infoKit Pathfinder
Advanced User
This pathway is for tutors who have considerable experience in using a VLE in the learning environment, perhaps in imaginative and creative ways of deploying e-assessment and CMC, and now wish to consider designing and managing VLE resources for sustainability. We suggest you start your journey with the InfoKit with the following sections:
| Main Heading | Sub Heading | Section | |
| Introduction to VLEs | Virtual Learning Environments | Using a VLE | This section covers a number of problem scenarios where a VLE may help provide a solution, for example, encouraging reading or discussion. |
| Approaches to Course Design with Technology | Theories of learning and teaching | This gives an overview of the theories underpinning the use of a VLE. It will help guide you through several key models which will help you to review your current use of a VLE and provide ideas about which direction you can move forward to create a more interactive course using a VLE. You are most probably familiar with these approaches but it may be timely for you to revisit. | |
| Designing for Sustainability | This section suggests ways in which you can optimise the potential of VLE technology. The topics covered in this section are issues in course design within VLEs, the design of sustainable and scalable courses and resource authoring and sharing. | ||
| Managing for Sustainability | If e-learning is to play a part in your learning and teaching strategy then developments in this area must be sustainable. Much depends on good course design but this is a pedagogic as well as a management issue. This section is recommended as it identifies tools that can be used to assess the risks and benefits of e-learning developments and ways in which you might go about managing the organisational change involved. | ||
| Evaluating your practice | After you have started to use a VLE, in a more interactive way, it is important to take time to gather feedback on your course through student and peer feedback and to reflect. How did the changes you implement affect your course delivery? What did the students like or dislike? What didn't go so well and what would you change for the future. This section is an introductory section on evaluating your practice and the resources and links will provide you with links on this reflective journey. |
Next Steps:
Once you have become a skilled user of your VLE several times, it is essential that you start to share that information with others. You may give a short demonstration in your organisation or perhaps a poster at a conference. If you have achieved some special outcome, you may even wish to write a paper or get in touch with us about how you can contribute to the development of this infoKit. Whichever route you chose, you will need to articulate how the use of the VLE has improved the learning environment and sometimes, how it has not.
