Sustainability Education; Digital Learning Innovation; Higher Education Transition
Abstract :
[en] The University of Liège (ULiège) has developed a Small Private Online Course (SPOC) on sustainability and transition, designed for new students. This initiative aims to raise awareness of environmental and societal challenges while offering students learning flexibility through an online format. The study reveals a high engagement rate (84%) and a strong success rate (86% to 94%), although involvement varies depending on student profiles: some prefer written materials or a selective approach to content.
Overall, students perceive the course as beneficial: 80% believe they have acquired new knowledge, and 83.2% find the online format suitable. However, tests are sometimes seen as a formality rather than a true learning tool. The study suggests enhancing the interactivity of assessments, adapting video formats, and promoting supplementary resources to enrich the learning experience.
ULiège is considering expanding the program’s impact by transforming it into a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), making it accessible to a broader audience, particularly within continuing education. This development aligns with a broader strategy to integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into higher education. The SPOC analysis highlights both opportunities and chal- lenges associated with digital learning, emphasizing the importance of an inter- disciplinary approach and continuous adaptation to students’ needs to maximize the program’s educational impact.
Disciplines :
Education & instruction
Author, co-author :
De Lemos Esteves, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centres généraux > CARE Digital Tools | Outils numériques : MOOC
Maes, Estelle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centres généraux > CARE Digital Tools | Outils numériques : eCampus
Mayeur, Benoît ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centres généraux > CARE Digital Tools | Outils numériques : eCampus
Neuprez, Perrine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Ecole de Gestion de l'Université de Liège
Mertens de Wilmars, Sybille ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège : UER > UER Management : Social Entrepreneurship
Dozo, Björn-Olav ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre informatique de Philosophie et Lettres (CIPL) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centres généraux > CARE Digital Tools | Outils numériques ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département médias, culture et communication > Humanités numériques et cultures vidéoludiques
Defaweux, Valérie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Histologie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health and Education (RUCHE)
Language :
English
Title :
RAISING AWARENESS ON SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH DIGITAL LEARNING: AN INSTITUTIONAL SPOC FOR ALL NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS, MOVING TOWARDS A MOOC PERSPECTIVE
Publication date :
02 October 2025
Event name :
9th European MOOCs Stakeholders Summit, EMOOCs 2025, Paris, France, June 30 – July 2, 2025
Event organizer :
Telecom Paris, LTCI, IP Paris, IMT, Palaiseau, France
Event place :
Paris, France
Event date :
30 juin - 2 juillet, 2025
Audience :
International
Main work title :
Digital Education: Shaping Sustainable Lifelong Learning for All in the Era of AI
Editor :
Ella Hamonic
Rémi Sharrock
Publisher :
Springer Cham
Edition :
1
ISBN/EAN :
978-3-032-00056-9
Collection name :
Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Collection ISSN :
0302-9743
Pages :
179-189
Peer review/Selection committee :
Peer reviewed
Development Goals :
1. No poverty 2. Zero hunger 3. Good health and well-being 4. Quality education 5. Gender equality 6. Clean water and sanitation 7. Affordable and clean energy 8. Decent work and economic growth 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure 10. Reduced inequalities 11. Sustainable cities and communities 12. Responsible consumption and production 13. Climate action 14. Life below water 15. Life on land 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions 17. Partnerships for the goals
Markard, J., Raven, R., Truffer, B.: Sustainability transitions: an emerging field of research and its prospects. Res. Policy 41(6), 955–976 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2012. 02.013
Leal Filho, W., et al.: Sustainable development goals and sustainability teaching at universities: falling behind or getting ahead of the pack? J. Clean. Prod. 232, 285–294 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.309
Niedlich, S., Bauer, M., Doneliene, M., Jaeger, L., Rieckmann, M., Bormann, I.: Assessment of sustainability governance in higher education institutions—a systemic tool using a governance equalizer. Sustainability 12, 1816 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051816
Starik, M., Kanashiro, P., Collins, E.: Sustainability management textbooks: potentially necessary, but probably not sufficient. Acad. Manag. Learn. Educ. 16, 500–503 (2017). https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2017.0188
