What is a virtual learning environment?
According to Thompson, who is one of the EdTech30 Higher Ed IT Influencers to Follow This Year, “the modern core of a VLE is the learning management system. If we think about it more broadly, it is an interconnected network of resources and technology platforms on which virtual learning can take place.”
In other words, VLEs are learning management systems (LMS) that have seen their scope expanded with additional features or functions to help teachers and students connect. These VLEs still contain the core features of an LMS, such as online gradebooks and ways for students and teachers to authenticate for access, but they also offer enhanced benefits by allowing schools to plug in additional functionality, such as support for video conferencing, online tasks or digital collaboration.
Thompson likens an LMS to a “potato head toy” that allows schools to add the features they want when they want them in order to create their preferred outcome.
READ MORE: Colleges centralize learning and operations.
Tips for successful integration into VLE
It’s one thing to build or buy a VLE; it is another to integrate it effectively into actual teaching practice. In part, this stems from potential technology disconnects: If legacy systems and solutions don’t play well with VLEs, schools may find themselves putting out IT fires instead of using these tools for effect their best.
Higher education institutions may also face challenges if staff do not have the training and skills to make best use of VLEs, or if they choose more traditional teaching methods because they feel more familiar.
Here are five tips that can help simplify VLE integration.
1. Use what works
As noted by Thompson, VLE environments can be open source, in-house, or purchased from a provider. While the latter option is growing in popularity as universities look for simple solutions, the focus of a VLE is to improve teaching, not improved technology.
In practice, this means finding what works and adopting new solutions as needed, rather than as a matter of course.
2. Priority of Organizational Leadership
Strong leadership is important for effective integration. “Organizational or institutional leadership must be implemented,” says Thompson. “This helps ensure that digital teaching and learning is focused on effective practices.” In other words, strong leadership is necessary for the success of VLE.
3. Use of existing resources
While VLE adoption has skyrocketed over the past two years, Thompson notes that “we have at least 25 years of research and professional practice and best practice selection around these environments. We didn’t invent this two years ago.”
It pays to make the best use of existing resources to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls. For example, the University of Central Florida has created an Online Teaching Pedagogy Repository, which provides strategies and insights into online and blended teaching pedagogical practice.
4. Invest in Preparation and Outreach
When it comes to VLEs, there is no silver bullet. While technology has come a long way, VLEs just don’t offer the same intuitiveness as consumer mobile devices.
“The effectiveness of VLEs varies enormously based on what different teachers or instructors can do or want to do,” says Thompson. “It is important to consider the role of professional development focused on effective practices.”
5. Consider your infrastructure
“The missing piece in effective VLE adoption is almost always in preparation and presentation, or why and how,” notes Thompson.
To help improve VLE integration, it is worth considering the professional and technical infrastructure. Professionally, teachers need a reason: Why are these tools better than current solutions and what features do they offer to improve educational practices?
From an infrastructure perspective, schools need to think about how: is the technology delivered in-house, from the cloud, or through some combination of the two? Is the existing Wi-Fi bandwidth sufficient to support VLE functions? What security controls are in place to ensure authorized access and limit potential threats?
By considering why and how, schools can focus on where and when these solutions provide the greatest advantage.
Explore: The technology behind America’s best research universities.
Capturing value from VLEs
When it comes to effective education, Thompson puts it simply: “At its most rudimentary, it’s four walls and a door. It’s a place for students and a place where teachers can communicate.”
VLEs exist to augment, rather than replace, current skills. Integration is essential to ensure that teachers are equipped to use new tools, administrators are prepared to support new initiatives, and school technology infrastructure can keep pace with the evolving demands of VLE.
