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J. Joachims and K. Lingenau
this context, this means for example a powerful technological setup, be it server
capacities, hardware and appropriate software. Furthermore, teaching staff capable
of and willing to deal with technologically driven questions is a crucial prerequisite
(for a comprehensive overview over requirements for successful E-Learning see
Davis 2004). These structural factors aside, the transfer into digital and media-based
approaches to teaching pose other challenging questions to both lecturers and students
involved.
Euler and Seufert (2005) speak of a shift of responsibility from lecturer to students,
implying that in a setting where learning materials are provided electronically and
students have the obligation learn autonomously, the lecturer clearly lacks control
over the learning process and the intensity of engagement. In E-Learning, all activity
is reliant on the individual in the first place. Even if techniques and forms for collaborative learning are designed and the technological requirements of conducting these
are met, the individual learner still has to find and uphold motivation to start and stick
to a certain course (Shephard 2004). Consequently, and due to the fact that learning in
“e-contexts” is in many facets different from traditional learning in lecture contexts
(Euler and Seufert 2005), students have to be familiarised with being self-reliant
and –paced in their respective learning processes, with lecturers transitioning more
and more to the role of learning coaches, who intervene in case of problems or
moderate students through courses (Barth and Burandt 2013). According to practical
experiences made by Israel (2018) who states that in a digital context, students have to
repeatedly be reminded of the overall aims of courses, this can be achieved through
a clear link between tasks and desired learning outcomes, or the usage of structured reflections, where students have the obligation to evaluate their own learning
progression. Practical constraints like these, meaning that lecturers have to structure
and scaffold E-learning courses quite differently than conventional lectures, equal
additional challenges for people involved. A seriously planned E-learning course has
to be clearly defined with respect to desired learning outcomes, the outline of the way
students are supposed to reach these learning outcomes and measures for success
monitoring and quality management prior to the start and without the possibility of
adjustment on the fly (Dittler 2017).
Since 2011, the Virtual Academy of Sustainability (VAS) aims to face above challenges and transforms sustainability-related lecture contents to digital lectures with
subsequent electronic assessments. Through an at the time state of the art approach to
producing, designing and distributing online learning materials concerning a variety
of sustainability-related topics in a purely digital manner, the project lead to numerous
valuable experiences. The following chapter is going to outline the project’s overall
approach to transferring ESD in the digital context and aims to showcase major
developments up until today.
J. Joachims and K. Lingenau
this context, this means for example a powerful technological setup, be it server
capacities, hardware and appropriate software. Furthermore, teaching staff capable
of and willing to deal with technologically driven questions is a crucial prerequisite
(for a comprehensive overview over requirements for successful E-Learning see
Davis 2004). These structural factors aside, the transfer into digital and media-based
approaches to teaching pose other challenging questions to both lecturers and students
involved.
Euler and Seufert (2005) speak of a shift of responsibility from lecturer to students,
implying that in a setting where learning materials are provided electronically and
students have the obligation learn autonomously, the lecturer clearly lacks control
over the learning process and the intensity of engagement. In E-Learning, all activity
is reliant on the individual in the first place. Even if techniques and forms for collaborative learning are designed and the technological requirements of conducting these
are met, the individual learner still has to find and uphold motivation to start and stick
to a certain course (Shephard 2004). Consequently, and due to the fact that learning in
“e-contexts” is in many facets different from traditional learning in lecture contexts
(Euler and Seufert 2005), students have to be familiarised with being self-reliant
and –paced in their respective learning processes, with lecturers transitioning more
and more to the role of learning coaches, who intervene in case of problems or
moderate students through courses (Barth and Burandt 2013). According to practical
experiences made by Israel (2018) who states that in a digital context, students have to
repeatedly be reminded of the overall aims of courses, this can be achieved through
a clear link between tasks and desired learning outcomes, or the usage of structured reflections, where students have the obligation to evaluate their own learning
progression. Practical constraints like these, meaning that lecturers have to structure
and scaffold E-learning courses quite differently than conventional lectures, equal
additional challenges for people involved. A seriously planned E-learning course has
to be clearly defined with respect to desired learning outcomes, the outline of the way
students are supposed to reach these learning outcomes and measures for success
monitoring and quality management prior to the start and without the possibility of
adjustment on the fly (Dittler 2017).
Since 2011, the Virtual Academy of Sustainability (VAS) aims to face above challenges and transforms sustainability-related lecture contents to digital lectures with
subsequent electronic assessments. Through an at the time state of the art approach to
producing, designing and distributing online learning materials concerning a variety
of sustainability-related topics in a purely digital manner, the project lead to numerous
valuable experiences. The following chapter is going to outline the project’s overall
approach to transferring ESD in the digital context and aims to showcase major
developments up until today.