Future proofing education: Malaysia focuses on sustainability
Abstract
Purpose
To propose a framework for sustainable e-learning to guide development of an innovative learning environment in the higher education sector, particularly in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
Presents a literature review based on searching four well-known online databases to identify articles, books and conference proceedings that discuss e-learning and sustainable development.
Findings
Educational sustainability can mean two things: sustainability of education and education for sustainability. Malaysia – an export-led economy driven by industrial and technological progress – has ambitious plans for further economic development as far ahead as 2020. The government aims to strengthen creativity and innovation by improving the education system. Of course, economic plans have resource implications, and one of the most promising ways of delivering an innovative learning environment is through e-learning. This raises the question of how economic and educational development can be sustained, and the role of e-learning in achieving and maintaining sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
Focuses the literature review on academic publications.
Practical implications
Argues that sustainable e-learning can help the higher education sector to boost the supply of innovative and creative graduates and at the same time, to lower costs through more efficient use of resources.
Social implications
Explains that the sustainable approach to e-learning can increase student motivation, engagement with and control over their learning. It achieves this through the use of developing Web technologies that give them personalized access to a broad range of information resources.
Originality/value
Provides insights into the characteristics of sustainable e-learning and identifies gaps in the existing research. Integrates factors relevant to e-learning, technology and sustainable development into a single framework for sustainable e-learning.
Keywords
Citation
(2015), "Future proofing education: Malaysia focuses on sustainability", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 22-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-09-2014-0063
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited