Adapting to the Effects of Climate Change on Quality of Life

"Visualizing the Power of Communication"—The Thoughts of Professor Kurisu, Who Took on the Challenge of Creating a MOOC

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) have regained attention as an educational format that allows people to learn anytime, anywhere online. The "new normal," a framework different from that of modern society, has become a widely discussed concept, such as learning platforms like MOOCs and considering urban and global environmental issues.

In this context, we spoke with Associate Professor Kiyo Kurisu of the Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, who has been involved in producing a MOOC based on her research theme, Urban Sustainability Studies. Behind her challenge of creating a MOOC lay extensive preparation and a deep commitment to visualizing and disseminating research through video content.

No Compromises, Even on a Single PowerPoint Slide—The Aesthetic Consciousness in Slide Design

Prof Kurisu's meticulous attention to lecture materials stems from her recognition of the importance of visual information.

"Visuals can convey information instantly, much more effectively than text. That’s the purpose of PowerPoint. “Word” would be a better choice if just about listing words. That’s why I always care that each slide is immediately understandable to anyone who sees it."

Recognizing her commitment to PowerPoint, the MOOC unit staff decided to offer her slides for download on Coursera, viewing them as valuable learning resources alongside the video lectures.

The Motivation for Creating a MOOC: Outreach

The initiative to produce a MOOC arose from a project titled "Comprehensive Research on Climate Change Impact Prediction and Adaptation Evaluation (S-18)," specifically Theme 4: "Evaluation and Consideration of Climate Change Impact Predictions and Adaptation Strategies on National Quality of Life (QoL) and Its Supporting Infrastructure and Local Industries." While exploring effective methods for disseminating the final output of this multi-year project, Professor Rikutaro Manabe from the same university proposed the idea of creating a MOOC.

Since this was an entirely new approach, Prof Kurisu saw it as an opportunity to make research findings more accessible to a broader audience. The project led to the development of lecture content that combines research dissemination with video-based educational output.

"We had previously shared our research through books and symposiums, but this was our first attempt to communicate it to the world in English via a MOOC. It felt like a new challenge to make our findings known to more people."

Continuous Challenges and Unexpected Discoveries

The production process involved various tasks, including scriptwriting, coordinating interviews, and checking subtitles, all of which required preparation time. Managing these tasks while having regular class responsibilities made time allocation particularly challenging.

"The timely reminders I received helped me refocus and push forward with the production. I truly appreciated that support."

Furthermore, the process allowed her to reassess her research from the ground up, leading to new insights into her usual teaching methods. She became more conscious of making explanations detailed yet easy to understand.

"In regular classes, I can present slides and speak spontaneously. However, for MOOCs, I needed to prepare a structured script. Writing it out made me realize gaps in my past lectures, areas that required deeper explanation, and better ways to phrase certain concepts."

Ultimately, this process resulted in enhancements to lecture quality, an unforeseen but appreciated outcome for the MOOC unit.

Student Reactions and Classroom Applications

The completed MOOC videos are now utilized in the University of Tokyo lectures. Particularly, interview footage depicting various climate change-affected areas—such as mandarin orange farms, urban planning and weight distribution challenges, decarbonization in transportation, and potentially obsolete industries—has been incorporated into lectures.

"While the 'lecture' segments of the MOOC can directly convey information, the real value for students comes from experiencing the ‘reality’ of the field through video. It enhances their understanding and engagement with the subject matter."

Future Prospects and Challenges

Reflecting on the project, Prof Kurisu identified some challenges:

"Given the limited time available, there were inevitably some details we couldn't perfect. Looking back, I sometimes think, 'We could have included this too.' However, these reflections will help us improve our next MOOC production."

A new five-year project involving many current team members, is about to begin. As they explore output methods for this project, Prof Kurisu sees MOOCs as a viable option.

"Topics like climate change evolve significantly over five years. That’s why continuous updates and dissemination are crucial. The next project’s summary will come in four or five years, and by then, I hope to provide even more up-to-date information."

The Potential of MOOCs in Expanding Learning Opportunities

Finally, Prof Kurisu shared her thoughts on MOOCs as an educational approach:

"One of the greatest advantages of MOOCs is their ability to reach people who cannot attend in-person lectures. Regardless of age or location, if someone has the desire to learn, we want to create content that reaches them."

"Giving back to society through our research and knowledge."

This commitment materialized in the MOOC project, opening doors to new learning opportunities for many people.

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