What%20are%20they?%20What%20do%20they%20do?%20Why%20are%20they%20useful?

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What are they?What do they do?Why are they
useful?
Virtual Learning Environments
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What is a VLE?

• A tool for delivering and/or supporting distance
  and flexible learning using Web technology

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What is a VLE?
on-line delivery interaction/ response assessment/
monitoring learning programme
learning process
The Virtual Classroom
The Virtual Classroom
materials creation/import tutor support advice/
guidance/ interaction
teaching learning support
identity/ belonging peer interaction dynamic
change
sense of living culture
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MLEs and VLEs
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Examples
WebCT
Virtual Campus
COSE
Learnwise
TopClass
Blackboard
And many more....
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Functions

• Shell for content
• Communications
• Assessment
• Student tracking

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Content - key issues

• How is it created?
• How is it uploaded into the VLE?
• How easy is it to navigate round system?

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Content navigation

• Backwards/forwards through hierarchy
• Jump to anywhere
• Search routines
• Internal and external links
• Glossary
• Resume where left off
• Post it notes
• etc.

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Communications bulletin boards

• Asynchronous
• Threaded
• Multiple boards/forums
• Tutor support
• Peer group support

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Communicationsemail

• Internal to WebCT and other VLEs
• Useful for Web-based access
• Useful for those with no Internet email

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Communications chat

• Synchronous
• Not threaded
• Students like it
• Effectiveness as teaching tool?

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Assessment techniques

• Free-text submission - e.g. email an essay to
  tutor.
• Multiple choice, boolean, fill in blank, list
  
  
  
  matching, image maps,
  multiple correct answer, etc.

• cannot be automatically marked.
• can be automatically marked
• can be set up so student must take at a
  particular time/date, lasting a certain time
• can restrict number of attempts
• can automatically tailor courseware on results.

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Assessment

• Formative
• versus
• Summative

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Student tracking

• Typically
• What theyve read, and when
• Results recording and stats
• What tests completed and outstanding
• Plus, of course, logs of email, bulletin boards,
  chat.

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Advantages forstudents

• Accessible anytime
• Accessible anywhere
• Always up-to-date
• Electronic support
• Interaction with peer group
• Flexible access to learning
• Easy to use

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Advantages for staff

• Better support for students
• Ease of management
• Some automatic marking
• Easy to use

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Advantages for technical support

• Bespoke packages - integrated
• Little technical support needed after
  installation
• May need an administrator to create courses and
  upload content.

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What does it cost?

• Cost of VLE software
• Purchase/production of content
• Staff training
• On-going costs.

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Other key issues

• JISC developing standards/specification for VLE
  (which existing VLEs will be invited to meet)
• to link to MIS
• interoperability

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For more info....

• For more information see the Ferl VLE Focus Area
  at
• http//ferl.becta.org.uk/focus/vle/index.html