Yearning to learn from e‐learning: the experiences of a University of Glamorgan practitioner (original) (raw)
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2004
Qualitative analysis of interview data from over 550 students and over 50 academic staff (2001)(2002)(2003) showed that individualization of learning was important to students. Many staff were unclear about the learning benefits of VLEs, and functions such as peer-peer group support and group learning were rarely used. Concludes that institutional strategies for VLE development need to be focused far more on disciplinary learning needs and priorities.
[PDF]The case of virtual learning environments
Research has been carried out into the educational and training innovations resulting from the current implementation of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in institutions of higher education in order to understand how these innovations interrelate with teaching and learning; the implications at the institutional level; and the cross-cultural diversity within virtual learning environments, with an emphasis on those that combine face-to-face and virtual learning. In an attempt at innovating public educational institutions through the restructuring and promotion of educational cooperation at the European level, a study was made of nine institutions that provide tertiary education and postgraduate training in six European countries.
Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching, 2016
This paper seeks to shed light on the hitherto under-researched area of the relationships academics have with their VLE, in particular with regard to reluctance or resistance to move from face-to-face to online practice. While the sector has invested into inquiry around the aspirations and motivations of the digital student (JISC, 2009), the day-to-day digital interactions of staff who teach and support learning, in particular those without technology expertise or natural digital inclinations, have largely gone unrecorded. This paper offers some preliminary findings of a three year action research project investigating attitudes towards virtual learning though a teacher-education lens rather than a traditional technology-training one. Findings have been converted into advice for academics looking to make the shift from face-to-face to e-teaching practice and can be usefully positioned alongside what is already known about the student experience of e-learning.
Implementing Virtual Learning Environments: Looking for Holistic Approach Pre-discussion paper
The implementation of innovative pedagogical/educational practices is a response to the social needs for educational change. Such needs emerge from the massive request and access to post-secondary education, the necessity to increase competitiveness mainly through the increase of the human potential and the need to take into account new approaches to learning in a world highly mediated by technology where becoming a democratic, tolerant and responsible citizen is proving to be more difficult than becoming a highly trained worker or professional. The recent technological developments and the possibilities they offer provide useful tools in the introduction of educational innovations. With the same token however the implementation of technology in educational environments and in the learning process, in formal education or in more informal learning structures, poses a real challenge for the education and training institutions undertaking it. As a result of the new ICT systems, there are emerging experiences where most of the traditional universities (as well as traditional open universities) are in the process of restructuring by introducing new "virtual campuses" (VCs). Participants are experiencing new ways of learning and communicating with peers and teachers by organising the learning environment in a different way, based on several technological configurations. "Virtual Learning Environments" (VLEs) are based on different combinations of telematics tools and multimedia. Traditional universities and training centres see this as an opportunity to widen access to their courses while improving the quality of education, as well as a future source of income. Training companies are also very interested in reaching new potential by approaching learning to people's homes. Although VLE might be triggered by socioeconomic factors, these processes will only mean an education and training improvement if we consider those elements related to the teaching (pedagogic effectiveness) and institutional sphere (institutional restructuring, resistance to change, etc.). Furthermore, if we do not respond to the academic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of today's world, we are taking the risk of creating systems of low social, pedagogical and economic efficiency. This is the reason why the situation needs a holistic perspective of study and discussion. In this paper we present some of the preliminary results of the study undertaken by the Thematic Network IVETTE (Implementation of Virtual Environments in Training and Education). IVETTE is a consortium of nine European Universities funded by the Targeted SocioEconomic Research Programme (European Union, IV Framework Programme). The goal of the IVETTE Thematic Network (1998-20009 is to investigate the institutional, cultural and learning issues involved in the implementation of innovative Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in post-secondary public educational institutions, as well as in training institutions. For
2010
The use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is becoming an increasingly important facility within education in Ireland. The research topic was chosen to reflect and highlight the technological changes happening in the delivery of educational courses where students learning expectations are often influenced by the range of social networking opportunities available. A Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) college in Ireland was chosen and research carried out in order to investigate, analyse and address the potential for the constructive use of a VLE in terms of the opportunities and constraints that directly apply to its current use in Ireland. Existing peer reviewed research was analysed in relation to the communication and pedagogical opportunities offered, through the use of the VLE, in relation to the potential applicable to learning and teaching in a PLC college. Facilities for carrying out course management activities, using the VLE, were also investigated in order to encourage an...
2004
Many institutions of higher education in the UK have invested in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The main reason appears to be the enhancement of teaching and learning. This thesis sought to understand what was meant by enhancement and this thesis provides a richer picture of actual VLE use than that offered by surveys and user numbers. It concludes that the idea of enhancement comes from the association of Web and Internet-based technology (on which VLEs are built) with the creation of student-centred learning environments. This is important because of research showing a correlation between higher quality learning outcomes and a deep approach to learning and between a surface approach to learning and a teacher-focused approach to teaching. The focus of this research is the individual lecturer in face-to-face higher education. The aim was to investigate whether VLEs were being used to support student-centred teaching methods. This research took the form of an interview study t...
Virtual Teaching Tools: Bringing academics closer to the design of e-learning
The paper argues that, for e-learning to be successful, academics need to remain close to the capabilities of the media, as they must design the learning experience to help students engage with the knowledge and skills they are teaching. This means that the teaching tools we create for academics must embody the experience of what works for the learner, and must be easy for academics to use. A 'generic learning activity model' should provide a virtual teaching tool for the academic that embodies good pedagogic practice, building on an iterative design and evaluation process. Such tools are feasible, but research results show, for example, that as teaching ideas are shared and practice transfers, the original pedagogic ideas can develop differently in the new teaching context.
Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2018
Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have become a critical part of the Higher Education (HE) learning, teaching and assessment environment over the past two d ecades. The study in this paper complements the longitudinal study designed by the #VLEIreland Project team to examine the key drivers and barriers for uptake and usage of an institutional VLE amongst students. There is a dearth of literature on VLE usage by staff in an Irish context. The findings of the #VLEIreland staff survey, presented in this paper, help us understand staff usage of technology tools including the VLE, and places this in a wider context. In 2014, the project team developed an electronic survey instrument to examine staff perceptions of the VLE and online learning tools. This collaborative study involved seven Irish HE institutes. There were 580 respondents to the electronic survey. Findings show lack of time as a considerable barrier to staff usage of the VLE and that staff usage is primarily for distribution of resources, communication and assignment submission. However, insights can also be gleaned from the data to assist educational developers when designing appropriate interventions for the development needs of staff. When considered in conjunction with findings from student data, the common misconceptions about VLE usage can be addressed including a negative impact on attendance and over-reliance on lecturers. In addition, consideration for the professionalisation of teaching in terms of digital literacy and technological skills is considered of vital importance to empower staff in the era of the digital turn.
2014
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