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European Virtual Seminar on Sustainable Development

European Virtual Seminar on Sustainable Development. Ron Cörvers Graz, 20-23 April2005. Presentation. Internationalisation and modern ICT European Virtual Seminar: from idea to reality The EVS model: aim, didactic, organisation Virtual collaborative learning: lessons learned

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European Virtual Seminar on Sustainable Development

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  1. European Virtual SeminaronSustainable Development Ron Cörvers Graz, 20-23 April2005

  2. Presentation • Internationalisation and modern ICT • European Virtual Seminar: from idea to reality • The EVS model: aim, didactic, organisation • Virtual collaborative learning: lessons learned • Towards an international didactic

  3. Internationalisation and modern ICT Evolution in environmental sciences • Internationalisation / globalisation of environmental problems • Concept of Sustainable Development • Intergenerational (generation >1) • International (local – global) • Multi-dimensional (ecology, economy, social-cultural) • Cross-cultural context • Multi-stakeholder approach • Inter- / multidisciplinary science

  4. Evolution in higher education • Bologna process • Bachelor-Master structure • International cooperation • International mobility • Course materials • Printed courses (textbooks, workbooks) • Courses supported by multimedia (CD-rom, DVD) • Online courses (Internet, electronic learning environments)

  5. Role of modern ICT • learning tool for (international) courses • delivery tool for (online) courses international & online European Virtual Seminar ( EVS )

  6. EVS: from idea to reality • Project proposal 2000 (COPERNICUS-conference) • 2000 some financial support from EU to start project • 2001 pilot 9 institutions in 4 countries • 2002 11 institutions in 5 countries • 2003 15 institutions in 10 countries • 2004 18 institutions in 11 countries • 2005 preparing next run

  7. EVS model: aim, didactic, organisation Aim • The aim of the EVS is to promote an international and multidisciplinary dialogue on sustainable development issues between students from all over Europe. • In the EVS students are directly confronted with different views and opinions from other students on societal processes of change towards a more sustainable Europe. Views and opinions that are highly related to different social, cultural, political, economic and environmental backgrounds students are living in.

  8. Didactic

  9. pedagogy • collaborative learning (constructive learning theories) • place and time independent learning • 2 phases in EVS course: • individual work: electronic learning environment and team building • group work: research, proposal, report, summary • assessment and marking: • group products: group report and policy summary • group process: performance student group

  10. content • sustainable development in Europe • case studies (2004): • The future of sustainable agriculture in Poland • Nature and biodiversity conservation: Romanian forests • Sustainable enterprises in European countries • European spatial planning and policy: Dehesa regions • European water framework directive: Danube basin

  11. community • students: international & multidisciplinary compound groups • tutors: coaching group & assessment group processes • experts: assisting group & assessment group products • institutional coordinators: management & formal issues • central course coordinator: overall course management

  12. electronic learning environment • Blackboard Learning System • web based course materials (casestudies, guidelines, etc.) • tools for communication and interaction: • group areas (open and secured) • electronic discussion boards • chat facilities • email facilities • file exchange

  13. Organisation • Sharing expertise and investing staff time and resources by all partners. • There is no joint budget for exploitation or further development / improvement of EVS. • Institutions can become a partner on 3 different levels: • Students and an institutional coordinator participate. • A tutor also participates. • A case study is made as well and the expert participates.

  14. Partners (2004: 20 partner institutions in 13 European countries)

  15. Formal issues and quality guarantee • Studyload EVS course 120 hours (October-January) • Students receive credit points from their institution • EVS as optional or obliged course in curriculum • Requirements for students to participate in EVS • English, studyload, computer and internet, etc.

  16. Guidelines for coordinators. tutors, authors, students • Monitoring and evaluation • Individual Learning Records • Group Reflection Reports • Web based questionaries (specific issues) • Telephone conferences staff • Annual staff meeting

  17. Virtual collaborative learning: lessons learned • International cooperation takes a lot of time, because of differences in culture, different educational paradigm, etc. • Staff members and most students are enthousiastic about EVS concept of international and multidisciplinary collaborative learning (necessary skill for learning on SD) • At the start of EVS most students lack specific computer skills for virtual collaborative learning, and often they don’t have experience in group work

  18. Team building in EVS needs a lot of attention, because students don’t know each other at the start and all social processes are depending on virtual communication and interaction (students suggest to organise a summer school after EVS) • The role of the tutor is crucial for coaching and monitoring of the student groups, especially when problems arise in a group (students ask for more steering and feedback from the tutor) • Total number of dropouts (about 50%) can be explained by the complexity of the EVS (international, multidisciplinary, virtual, groupwork, etc.), but also the course management should be stricter (selection of students, credit points for students, formal position of EVS in curriculum, etc.)

  19. Towards an international didactic • The EVS model of sharing expertise, staff time and resources works. Together we can offer an international learning experience, impossible to realise by an individual institution on its own • Modern ICT makes it possible to internationalise the content of the curriculum (ICT as delivery tool), but also to communicate and interact worldwide (ICT as learning tool) • Modern ICT makes E-learning possible, but E-learning requires a didactic concept to be successful

  20. International (E)learning requires specific skills from staff (teaching in an intercultural context, using modern ICT, etc.) and students (language, miscommunication due to cultural differences, etc.) • An international program on sustainable development should offer students international, intercultural and multidisciplinary knowledge and skills, to prepare them on their professional and societal functioning in an international and multicultural context • Online courses as EVS can be offered as ‘building blocks’ in international programs on sustainable development

  21. Thanks for your attention! ron.corvers@ou.nl http://blackboard.ou.nl/evs

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