Thursday, 4 October 2007
E-learning is greener than conventional learning!
The University of Leicester is having a Big Green Week from October 15-19 and various events are taking place. In another environmentally friendly initiative, soon all our litter bins will be removed from our offices and we will have to walk to the nearest recycling bin. (May I say that I am very keen on recycling - and re-using for that matter.) However, I'm not sure what we are supposed to do with non-recyclable waste like my lunchtime banana skin and boiled-egg shell (let's not go any further into detail!). Tempted to throw them out of the window... I'm on the 18th floor...
Anyway, here in the Beyond Distance Research Alliance we were wondering what we could do to contribute to the week and we decided that as e-learning champions we are probably already promoting green education. But is e-learning really more energy efficient?
The Open University have proved e-learning is green (bit of an old study, but I would think computers are even more energy efficient now...)
"a study by the Open University found that on average 'distance/open learning courses used 90% less energy consumption and produced 90% fewer CO2 emissions than the conventional campus-based university courses.' The major factors in this fairly huge saving were travel and the energy consumption associated with housing students on campus."
http://www3.open.ac.uk/events/3/2005331_47403_o1.pdf
Hurrah!Labels: Big Green Week, e-learning, elearning, environment, recycling
posted by Helen Whitehead 8:20 AM
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