Virtual Learning Environment - Term Paper Example

342758- LEARNING IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT WITH EMPHASIS ON EFFECTIVE LEARNING ASSESSMENT CRITIRIA IN A VLE Prepared By Submitted to Word Count 3331 words (excluding content and references pages) 1. Introduction Virtual learning environment aids the teacher in directing, controlling and coordinating students to achieve their goal. This system is beneficial for those who are unable to venture out of their homes due to family or other commitment but still harbor an urge to remain updated and to be in touch with the educational sphere. The content of the course is modeled on Internet pages. The instructors’ design various assessment techniques such as chats, quizzes, and multiple choices, true/false or one-word answer. This assessment-based feedback forms the basis for student’s evaluation. The student’s growth pattern is closely monitored and tracked.1 As per DfES Making IT Personal Leaflet, March 2006, virtual learning environment offers opportunity to relate and communicate with peers. It stores the work and also provides e-learning resources. 2. Subjects comprising in Virtual Learning Environment 2.1 Subjects in VLE: A Virtual Learning Environment comprises the subjects that are to be studied in a particular course. Its notice board displays critical information. The students’ details are officially recorded. It encompasses a range of activities related to the course’s organization and supervision. The students and teachers are provided different access rights. Virtual Learning Environments are being widely adopted by universities and institutions of higher learning. It serves as a qualitative and standardized vehicle for collecting required information. The time spent by teachers on commuting is saved. This provides teachers spare time for educational research. The hiatus between campus-based learning and distance learning is also bridged. The learning imparted on different campuses is linked together under a common platform. Moreover, it is a boon to the internet-savvy students who get hooked to the web in the search of knowledge. 2 2.2 Quality of Learning: Electronic learning improves the quality of learning. The teaching tools such as audio, video and web links are integrated as per the students’ level of understanding. Students and teachers work in a team spirit and remain open to healthy criticism. The zest and enthusiasm is maintained by a timely feedback. Individual needs, interests and objectives are prioritized. Since the course is technology based, both the students and teachers are provided with technical support services. Lists of various resources and links impart immense knowledge to the avid learner. Electronic learning is considered good for those who would like to work at their own speed and suitability. A global exposure is gained through the interaction with peers located all over the world. Innovative modus operandi such as multimedia and other forms of presentation captures and retains the attention of the learner. Unlike the classroom instruction, the video instruction can be viewed innumerable times till a satisfactory level of clarity is gained. 2.3 Negatives in Electronic Learning: However, electronic learning has its own share of negatives. The physical absence of an instructor creates a vacuum. The element of human interaction on a face-to-face or an eye–contact level has its own charm, which can never be substituted by an electronic system. The student begins to feel lonely. Moreover, the development of the software entails exorbitant expenditure. This cost is finally borne by the students in the form of course fees. 2.4 Varied technologies in VLE: 2.4.1 Screen casts is a highly effective tool of imparting knowledge. It does not entail heavy expenses and is considered beneficial to the computer learners. The fine details of a computer related seminar can be easily recorded. People can view the seminar without the physical presence due to the fine digital recording via the screen casts. 2.4.2 Electronic Portfolio is a constantly changing entity. The students’ potential is highlighted. His achievements are weighed on the bases of the learning curve. Students can apply to various institutions with a well-rounded approach by conveying both the academic and the extra curricular growth pattern. Different portfolios can be created catering to different purposes. However, the limitation lies in its usage of Java scripts and Java applets, which do not have a wide existence. 2.4.3 Collaborative software comprises e-mail, text chat and data conferencing. It involves teamwork and can be employed only with students’ co-operation. It is essential to gauge the individual’s interactive interests and hence appropriate interactive method can be implemented to derive maximum benefit. 