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Virtual learning environment

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A virtual learning environment (VLE) is an education system based on the Web that models conventional real-world education by integrating a set of equivalent virtual concepts for tests, homework, classes, classrooms, and the like, and perhaps even museums and other external academic resources. It normally uses Web 2.0 tools for 2-way interaction, and includes a content management system.
Virtual learning environments are the basic component of contemporary distance learning, but can also be integrated with a physical learning environment;^[1] this is sometimes referred to as Blended Learning.
A virtual learning environment includes web-based access to class content, grades, assessments, and other class tools. It is also a social space where students and teacher can interact through threaded discussions or chat.
A virtual learning environment can also include students and teacher “meeting” online through a synchronous web-based application. The teacher is able to present lessons through video, PowerPoint, or chatting. The students are able to talk with other students and the teacher, as well as collaborate with each other, answer questions, or pose questions. They can use the tools available through the application to virtually raise their hand, send messages, or answer questions on the screen given by the teacher.
Virtual learning can take place in any environment. Learning can take place in two different ways. One possible way is through synchronous learning which is done in “real time”. In these classrooms, teachers conduct live classes. Students can communicate through a microphone, chat rights, or by writing on the board. Another way students can take their classes is through asynchronous learning, which is sometimes called “self-paced” learning. Independently, students are expected to complete daily lessons and assignments through the system. Asynchronous courses have deadlines just as synchronous courses do, but each student is learning at his own pace, while the latter is focused around the virtual classroom.
In a virtual learning environment, students have flexibility in their education. Students in this setting have support from online teachers and can have support at home from a parent or caregiver. Collaboration and communication between teachers, students, and parents is essential and allows for individualized learning.^[2]
In 'Virtually There', a book and DVD pack given out freely to schools by the Yorkshire and Humber Grid for Learning Foundation (YHGfL), UK, Professor Stephen Heppell writes in the foreword:

Learning is breaking out of the narrow boxes that it was trapped in during the 20th century; teachers' professionalism, reflection and ingenuity are leading learning to places that genuinely excite this new generation of connected young school students — and their teachers too. VLEs are helping to make sure that their learning is not confined to a particular building, or restricted to any single location or moment.

Contents [hide] 1 Similar terms 2 Components 3 Justification 4 Standards 4.1 Assessing Virtual Learning Environments 5 Systems available 5.1 Virtual world learning environments 6 References 7 Further reading

[edit] Similar terms

A Virtual Learning Environment is one of the ways of providing computerized learning or e-learning. Such a system may also be referred to as a Learning Management System (LMS). Related concepts include" Content Management System (CMS), which properly refers to the organization of the educational or other content, not the overall environment; Learning Content Management System (LCMS), which is more often used for corporate training systems than for systems in education institutions; Managed Learning Environment (MLE), which normally refers to the overall infrastructure in an institution of which the VLE is a component, Learning Support System (LSS); Online Learning Centre (OLC); or Learning Platform (LP), education via computer-mediated communication (CMC); or online education. The term "Virtual Learning Environment" is more commonly used in the UK, Europe and Asia, while the synonymous term "Learning Management System" is the more common usage in North America.
The term LMS can also mean "Library Management System" (which is now more commonly referred to as Integrated Library System, or ILS.

[edit] Components

A VLE will usually include some or all of the following elements:

• The course syllabus
• Administrative information about the course: prerequisites, credits, registration, payments, physical sessions, and contact information for the instructor.
• A notice board for current information about the ongoing course
• The basic content of some or all of the course; the complete course for distance learning applications, or some part of it, when used as a portion of a conventional course. This normally includes material such as copies of lecture in the form of text, audio, or video presentations, and the supporting visual presentations
• Additional resources, either integrated or as links to outside resources. This typically consists of supplementary reading, or innovative equivalents for it.
• Self-assessment quizzes or analogous devices, normally scored automatically
• Formal assessment functions, such as examinations, essay submission, or presentation of projects. this now frequently includes components to support peer assessment
• Support for communications, including e-mail, threaded discussions, chat rooms, twitter and other media, sometimes with the instructor or an assistant acting as moderator. Additional elements include wikis, blogs, RSS and 3D virtual learning spaces.
• Management of access rights for instructors, their assistants, course support staff, and students
• Documentation and statistics as required for institutional administration and quality control
• Authoring tools for creating the necessary documents by the instructor, and, usually, submissions by the students
• Provision for the necessary hyperlinks to create a unified presentation to the students.

A VLE is normally not designed for a specific course or subject, but is capable of supporting multiple courses over the full range of the academic program, giving a consistent interface within the institution and—to some degree—with other institutions using the system.

[edit] Justification

Institutions of higher and further education use VLEs in order to:

• Economize on the time of teaching staff, and the cost of instruction.
• Facilitate the presentation of online learning by instructors without web authoring experience.
• Provide students instruction in a flexible manner to students with varying time and location constraints.
• Provide instruction in a manner familiar to the current web-oriented generation of students.
• Facilitate the networking of instruction between different campuses or even colleges.
• Provide for the reuse of common material among different courses.
• Provide automatic integration of the results of student learning into campus information systems.

