@article {11913, title = {Can MOOCs empower people to critically think about climate change? A learning outcome based comparison of two MOOCs}, journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, volume = {222}, year = {2019}, chapter = {12-21}, abstract = {

Climate change can be regarded as one of the key topics of sustainable development where public awareness and education are crucial. In the field of education, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have raised remarkable attention throughout the last decade as their initial objective is to provide massive open online education for everyone. This article aims to explore the impact of MOOCs on learning about climate change. This is necessary in order to evaluate whether MOOCs can make a substantial contribution to lifelong learning about sustainable development for a wider audience. We therefore present findings from self-assessment questionnaires of participants from two climate change MOOCs provided by two-distance learning universities in Germany and Portugal. Both MOOCs aimed at imparting to the participants the competencies to better understand the topic of climate change. The objective of the survey was a competency-based evaluation to review which learning outcomes have been achieved. The results indicate that taking part in either of the MOOCs increased the participants\’ competencies to critically engage in the climate change debate. MOOCs are able to convey certain learning outcomes to the students and thus can contribute to climate change literacy. For further research, we recommend a more differentiated view on MOOCs and the learning opportunities for participants. Options for potential improvement are to think of better ways of how to integrate MOOCs into climate change education or to consider possibilities to increase the attractiveness of MOOCs for instance by using innovative formats to overcome the barriers between formal and informal learning.

}, keywords = {blended learing, distance education, learning outcomes, MOOCs, Online Learning, virtual mobility}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.190}, author = {Otto, Daniel and Caeiro, Sandra and Nicolau, Paula and Disterheft, Antje and Teixeira, Ant{\'o}nio and Becker, Sara and Bollmann, Alexander and Sander, Kirsten} } @inbook {11915, title = {E-Learning and Sustainable Development}, booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education}, year = {2018}, pages = {1 - 8}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, keywords = {blended learing, distance education, learning outcomes, MOOCs, Online Learning, virtual mobility}, isbn = {978-3-319-63951-2}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63951-2}, author = {Otto, Daniel and Becker, Sara}, editor = {Leal Filho, Walter} } @proceedings {6771, title = {Visualizing online (social) learning processes - Designing a Dashboard to support reflection}, year = {2016}, address = {Lyon}, abstract = {Learning analytics, as a means to visualize learning, has been repeatedly suggested to enhance learners{\textquoteright} and teachers{\textquoteright} self-reflection in online learning processes. Departing from this notion, we propose a combination of this visual approach to learning analytics with the concept of social presence, thereby acknowledging social aspects of online learning processes that are often overlooked. More specifically, we present the considerations and design of a dedicated dashboard that supports self-reflection by visualizing (social) online learning processes. The approach is based on our belief that visualizing learning by itself does not automatically lead to self-reflection and awareness among students and teachers. Instead, organizers and instructors of learning activities need to be conscious about the social aspects of learning.}, keywords = {Dashboard, Learning Analytics, Online Learning, social presence, Visual Analytics}, url = {http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1736/}, author = {Hayit, Darya and Tobias H{\"o}lterhof and Martin Rehm and Oskar Carl and Michael Kerres}, editor = {Milos Kravcik and Alexander Mikroyannidis and Viktoria Pammer and Michael Prilla and Daniel T. Ullmann} } @inbook {4165, title = {The Potential of Communities of Learning for Dual Career PhD Programs {\textendash} A Case Study}, booktitle = {Transformative Perspectives and Processes in Higher Education}, volume = {6}, year = {2015}, pages = {155-177}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, chapter = {9}, abstract = {Doctoral education has increased in popularity amongst working professionals, who are driven to update their knowledge and skills continuously. As a result, a new type of PhD fellow has emerged, with considerably different background characteristics than regular PhD fellows, for instance a higher average age and job tenure. While this development should have had a profound impact on the way in which doctoral education is facilitated, traditional (teaching) methodologies remain the dominant form of instruction. Communities of Learning (CoL) have been suggested as a new and more flexible way of facilitating PhD research that takes into account the characteristics of the new type of PhDs. This chapter provides empirical evidence from an actual CoL, which has been specifically designed, implemented and facilitated for the new type of PhDs at a Dutch university. Based on the presented findings and the authors{\textquoteright} experience with CoL for doctoral education, some practical implications will be discussed that can contribute to the success of similar initiatives elsewhere.}, keywords = {Community of Learning, Dual Career, Learning Communities, Online Communities, Online Learning}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-09247-8_9}, url = {http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007\%2F978-3-319-09247-8_9$\#$}, author = {Martin Rehm and Mindel van de Laar} } @conference {3917, title = {Community of Learning for Africa (CoLA) {\textendash} Connecting Young Researchers from Africa and Europe}, booktitle = {APPAM Spring Conferences}, year = {2014}, month = {04/2014}, address = {Washington, D.C., USA}, keywords = {Community of Learning, Doctoral Education, Online Learning}, author = {Martin Rehm and Mindel van de Laar} }