2.4.4 Educational Animation makes the educational content attractive. The concept of motion stirs the human psyche and makes one look in wonder and awe. Though it makes learning interesting and lively, it has its own pitfalls too. The pace of the animation may not comply with the pace of human perception and understanding. The message conveyed through the animation may vary with the message perceived by the student. After a thorough research, Sweller and his associates discovered that the design of instructional materials has a correlation with the achievement of the learners using those materials. COSE VLE is one of the most notable types of Virtual Learning Environment. It consists of various groups such as the Learner and Registrant Groups, Peer groups and Tutor groups. The learner cannot change submissions given to the tutor till the tutor completes the assessment. The tutors are given permission to use the content in various other courses, which aids the process of integration of knowledge. As per the staff from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Staffordshire University who kick started the COSE works with the first year English Literature Undergraduates; the traditional approach of imparting knowledge was put under a scanner. Over-emphasis on the features of Virtual Learning can lead to neglect of educational issues and hence result in poor consequences.3 3. Study on VLE 3.1 Study on Patterns of VLE: A study was conducted at the California State University at Northridge, in which the learning pattern of students in a virtual environment was compared with that of the traditional classroom. The former turned out to be 20 per cent better than the latter. This proves the utility and significance of the virtual learning environment. Jerald Schutte at Northridge conducted an intensive research. He divided half of his class for imparting the traditional approach of instruction and the other half for the virtual learning methods. They were provided with same tests. Factors such as age, gender, computer experience remained same across both the groups. The results indicated that the students in the virtual learning environment made friends faster and also spent 50 per cent more time working in a team than the group receiving the conventional approach of instruction. Robin Mason from the UK’s Open University Institute of Educational Technology opined, “ In my view too much is made of training tutors and this makes online tutoring more difficult and more unknown than it really is. The components of learning to tutor online are: Familiarity with the conferencing software and how to get online comfortableness with the practice of interacting online knowledge of what the particular online course requires of the student The rest is commonsense and intelligent transferring of the art and skill of teaching to the online environment. Ultimately there is no substitute for getting online and experiencing a range of ways of interacting online.” 4. Design for Virtual Learning Environment 4.1 Reasons for Popularity: Virtual learning environments have become a standard feature in a number of educational institutions. This is due to the fact that they offer various affordances that demand different investment of time. That is they are suitable for large number of learners who don’t have same time investment on the learning process. The efforts offered on learning can be decided by learners. The experiences of teachers, learners and learning technologists will explore the educational practices in VLE. Some key factors emerged in the recent surveys are that the designs for learning in VLEs are not necessarily represented on VLE s. A dichotomy between learner centeredness and techno centricity has been detected in the use of VLEs. Free and commercial VLEs also are showing difference in their designs and the learning environment. 4 4.2 Different Routes to VLE for teachers: Understanding of the circumstances of the teachers is necessary for understanding their selection of routes. This can help about understanding the role of the teachers as designers. The designs regarding virtual learning are effected by the availability of equipment at most and accessibility to the learners. So, the more availability and accessibility will decide the popularity of the tools than the quality. This can be termed as a draw back if quality VLE methods are not accessible to majority number of e learners. The knowledge of teachers about on campus availability of computer rooms and online presentation equipment will affect the learners without lack of interest from their side. The awareness of the teachers is necessary for the influence of online activities regarding VLE. Flexibility, control, Cost, risk, pedagogy, peers, usability, awareness, play time, piloting, formalization, status quo will decide the deployment of virtual learning. The assignments in VLE need to be designed according to face to face sessions. This is compulsory because, the responses to survey 1(16) revealed that all the learners tried and planned to use the VLE between contact sessions. Only half of them are successful in using them. Though almost all the learners in VLE have access from home, their self selection resulted in introduced bias. 5 Another concern is the subject area. Advanced computing learners like the group from Downs showed keen academic interest in their teacher Bart’s use of Moodle. Some researchers observed limitations in black board’s potential for representing MA performance. A highly practical course that is concerned with bodies in space needs substantial concentration. Individual decisions, last context variable, and appropriate investment of time and effort have been loomed large. The desire and need to meet their own good standards has influenced the teachers. SCORM compliance is necessary for instance learning objects. This is for the reason that they can be used almost anywhere. Learners found that there has been space available, and the assurance of working and accuracy depends on checking the links. Teacher skills, the amount of time, the organization, quality of support and access to equipment of VLE can influence the design decisions. The level of study and the responses of peers, learners and teachers also