Ozdemir, Y., Kaya, S.K., Turhan, E.: A scale to measure sustainable campus services in higher education: “sustainable service quality.” J. Clean. Prod. 245, 118839 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118839
Trencher, G., Yarime, M., McCormick, K.B., Doll, C.N.H., Kraines, S.B.: Beyond the third mission: exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability. Sci. Public Policy 41, 151–179 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/sct044
Lambrechts, W., Mulà, I., Ceulemans, K., Molderez, I., Gaeremynck, V.: The integration of competences for sustainable development in higher education: an analysis of bachelor programs in management. J. Clean. Prod. 48, 65–73 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro. 2011.12.034
Leal Filho, W., Manolas, E., Pace, P.: The future we want: key issues on sustainable development in higher education after Rio and the UN decade of education for sustainable development. Int. J. Sustain. High. Educ. 16, 112–129 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2014-0036
Hueske, A.K., Aggestam Pontoppidan, C., Iosif-Lazar, L.C.: Sustainable development in higher education in Nordic countries: exploring e-learning mechanisms and SDG coverage in MOOCs. Int. J. Sustain. High. Educ. 23(1), 196–211 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-07-2020-0276
Leal Filho, W., et al.: The role of planning in implementing sustainable development in a higher education context. J. Clean. Prod. 235, 678–687 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.322
Sterling, S.: Living in the earth: towards an education for our time. J. Educ. Sustain. Dev. 4(2), 213–218 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1177/097340821000400208
Cortese, A.D.: The critical role of higher education in creating a sustainable future. Plan. High. Educ. 31(3), 15–22 (2003). https://scispace.com/papers/the-critical-role-of-higher-edu cation-in-creating-a-50ij6e63tj
Brundiers, K., et al.: Key competencies in sustainability in higher education—toward an agreed-upon reference framework. Sustain. Sci. 16, 13–29 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00838-2
Azeiteiro, U.M., Bacelar-Nicolau, P., Caetano, F.J.P., Caeiro, S.: Education for sustainable development through e-learning in higher education: experiences from Portugal. J. Clean. Prod. 106, 308–319 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.11.056
Mayer, R.E., Hegarty, M., Mayer, S., Campbell, J.: When static media promote active learning: annotated illustrations versus narrated animations in multimedia instruction. J. Exp. Psychol. Appl. 11(4), 256 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.11.4.256
Watson, M.K., Lozano, R., Noyes, C., Rodgers, M.: Assessing curricula contribution to sustainability more holistically: experiences from the integration of curricula assessment and students’ perceptions at the Georgia institute of technology. J. Clean. Prod. 61, 106–116 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.010
Garrison, D.R., Kanuka, H.: Blended learning: uncovering its transformative potential in higher education. Internet High. Educ. 7(2), 95–105 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc. 2004.02.001
Lohrmann, C.: Online learning—do MOOCs contribute to the goals of agenda 21: “education for sustainable development”? In: Osburg, T., Lohrmann, C. (eds.) Sustainability in a Digital World. CSEG, pp. 211–224. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54603-2_18
Bandura, A.: Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1986). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446221129.n6
Lozano, R., Lozano, F.J., Mulder, K., Huisingh, D., Waas, T.: Advancing higher education for sustainable development: international insights and critical reflections. J. Clean. Prod. 48, 3–9 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.034
Otto, D., Becker, S.: E-learning and sustainable development. In: Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education, pp. 475–482 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013. 09.010
Stanford University: Sustainability and Development: A MOOC for Global Change (2021). www.stanford.edu
Harvard University: Global Sustainability: Understanding the Challenges (2022). www.harvard.edu
UNESCO: Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. UNESCO Publishing, Paris (2017). https://doi.org/10.54675/CGBA9153
UNESCO: Education for Sustainable Development: A Transformative Approach to Global Learning. Report to the 78th United Nations General Assembly (2023). https://www.unesco.org/en/sustainable-development/education
Ribeiro, D., Silva, A., Marques, M.: Exploring the impact of MOOCs on sustainability education: a comparative study. Sustainability 14(1), 23–45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/su7 032274
Tisdell, C.A., Lee, J.H.: Sustainability in higher education: MOOCs and the role of digital learning platforms. J. Educ. Technol. 31(2), 65–78 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/su1512 9781
Yuan, L., Powell, S.J.: MOOCs and open education: implications for higher education (2013). https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.5072.8320
