Student Engagement in Sustainability through Digital Means
Nguyenová, Hana (2024)
2024
Yhteiskuntatutkimuksen maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Social Sciences
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-05-16
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202404163601
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202404163601
Tiivistelmä
In a world increasingly concerned with sustainability, universities play a crucial role in fostering holistic understanding and engagement in sustainability. However, despite the potential of the digital revolution, university platforms often fall short of facilitating effective engagement. This thesis aims to give a better conceptual understanding of sustainability participation by digital means among university students to enhance their engagement, focusing on Tampere University as a case study.
Through the interpretivist paradigm and qualitative research approach, five Finnish and five international university students were interviewed to explore the main research question: How can student engagement in sustainability be enhanced by digital means? The interview data was analyzed using the thematic analysis method.
The study revealed significant gaps in the usability and accessibility of university digital platforms, showing barriers to effective sustainability engagement. Furthermore, the findings revealed a predominantly narrow understanding of sustainability among students, primarily focusing on the environmental aspects, emphasizing the need for a more holistic sustainability education. While participants demonstrated active engagement in sustainability through various activities, awareness and the use of digital means for sustainability initiatives remained limited. Five key suggestions emerge for universities: ensure accessibility, enhance communication strategies, ensure holistic sustainability education, facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, and ensure user-friendly reporting systems. Future research should delve deeper into digital sustainability and evaluate the efficacy of suggested interventions for enhancing student engagement in sustainability.
Through the interpretivist paradigm and qualitative research approach, five Finnish and five international university students were interviewed to explore the main research question: How can student engagement in sustainability be enhanced by digital means? The interview data was analyzed using the thematic analysis method.
The study revealed significant gaps in the usability and accessibility of university digital platforms, showing barriers to effective sustainability engagement. Furthermore, the findings revealed a predominantly narrow understanding of sustainability among students, primarily focusing on the environmental aspects, emphasizing the need for a more holistic sustainability education. While participants demonstrated active engagement in sustainability through various activities, awareness and the use of digital means for sustainability initiatives remained limited. Five key suggestions emerge for universities: ensure accessibility, enhance communication strategies, ensure holistic sustainability education, facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, and ensure user-friendly reporting systems. Future research should delve deeper into digital sustainability and evaluate the efficacy of suggested interventions for enhancing student engagement in sustainability.