Opportunities and Challenges of Digitalization …
353
pilot projects to test the new learning platform, its research-based learning features
and associated types of assessment:
– Some courses of the Virtual Academy are now offered in the format of blendedlearning or as a combination of videos for basic learning, electronic assessment
and tasks performed via the learning platform, for deepening of learning.
– A new way of learning with videos, the concept of social video learning, is integrated with the new learning platform. With a special programmed video player,
the students are able to directly comment on the learning videos and discuss the
content in real time.
– To implement new media and research-based learning formats, new exercises were
integrated with the new learning platform. The students even have the option to
create their own learning-videos, to build concept maps and to write about and
discuss sustainability topics in blogs.
– For reflection on their own research process as well as that of others, the learning
platform includes a system for student peer review. In an anonymous way, the
students receive results from other students who worked on other topics and then
have to evaluate their contributions. Furthermore, they have to connect the new
topic with their own research project and have to reflect on both these research
processes.
As a part of the pilot projects an evaluation was conducted and the first results are
promising. This included interviews and questionnaire surveys with 700 participants.
The students did not experience any problems to handle the different digital media
tools, although they experienced some difficulties to work in a more independent,
but connected way. Besides getting used to more independency and collaborative
work and managing perceived high workloads, the students welcomed the new and
different learning tasks, felt more involved in the research and learning process and
perceived themselves to be more active.
In the coming years, the offerings of the Virtual Academy will be extended successively until all online lectures meet the expectations of the new approach as
presented in this chapter, namely combining research-based learning on sustainable
development with digital media.
4 Conclusion
Digital transformation and ESD have much in common: Both are developments with
scip-political connections and both are facing challenges in terms of their integration
into the higher education system. Moreover, both pose questions about generally
accepted teaching concepts and both deal with new ways of teaching and didactical
methods. Last but not least, both deal with the themes of social change (e.g. lifelong
learning, climate change, internationalization etc.) and search for solutions to face
these challenges, with the assistance of higher education. The case study of the Virtual
Academy which has been presented in this chapter illustrates that by connecting both
353
pilot projects to test the new learning platform, its research-based learning features
and associated types of assessment:
– Some courses of the Virtual Academy are now offered in the format of blendedlearning or as a combination of videos for basic learning, electronic assessment
and tasks performed via the learning platform, for deepening of learning.
– A new way of learning with videos, the concept of social video learning, is integrated with the new learning platform. With a special programmed video player,
the students are able to directly comment on the learning videos and discuss the
content in real time.
– To implement new media and research-based learning formats, new exercises were
integrated with the new learning platform. The students even have the option to
create their own learning-videos, to build concept maps and to write about and
discuss sustainability topics in blogs.
– For reflection on their own research process as well as that of others, the learning
platform includes a system for student peer review. In an anonymous way, the
students receive results from other students who worked on other topics and then
have to evaluate their contributions. Furthermore, they have to connect the new
topic with their own research project and have to reflect on both these research
processes.
As a part of the pilot projects an evaluation was conducted and the first results are
promising. This included interviews and questionnaire surveys with 700 participants.
The students did not experience any problems to handle the different digital media
tools, although they experienced some difficulties to work in a more independent,
but connected way. Besides getting used to more independency and collaborative
work and managing perceived high workloads, the students welcomed the new and
different learning tasks, felt more involved in the research and learning process and
perceived themselves to be more active.
In the coming years, the offerings of the Virtual Academy will be extended successively until all online lectures meet the expectations of the new approach as
presented in this chapter, namely combining research-based learning on sustainable
development with digital media.
4 Conclusion
Digital transformation and ESD have much in common: Both are developments with
scip-political connections and both are facing challenges in terms of their integration
into the higher education system. Moreover, both pose questions about generally
accepted teaching concepts and both deal with new ways of teaching and didactical
methods. Last but not least, both deal with the themes of social change (e.g. lifelong
learning, climate change, internationalization etc.) and search for solutions to face
these challenges, with the assistance of higher education. The case study of the Virtual
Academy which has been presented in this chapter illustrates that by connecting both