Online Learning: Reflections on the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate Sustainability Tourism Module

Abstract

Action research was used to evaluate the effectiveness of an undergraduate, tourism online module focusing on sustainability. The module emphasized “education for sustainability” along with “education about sustainability”. In addition to the module, sustainability principles and practices were embedded in weekly learning engagements. Online module activities, including a learning journal, required students to use higher order thinking, which shifted their learning beyond education about sustainability to education for sustainability. The module had to be completed in order to achieve a passing grade. Several students engaged in surface learning since there was no specific grade attached to the module. Currency of links in the module required constant monitoring. Additionally, user-friendliness of the module would have been enhanced by more seamless transitions between online components and sections. The majority of students appreciated that the online module provided novelty to traditional course delivery means. Finally, the online module was determined by most students, as well as, the course convener and tutor to be an effective method to engage undergraduate tourism students in higher order thinking and student reflection regarding education about and for sustainability.