effect the design processes. The above figure represents the issues in course design. The figure is adopted from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/D4L_VLE_report_final.pdf The development of course area will take place under various situations. Some students will be selected by the university to become experts in the departments and some others took dissemination roles. In this course of selections and learning, the time has emerged an important context that affect the design of VLE tools. It was recognized that the protected time is important for developing skills and creating activities. In some cases teachers are reluctant in making certain types of tools of VLE into practice. This is also due to the lack of time in implementing them. The desire to do things is capable of interfering with learner’s use of VLE. Due to the shortage of time, the participative co learners were being comfortable. At the same time, though there is lack of time, they are not letting go the level of care.6 4.3 Enhancement with E learning: The concept of effective practice begins with understanding of the term pedagogy. Previously it has been restricted to erudite usage. Now these terms are used to increase confidence for those who discuss and debate educational principles. It is important that the people involved in e learning and teaching need to have ownership of pedagogy and erudite. Educating, instructing, teaching can be termed as the skills that impart knowledge and need to be incorporated in the tools of virtual learning environment. The efficacy of the skill mentioned can be put to test through statistical methods. The role of practitioner can be viewed as essential for creativeness in the art. The word pedagogy can used to explore the nature of the skills involved. The effective practice in e learning can be based on the judgments about the learning. This should engage learners in the learning process. This will encourage independent learning skills. This will develop learners’ skills and knowledge that works for further learning.7 In the broad sense, the effective learning is likely to occur when opportunities to learn are involved. The right resources, right mode of delivery, right context, right learners, the right level of support, depend on availability of technology. This technology will mediate the forms of learning. It can be argued on some additional decisions for the practitioner. The combination of the perspectives may suit different subject areas. The different kinds of learner and the values they follow is important in learning encounter. In the design of VLE a pedagogical approach needs to be involved.8 The approach of pedagogy selected can be based on the knowledge of practitioner. This knowledge is regarding theory and practice. This will depend on the training and from talking to colleagues. The professional knowledge they gained in the course of the career will be useful in the approaches adopted. This can be influenced by the nature of the learning outcomes and the practitioner’s awareness. This in turn depends upon the environment in which the learning is taking place. The usage of pedagogical approach may not be articulated or given a name. This will have an influence on the designing process. The search in VLE tools for the effective practice will explore the rationale behind the approach adopted. This ensures the relevance to the essential elements that play an important role in designing the activities of learning.9 5. Effective E learning Practices 5.1 Challenges of Educators: Educators are facing many challenges along with the teaching paradigms on the offer. The important goals in higher education will not alter. The goals in higher education will play an important role in the development of human beings and modern societies. This can enhance social, cultural and economic development, active citizenship and ethical values. Globalization of higher education, increased initiatives aiming at internationalization, activities regarding the providers and forms of education, challenging the higher education community world wide will call for new and imaginative strategies. To fulfill the educational, research and informational functions, in higher education, the institutions responded effectively to changing education and training. Europe especially Britain is enjoying the highest levels of education and the necessary investment capacity in VLE. The question in the modern times is about the accomplishing the goals with the investments in information technologies. This enables the usage of VLE. This can help in educators accomplishing the goals of higher education. The interest and delving in e learning in the staff and educators has dictated primarily towards getting to grips with the technology or Web CT. The VLE increases the enrolled student numbers and widened the access. The demands of lifelong learning and needs of academic staff to keep up to date with their training in the area of distance learning. The reason is that the cyber space classroom is different from that of the traditional one and one important positive aspect regarding it is that the learners will participate without inhibitions and complexes. 