Designing a social mobile learning environment for sustainability education

Studies in education for sustainability has recommended the use of community and collaborative pedagogy to allow students more opportunities to create solutions. This is also in line with recommendations by OECD to introduce more methods that enhance problem-solving in group-based environments. However, given that youths regularly use modern social networks for communication, there is a shortage of studies that introduce social networks, more specifically in video-based learning environments for sustainability topics. This is especially important when studies in social networks have suggested low participation due to low purpose. Nonetheless, one recent study in Lingnan University observed a 12.3% improvement in learning performance as students watch the content of others through a private social network environment, for which this conference discussion will be based on. We present and discuss an alternative method to incorporate social media into learning using student-generated videos, simulation and roleplaying. Students record videos and upload them into a common shared space in a private social media application, Soqqle. The simulation and roleplay, based on a game-design model, is designed for different roles, with different problem situations. In this context, students are expected to observe varying experiences to obtain an authentic learning environment. This study can help educators who are seeking new innovative teaching and learning methods such as social mobile learning to increase class engagement and knowledge building.