Distance education programs in higher education are gaining popularity mostly due to the flexibility of the formative programs to fit all the requirements that brick-and-mortar educational institutions are not able to provide to students. However, quite often these distance programs report feelings of isolation, lack of self-direction and management, and eventual decrease in motivation levels. Thus, the main aim of this research is to assess the effect of following an active learning methodology on the students’ emotions, self-efficacy beliefs and learning outcomes in the context of a distance learning program in an Atmospheric Pollution course. According to the results, the use of these methodologies not only had a significant promotion in the positive emotions and self-efficacy beliefs, but also positive impact in the students’ learning outcomes. The results obtained in this research demonstrate that following an appropriate learning methodology in a distance program could contribute to reduce the main handicaps of these programs.

The students’ engagement was deemed significant to research due to the changing study structures from course-based to student-centered and competence-based in sustainable science higher education. Still, its change and coping strategies is considered as somewhat unfamiliar learning environment. Research examined students’ engagement to the learning approach of a flipped-classroom model for sustainable science course with the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F). It assesses research proposals, which students are utilizing to learning, and engagement and individual abilities as well. The research was conducted with the students enrolled in the “Atmospheric Pollution” course of the Environmental Science undergraduate program (n=64). The results obtained through the R-SPQ-2F showed the students’ number reaching higher “deep approach” in their learning increased at the course end, while it can be observed that the students’ number marking “surface approach” below the mean value was slightly lower (pre- and post-test comparison). It can be concluded that students are employing more engagement in their works and enhancing their personal skills as well with the teaching methodology. Results obviously specified that the study structure change was a phase into correct emphasis to improve students’ engagement in the flipped sustainable science education. Keywords: engagement, science learning, R-SPQ-2F, flipped-classroom, sustainable education, study approach.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract