VirtualLearningEnvironments
From Schoolforge-UK
A Virtual Learning Environments (or VLE) is an electronic system that can provide online interactions of various kinds that can take place between learners and teachers, including online and distance learning. Such systems are sometimes also called learning platforms or learning management systems.
A VLE exists in context with other electronic data systems such as student records systems and according to JISC this combination becomes a Managed Learning Evironment (MLE). See this diagram from the Becta Ferl VLE focus area.
BECTA are in the process of certifying VLEs through their Learning Platform Conformance Regime.
Drew Buddie is looking for help in putting together the paperwork to enter Moodle for the BETT 06 awards - please add to or ammend details on the wiki page as appropriate.
Current sub projects:
- Blogging - web logs for delivering student web sites, intranet, management tools, etc.
- Moodle - Course delivery system complete with online tests and grading; Moodle is grounded in a social constructivist pedagogy which has much in common with open source software development.
- Boddington - Another course delivery system modelled around a virual college campus.
- Content Management Systems - gateways through which high quality intranets and websites can be painlessly created by multiple users or departments
- Intranets - using web browsers to deliver information through out the school and beyond.
Some research studies:
European Schoolnet: http://www.eun.org/etb/vle/vle_report_restricted_2003.pdf
Becta: http://www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/VLE_report.pdf
For Swadelands School, I have created an Intranet site using PHPNuke running on Apache and MySQL. The teachers and the head love it. It allows teachers to upload homework online, so that the children have no excuse for forgetting it, and also allows sharing of lesson plans, documents and work sheets. Lots more use has come of it, including using the survey section to help the school understand the pupils needs, as well as HAVING important dates, exams parents evening etc added to the calendar that displays that days events on the front page. JoHarris
At St Ives School we've been trialling Moodle in a primary context since September 2004. The pupils are tremendously enthusiastic and early indications are that its use has had a positive imact on test results as well as IT skills. Online homeworks have saved marking time, as well as giving pupils the encouragement to 'do corrections' and thus learn from their mistakes. We've since added to our Moodle content to provide intranet features such as access to subsciption services, Wikipedia and news headlines. Miles Berry
We're organising an online conference on VLEs, "VLEs: Pedagogy and Implementation, the theory and practice of learning platforms and virtual learning environments". There's a great range of presenters, with key notes from Martin Dougiamas, creator of Moodle, and James Clay, Director of the Western Colleges Consortium. The conference is October 16-19, but will be open beforehand for reading presentations, and a month afterwards for catching up on any sessions you might have missed. For the full programme, etc., including a booking form, see:
