E-learning, Digital Learning, and Digital Communication Used for Education Sustainability Volume II

Dear Colleagues,

Education is constantly developing; there are more and more online technologies and platforms that facilitate the learning process, making it more effective, interactive, and interesting for students. At the same time, teachers and the administration of schools and universities should successfully implement e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability, taking into account labor market requirements as well as sustainable education principles. Education for sustainable development can be considered as education that encourages changes in knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors to enable a more sustainable society. Education should encourage the development of critical thinking, as well as such qualities that will enable one to predict the course of events in the future and make joint decisions. The latter requires new approaches to learning, the development of dynamic and environmentally friendly societies and economies, as well as the development of global citizenship. Highly effective educational management should be established, not only within a separate educational institution, but also in the whole educational system at the state level. This Special Issue will consider the challenges of education management in the context of education for sustainable development, while such challenges relate specifically to e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability. Computerized information systems (academic information systems) have become omnipresent to the point of invisibility in the education system, such as e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability. The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the education system. Students, teachers, and managers have suddenly become confined to their homes. However, classes have continued online, with varying degrees of success. UNESCO asserts that education is one of the objectives for sustainable development and, at the same time, education is one of the most powerful tools that we must fight for when it comes to sustainable development, the use of e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability. Higher education institutions play a crucial role in the achievement of sustainability goals, not only to implement actions for solving the problems inside institutions, but also to ensure that students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development beyond the educational context. You are invited to submit manuscripts to this Special Issue titled “E-Learning, Digital Learning, and Digital Communication Used for Education Sustainability Volume Ⅱ”. While countries across the world are working to implement the 2030 Global Agenda for Sustainable Development between 2015 and 2030, education is seen as crucial for achieving sustainable development goals and creating a more sustainable and fairer world. Sustainability education, often also referred to as education for sustainable development (ESD), is about acquiring the “e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability” that empower learners to become “sustainability change-makers” (UNESCO 2017, p. 7). E-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability have been a main feature of education for decades, allowing more flexible, innovative, and student-driven teaching pedagogies and practices. However, there is a gap in the use and integration of e-learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability, particularly related to how the knowledge of sustainability issues is constructed, disseminated, and shared through digital technologies, and how digital technologies can help to promote the learning of skills, values, attitudes, and needs for sustainable societies. Thus, original research articles, review articles, and case studies related to the above topics are welcome.

We welcome research and conceptual papers on the link between education and sustainability challenges, and the innovative use of digital technologies in that field. In particular, we are interested in how digital technologies facilitate (i) sustainability knowledge that leads to transformative changes towards sustainable futures; (ii) transnational and interdisciplinary partnerships in sustainability education; and (iii) wider access and empowerment for disengaged and disadvantaged peoples and communities in different countries.

Suggest how the issue will usefully supplement (relate to) existing literature

This Special Issue will investigate the role of modern and emerging technologies in supporting sustainability education. As the references below indicate, there is emerging literature about the critical importance of education for achieving sustainable development and achieving the skills, values, and attitudes required to move towards sustainable futures (Al-Rahmi et al. 2020; Bengsten et al. 2018; Thomas 2009; Tilbury 2011). A great deal of the available literature (e.g., Sampson et al. 2018; Bachmair and Pachler, 2015) concentrates on the use of digital technologies for sustainable innovations in teaching and learning, whereas this Special Issue will be about the use of digital technologies to creatively improve sustainability education.

Scope

• The use of digital technologies, such as smart phones, augmented and virtual reality, social media, e-learning and MOOCs, for sustainability education;
• Digital technologies for innovative teaching pedagogies and practices about sustainability education;
• Learning about sustainability and sustainable development goals across all disciplines of study through digital technologies;
• Digital technologies to advance the access to and quality of sustainability education;
• Digital technologies as essential tools for training and acquiring sustainability knowledge;
• Sustainability education and digital technologies for critical thinking and change towards sustainable futures;
• Digital education technologies to enhance fundamental sustainability skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, global awareness, and working in teams;
• E-Learning, digital learning, and digital communication used for education sustainability.

Keywords:

• e-learning use for education sustainability;
• digital learning use for education sustainability;
• digital communication use for education sustainability.

The first volume of the Special Issue can be found at following website:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/Digital_Commu_Edu

Dr. Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi
Dr. Qusay Al-Maatouk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.