of research-based learning and could help to
make it accessible to a large number of students. Basic knowledge, methodological
knowledge and current research results could be distributed via learning videos,
podcasts, blogs or other forms of digital media. Today’s students grew up with digital
and social media and are experienced in processes to procure information through
different channels and engage in online sharing of content such as research results
(Reinmann 2012). Digital media provides the infrastructure to exchange content
beyond local learning groups and could even involve the international scientific
community. It is also conceivable to connect other areas (e.g. businesses) to the
research process. Relevant issues for businesses could be announced online, research
data could be collected directly from companies and feedback regarding research
results could be provided directly.
The concept of researched-based learning combined with the use of digital media
has the potential to make an important contribution to ESD. Students can engage