Virtual learning

Schools have been using computers since the mid-1980s, and distance learning – via radio or TV, by post, using books, disks or tapes – isn’t new either.

In the Australian outback, for example, they’ve had ‘virtual schools’ via shortwave radio since the 1950s.

Recently, learning systems that bring together many existing web-based technology strands, including email, chat, blogs and wikis, have started to come together and VLE (virtual learning environment) is now the abbreviation du jour in school staff meetings.

If you’re a parent, you’re going to see it in newsletters, at parents’ evenings and you might hear the children mention it. Pupils are unlikely to refer to a VLE though – you’re far more likely to hear about Moodle or Learnwise, Blackboard or Studywiz. We’re going to look at the basics of VLEs and how they’re changing modern education.

Under the hood
At the heart of any VLE is a database and storage space to which teachers can upload lessons, notes, quizzes, exercises and media files, and students can search for what they need. Much of the work is designed so that students can complete the tasks on any browser-equipped computer, at school, home or elsewhere, and return the answers to the teacher via the VLE.

To make sure work gets to the right groups of children, and the right marking appears in the teacher’s inbox, a VLE is normally linked to the school’s information management system, and in some cases is provided by the same company or a partner.

Communication systems are built in, so that each teacher and student has an email address, and group mail lists enable teachers to send messages to a whole class or year group. VLEs can also include chat and forum facilities, although the need to moderate discussions, and the associated resource problems, sometimes mean that schools disable them.

VLEs often have a facility for parents, so you can see which courses your child is taking, which teachers they have, what homework has been set, and when it’s due. You can usually see a school calendar, and check details of trips and other special events.

In the classroom
Teaching methods are gradually evolving. Nowadays, teachers often use a Powerpoint-style presentation or video in place of a ‘lecture’. Until recently, each teacher created their own, but a VLE can make sharing much easier. It also means that students who miss a presentation or don’t take it all in can watch it after school, during lunch, at home or whenever is convenient.

After a presentation, teachers will often want to discuss things with a small group or the whole class and any impromptu notes and sketches can then be added to the VLE. Again, this means students can revisit the material if they need to. A student needing extra help can email their teacher, and if several students mail in similar problems, the teacher can respond with a group mailshot.

Teachers use textbooks to back up what they have said and to provide exercises for the students. However, quite often a book shortage means resorting to photocopies from the few books they do have. VLEs can change this. Schools can either buy content from publishers or create their own.

Content providers are often offshoots of traditional publishing houses that have migrated their book or educational software content to VLE format. Buying content packs isn’t cheap, but neither is buying sets of textbooks; VLE content will last longer and can be used by many classes simultaneously.