5.2 Efforts to enhance standard of cyber classroom: The important effort in making cyber classroom effective is involving substantial pedagogical shifts required for successful online learning. As there are different opinions regarding VLE, so there are two groups that argue mutually opposite in nature. One group talks about the problems solved by the online learning that are created or not solved by traditional learning. Another group insist on the courses taught on the internet and their capability of living up to the standards of traditional learning. This was mentioned in institute of higher education policy, 2000. Research in this area suggests that the e learners (students) prefer hybrid courses that are mix of traditional and e learning. This means that the e learning activities can be used to enhance the methods and standards of traditional learning. This opinion is extracted from the findings of different surveys and researches, that the students who have access to both modes of learning are attaining better standards than the students who confine themselves to only one mode of learning. 10 5.3 Effect of increase of number of students: The increase in the number of students resulted in increase of class and school size. The adoption of e learning methods in the traditional learning can help in solving the problem of increased students in the classes, schools and institutions. The examination approaches are also being changed due to the diversity in student population and changes in the expectations of the students, society and industry. These factors have acted as stimuli for the change in examination and learning approaches. In VLE the above mentioned stimuli have generally led to the need for different and more flexible approaches in learning process. This led to the development of academic staff in the institutions. 6. Recent Outcomes of VLE 6.1 The status of VLE: By 2002 the success of VLE was viewed with reservations. This initiative taken was successful in the later years as many universities have adopted it. This received recommendation from UK HE quality assurance agency. The QAA teaching quality reviews from 1988 also received high standard scores. The process of building a learning community has been successful in teaching and learning. The adoption of VLE by major universities brought the environment and the VLE tools into the main stream of education. The managers who strived and worked for building a learning community using virtual learning environment have received the advancement in the standards and results. Though there is involvement of number of students, it was observed that there are important areas that are not involved. The universities like Stafford shire cannot be considered as learning organization in the terms of VLE as some problems of e learning are included. The main problem was the students who come under administrative net and not being enrolled into the courses within the VLEs are not a part of learning community. This indicates the need of confluence of traditional and virtual learning methods. The e learners received only minimal support from services and academics. The support received online is not uniform and ranged from excellent to poor. 6.2 Partnership in VLE: Working with the partner firms exhibited the loopholes in the policies and procedures. The problem with their roles and responsibilities is the lack of partnership from the fellow organizations. The arrangements are not enough to approve new developments. The policies are joined up insufficiently and the procedures and roles along with responsibilities applying for e learning need to be monitored by a committee. In some cases for example Stafford shire university’s case, the e learning cannot be described as embedded in terms of the definition given earlier. In some contexts, the university’s approach towards e learning was not sustainable. The failure in using the repurpose resources and approaches need to be corrected. The above mentioned corrections will make the VLE tools agile in responding to new opportunities and demands. Generally the universities used two VLEs and some of them faced a large body of courses and content from one to others. In response to the changing UK higher education sector, increased the competition for the students. The competition resulted in student financial provision and major revisions in research funding. 6.3 Plans of Universities to revise VLE: The universities had started revising a corporate plan with a focus on enabling the institution to anticipate the demand and meet individual needs and aspirations. The VLE helped the universities to retain the share of the traditional students and seek new areas for growth. This will be done on innovative delivery modes and patterns. The VLE tools helped to increase part time and postgraduate numbers including continuing professional development and other specifically targeted areas. The virtual learning environment had widened the participation and offered flexible opportunities for an increasingly diverse group of learners. This method fostered enterprise and engage in focused and applied research resulted in consultancy and knowledge transfer to the more number of learners. REFERENCES 1. R. M. Crawley, , Evaluating CSCL - Theorists' & Users' Perspectives, University of Brighton, ,electronic, 26-4-07, http://www.bton.ac.uk/cscl/jtap/paper1.htm 2. Torstein Rekkedal, 2003, The role of student support systems in e learning environment, Fern University, ,electronic, 26-4-07, http://www.fernuni-hagen.de/ZIFF/ZP_121.pdf 3. Stiles, 2000, Effective Learning and the Virtual Learning Environment, Reproduced from Proceedings: EUNIS 2000- Towards Virtual Universities, Instytut Informatyki Politechniki Poznanskeij , Poznan, SBN 83 913639 1 0, 26-4-07, http://www.staffs.ac.uk/COSE/cose10/posnan.html 4. 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