Teaching environmental history in higher education: an innovative e-Learning approach at Universidade Aberta, Portugal

Bastos, Rosário; Pereira, Olegário Nelson Azevedo; Viegas, João

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/22330

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Teacing Environmental History_Springer Nature_agosto 2026.pdf		22.47 MB	Adobe PDF	Ver/Abrir

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Autores

Bastos, Rosário

Pereira, Olegário Nelson Azevedo

Viegas, João

Resumo(s)

This paper examines a pioneering curricular innovation in Portuguese higher education through the development and implementation of the course Topics in Environmental History at Universidade Aberta, the nation’s sole public institution dedicated exclusively to distance learning. Introduced in the 2023–2024 academic year, this course represents the first formal integration of environmental history into an undergraduate history degree program in Portugal. Delivered entirely through an asynchronous, student-centered e-learning model, the initiative aligns with contemporary pedagogical principles underpinning Open, Distance, and Digital Education (ODDE). Drawing on empirical data, including enrollment figures, assessment results, and pedagogical analysis, the study evidence both robust student engagement and noteworthy academic achievement, as illustrated by a 79% increase in enrollment and an average grade of 15.3/20 among successful participants. Situating the course within the broader historiographical evolution of environmental history as an interdisciplinary field, the paper interrogates the intellectual foundations, thematic scope, and regional trajectories of the discipline. It further explores the challenges inherent in teaching a complex, interdisciplinary subject in a digital environment, including issues related to student retention, linguistic accessibility, and the cognitive demands of integrating scientific and historical methodologies. The findings underscore the pedagogical efficacy of continuous assessment mechanisms and collaborative digital learning strategies in fostering critical engagement and environmental literacy. The article concludes by reflecting on the implications of this initiative for education for sustainable development, advocating for the further expansion of environmental history within academic curricula and highlighting the potential for international collaboration in the co-creation of open-access, multilingual learning resources.