Scalable capacity-building for geographically dispersed learners: Designing the MOOC "Sustainable Energy in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)"
Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Chapter › peer-review
Authors
Energy-related training is much needed for SIDS to achieve sustainable development goals and reduce energy poverty. Online learning enables innovative formats of practice-centered trainings that address local needs and help overcome geographic constraints by efficiently reaching learners on remote islands. To justify high course production costs, content must be re-usable and the instructional design must match participants' motivation, skills, capacity, and constraints. An interdisciplinary university research cooperation used SIDS survey data to develop a learner-driven, collaborative online course for energy practitioners. Problem-based learning and peer-review mechanisms were used to localize knowledge and to practice real-world skills; sustainable institutional structures assure future iterations. The pilot reached a heterogeneous audience of 1,000 learners, geographically dispersed across the main SIDS regions. Principles of learning design outlined by the authors may also be valuable for capacity-building with geographically dispersed, heterogeneous learners beyond SIDS.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Open and Distance Learning Initiatives for Sustainable Development |
Editors | Umesh Chandra Pandey, Verlaxmi Indrakanti |
Number of pages | 26 |
Publisher | IGI Global Publishing |
Publication date | 01.01.2018 |
Pages | 58-83 |
ISBN (Print) | 1522526218, 9781522526216 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781522526223 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01.01.2018 |
- Higher Education and Science Management