UNESCO chair Technology-enhanced Learning for Sustainable Development

Technology, such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and interactive digital platforms, could help, because they enable us to reach large numbers of people worldwide with the knowledge they need, and to connect them so that they can learn from each other and inspire and support each other. This requires knowledge of who the key target groups are, what knowledge and skills they need, and how to reach, connect and activate them.

The UNESCO chair Technology-enhanced Learning for Sustainable Development focuses on action competence and capacity development for the global problem of plastic pollution. Chair holder is prof. dr. ir. Joop de Kraker. The research of the chair involves close collaboration between environmental scientists and learning technologists at Open Universiteit. It builds on the successful Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Marine Litter, which has now become part of a larger ‘ecosystem’. This ‘online learning ecosystem’ under the auspices of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, also includes specialized online masterclasses and a digital platform with learning resources and networking opportunities. 'The question is how to connect all this in such a way that it best supports the action competence development of as many people as possible. The answer to that question can then in turn be useful for other major sustainability issues, such as climate change and biodiversity loss,' says De Kraker.