Collaborative Design and Assessment of an Online, Asynchronous, Self-Paced Sustainability Course to Enhance the Capacity of Women Scientists

Abstract

Women scientists in low- and middle-income countries continue to face gender-based barriers in accessing higher education, research training, professional development, and leadership opportunities, underscoring the responsibility of higher education institutions, particularly in the Global South, to actively support women’s leadership and mentorship. While online and asynchronous learning environments have expanded globally, limited evidence exists on how Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-focused pedagogy can be designed to support women scientists in these contexts. This study examines the collaborative development and evaluation of an online, asynchronous, self-paced SDG course implemented within a broader capacity-strengthening initiative. Using the ADDIE instructional design model and a multidisciplinary co-design process, we analyse how online pedagogical strategies and EdTech tools shaped learner engagement, knowledge acquisition, and perceived relevance. Mixed-methods evaluation included pre-/post-testing, learning analytics of discussion forums, and Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET). Results demonstrate a 9.6% knowledge increase (p<0.005), high engagement across eight discussion boards, and a 68.8% completion rate – substantially higher than typical online learning benchmarks. Findings contribute to scholarship on education for sustainable development by illustrating how gender-responsive, contextually grounded online design can enhance SDG learning and foster communities of practice among women scientists in the Global South.