Smart Classrooms in Higher Education for Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

In 2015, world political leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and agreed on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve this agenda, it is necessary to rethink physical and virtual learning environments that are in line with sustainability. This implies classrooms’ transformation towards learner engagement, formative assessment, and student-centred approaches, and using the latest opportunities that the Fourth Industrial Revolution has developed, such as big data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. In this context, smart education has gained importance as a means to put into practice education for sustainable development (ESD) processes such as collaboration, systems thinking, innovation, and active and participatory learning, as it enables the creation of intelligent, personalised, and adaptative learning environments. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, which is affecting different parts of the world, has forced higher education institutions to rapidly adopt online learning approaches. However, despite the previously high presence of e-learning and ICT within different education levels, the current pandemic situation has brought to light the need to create hybrid pedagogical models that can have a positive impact on student learning.

Therefore, the creation of smart learning environments (SLE) has become fundamental, comprising in a conscious and strategic way the use of technologies within learning environments to allow a positive impact on the students’ learning experiences. SLEs have to be understood in a holistic way to support ubiquitous learning, as people now learn at any time and from anywhere. Smart classrooms are technology-enhanced learning spaces to host hybrid education, from the incorporation of digital devices and learning software to the inclusion of sensor networks that help in tracking classroom processes, gathering data, and offering insights to help decision making for better and faster learning, to provide better teaching and learning conditions for educators and students. Thus, technology must be adapted to pedagogical aspects, giving response to educational needs rather than being included as a merely innovative but unconnected solution. The environmental conditions, such as lighting, acoustics, and air quality, are also an integral part of the smart classroom core definition, as these factors have a direct impact on learners, in terms of comfort and well-being and, as a consequence, on their performance.

The aim of this Special Issue is to disseminate the latest advances and research in learning spaces in higher education with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to explore the relationship between SLE, smart classrooms, sustainability and ESD, and the transformative potential of SLE in promoting student learning and 21st century competencies’ development.

This Special Issue focuses on “Smart Classroom in Higher Education for Sustainability”. Suggested topics include:

• Innovative pedagogical approaches linking smart classrooms and sustainability
• Curriculum developments and innovations in smart classrooms
• Smart classrooms and education for sustainable development (ESD)
• Assessment approaches and tools to determine the influence of smart classrooms on student learning and 21st century competencies development
• Environmental factors within smart classrooms
• Inclusive education and smart classrooms
• University educators’ professional development in smart classrooms
• Big data and artificial intelligence applied to classrooms

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Education Sciences .

Dr. Gisela Cebrián
Dr. Ramon Palau
Prof. Dr. Rob Koper
Mr. Jordi Mogas Recalde
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• smart classrooms
• education for sustainable development (ESD)
• sustainability
• educational innovation
• environmental conditions
• Fourth Industrial Revolution