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- Attitudes, barriers and motivators as factors for sustainability of higher education e-Learning programmes at Universidade Aberta, PortugalPublication . Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Azeiteiro, UlissesIn higher education distance learning institutions, where studies are carried on through a variety of distance learning regimes, from the correspondence and earlier forms of distance education to fully online e-learning programmes, and where planners and administrators seize the effective adoption and deployment of technology-enabled education, student attitude and motivation assume considerable significance. Attitudinal pre-dispositions, institutional and allied barriers (including appropriate policy initiatives), besides the scientific and pedagogical quality of degree programmes are assumed to play a crucial role in sustainability of higher education systems. This article reports the findings of a study conducted at Universidade Aberta, Portugal—the Portuguese Distance Learning Education University—to examine student attitudes towards e-learning and to identify barriers and motivators of e-learning adoption, which are key factors for decreasing dropout rates of a 2nd cycle degree e-learning programme, analysed as a case study.
- Implementing climate change research at universities: barriers, potential and actionsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Morgan, Edward A.; Godoy, Eric S.; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Veiga Ávila, Lucas; Mac-Lean, Claudia; Hugék, JeanMany universities around the world have been active centres of climate change research. However, there are a number of barriers to climate change research, stemming both from the nature of there search and the structure of institutions.This paper offers an overview of the barriers which hinder the handling of matters related to climate change at institutions of higher education (IHEs), and reports on an empirical study to investigate these barriers using a global survey of higher education institutions. It concludes by proposing some steps which could be followed with a view to making climate change more present and effective in university research and teaching. These include changing approaches to research, outreach and teaching to better support action on climate change.
- Education for sustainable development through e-learning in higher education: experiences from PortugalPublication . Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Caetano, Fernando J. P.; Caeiro, SandraE-learning in higher education can be of great relevance in effective life-long learning education for sustainable development in a population of students who are simultaneously full time employees. The aim of this research was to assess the Education of Sustainable Development effectiveness through elearning in higher education in a case study. The expectations and experience of students who enrolled in more than one programme in environmental and/or sustainability science (bachelor, master, and doctorate), offered by Universidade Aberta, the Portuguese Distance Learning University, were analysed. The six dimensions analysed were: general expectations; learning quality; teaching resources, pedagogical tools and evaluation; acquired competences in education for sustainable development; satisfaction and interactions; and reasons to pursue enrolment in a new programme at Universidade Aberta. Data was collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews. The results showed that the surveyed students felt that they attained a high level of motivation and satisfaction, and had reached an effective learning outcome of knowledge, competences, values, attitudes and behaviour in environment and/or sustainability sciences. For these reasons they were motivated to return to Universidade Aberta and enrol for further training in the sustainability area. These results are built upon previous work developed by the authors, and allow us to conclude that formal e-learning programmes can provide an effective alternative to face-to-face training, allowing students to pursue their studies, in a flexible, collaborative and interactive way, whilst holding down full time jobs. In this way, Education for Sustainable Development in an e-learning regime can contribute to, and have a role in, the transition to sustainable societal patterns.
- Strengths and weaknesses of an e-learning program in environmental sciences at Universidade Aberta, PortugalPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Martinho, Ana Paula; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Azeiteiro, UlissesEarlier research studies have shown that e-learning higher education is a powerful system within teaching and education for sustainable development. In spite of the advantages of independency of time and place, compared to traditional face to face, some barriers are found showing the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of e-learning system. This paper aims to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the 1st cycle undergraduate program of environmental sciences at the Portuguese Distance Learning Education University (Universidade Aberta, Portugal). The methods included (i) data analysis relating to the candidate’s enrolment and students’ progression from the Academic Office registry of UAb; (ii) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of the undergraduate program (iii) inquiry by interview to student’s representatives of management councils and the university ombudsman to evaluate attitudes, barriers and motivators towards e-learning. Although higher levels of motivation, satisfaction and aptitude with e-learning of the 1st undergraduate program in environmental sciences at UAb were identified, weaknesses, namely the need to improve self-organization and time management. Recommendations to overcome the weakness found are given and new educational and teaching paths to achieve sustainability are discussed.
- Implementing innovation on environmental sustainability at universities around the worldPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Emblen-Perry, Kay; Molthan-Hill, Petra; Mifsud, Mark; Verhoef, Leendert; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Sousa, Luiza Olim de; Castro, Paula; Beynaghi, Ali; Boddy, Jennifer; Salvia, Amanda Lange; Frankenberger, Fernanda; Price, ElizabethInnovation is known to be an important and influential factor in fostering sustainable development. Yet, there is a paucity of literature on the extent to which universities are successfully implementing innovation in this field. This paper addresses this gap, by examining the role of innovation in the field of environmental sustainability in universities, and by reporting on the results of an international study, in which examples of successful experiences and good practice were identified. The paper outlines the lessons learned from such examples, with the aim of motivating other universities to engage in this rapidly‐growing field.
- Education for sustainable development in higher education: evaluating coherence between theory and praxisPublication . Amador, Filomena; Martinho, Ana Paula; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Caeiro, SandraUniversities are an important part of the process of change taking place in society. However this is often overshadowed by the fact that institutions give priority to technocratic models in the relationship between science and society. In this context, according to Jϋrgen Habermas’ perspective, theories can serve to clarify practical questions and guide praxis into the right actions (social emancipation and rational autonomy). Habermas introduces the need to evaluate the particular contexts in which scientific arguments are made and assessed. The aim of this paper is to develop a set of assessment criteria for education for sustainable development in higher education curricula. These were developed in line with the Habermasian idea and introducing also further adaptions within the context of Education for Sustainable Development. These criteria were tested in a b-learning Master programme in Environmental Citizenship and Participation at the Universidade Aberta, Portugal. The following research tools were used: i) a questionnaire survey to the graduates; ii) content analysis applied to the information guide and to the abstracts of the dissertations that were produced. The application of the criteria on the case study revealed that on Higher Education curricula, an absence of theoretical frameworks could lead to inconsistencies between theory and praxis. Improvements to curricula are then drawn from this study.