[edit] Standards

Most VLEs support the Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) as a standard, but there are no commonly used standards that define how the learner's performance within a course can be transferred from one VLE to another.
There are also standards for sharing content. such as those defined by the IMS Global Consortium. Local bodies such as in the schools sector in the UK the DCSF via Becta have additionall defined a learning platform "conformance framework" to encourage interoperability.^[3]
Accoriding to Lauren Bensink (Director of Elementary for the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter) "we are a public school and have to follow the same standards as a brick and mortar school follows." In order to ensure that students are learning what's required through the curriculum content, we all must follow the state standards.^{[citation needed]}
Virtual Learning Environments are not limited only to students and learners in university level studies. There are many virtual learning environments for students in grades K-12. These systems are also particularly suited for the needs of independent educational programs, charter schools and home-based education.

[edit] Assessing Virtual Learning Environments

In 2003 Walker developed a survey instrument for assessing the psychosocial learning environment of virtual learning environments. In order to construct and develop the virtual learning environment as a viable means of education, educators must have a tool to use when researching the effectiveness of the virtual learning. This assessment tool, known as the Distance Education Learning Environment Survey (DELES) is accessible to students anywhere.^[4] The survey instrument examines the following aspects: Instructor Support, Student Interaction and Collaboration, Personal Relevance, Authentic Learning, Active Learning, and Student Autonomy.
The research of Harnish and Reeves focuses on the overall system of the virtual learning environment.^[5] This systematic research is based on the criteria of training, implementation, system usage, communication, and support.

[edit] Systems available

There are many open source and proprietary VLEs available for use. On-demand elearning services are also a popular choice because they can be deployed in minutes and do not require instructors and institutions to run their own servers.
Many VLEs are placed on a web server. In a typical VLE there are one or more programs or languages that provides the user (Teacher-Student) interface, and which interacts with a database. For example, a VLE might use PHP as its web language/program, with MySQL as a database.
VLEs are increasingly found in new niches. These include new emerging technologies, as well as specialized markets. A VLE can be deployed on a USB drive as a child, which synchronizes from time to time with its web-based parent. VLEs can be used for training or in something as specialized as to meet ISO 9000 certification requirements.

[edit] Virtual world learning environments

See also: Virtual world#Education

Emerging technologies include Sloodle, a merge of Second Life and Moodle, which integrates virtual worlds and course management.^[6]
Another 3D virtual learning environment called Edusim brings a lessons driven 3D virtual environment to the classroom interactive whiteboard surface allowing the direct manipulation of 3D virtual objects.^{[citation needed]} Umgumbo is an immersive 3D VLE set in a Newtonian simulation of the solar system. Still in development, Umgumbo will allow collaborative and interactive learning within personalized 3D spaces, including educational gaming, and is delivered from a single external website.

[edit] References

1. ^ Dillenbourg, Pierre. "Virtual learning environments" (PDF). EUN Conference 2000: Learning in the new millennium: Building new education strategies for schools. http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/publicat/dil-papers-2/Dil.7.5.18.pdf.
2. ^ http://dwhiggins.org/the-benefits-of-a-virtual-education
3. ^ Industry, UK: Becta, http://industry.becta.org.uk/ .
4. ^ Walker, S (2003), Development and Validation of an Instrument for Assessing Distance Education Learning Environments in Higher Education: The Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES) (unpublished doctoral thesis), Western Australia: Curtin University of Technology, http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=14269&local_base=GEN01-ERA02 .
5. ^ Harnish, D; Reeves, P (2000), "Issues in the evaluation of large-scale two-way interactive distance learning systems", International Journal of Educational Telecommunications 6 (3): 267–81 .
6. ^ Livingstone, D.; Kemp, J.. "Integrating Web-Based and 3D Learning Environments: Second Life Meets Moodle". UPGRADE (European Journal for the Informatics Professional) 9 (3): 8–14. http://www.upgrade-cepis.org/issues/2008/3/up9-3-Livingstone.pdf.

[edit] Further reading

• Morgan, G. (2003), Faculty Use of Course Management Systems, 2, http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ers0302/rs/ers0302w.pdf, retrieved November 27, 2005 .
• Paulsen, M. F. (2003), Online Education and Learning Management Systems — Global Elearning in a Scandinavian Perspective, Oslo: NKI Forlaget .
• Heppell, K (2007), Virtually There: Learning Platforms, YHGfL/Cleveratom, ISBN [[Special:BookSources/9870955600609|9870955600609]] .
• Weller, M. (2007), Virtual Learning Environments: Using, choosing and developing your VLE, London: Routledge .
• Moult, R. R. (2005) (PDF), Learning to listen: Using ICT to capture pupils’ perceptions and help the teacher to respond, p. 19, http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/other_research_reports/Learner_Engagement.pdf .
• Seale, J (2009) (PDF), A Research Briefing by the Technology Enhanced Learning Phase of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme, http://www.tlrp.org/docs/DigitalInclusion.pdf .

This page was last modified on 27 May 2012 at 07:14.



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