66 | VLES IN HE | EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
VLEs have been a fixture of the HE landscape for some years now, weathering debate about their viability at regular intervals along the way. These systems have certainly come a long way from their very basic beginnings, and today represent a ubiquitous form of learning support across HEIs. It’s important to note that VLEs are
used differently – and to varying degrees – across UK universities, but they are certainly in evidence, in one form or another, in all modern establishments. “VLEs have become part of the fabric of our learning and teaching landscape,” explains Sheila MacNeill, Senior Lecturer in Blended Learning at Glasgow Caledonian University. “Most universities have one central
system that is integrated with their student record system to automatically create modules and enrol students into their modules at the beginning of each new academic year.” As with many other universities, staff
at Glasgow Caledonian employ a mixture of face-to-face and online learning activities. VLEs play a vital part, and are used in a myriad of ways. “Increasingly, we are seeing the use of portfolios where students are encouraged to keep and share their reflections and work within their own dedicated area within the VLE,” says Sheila. “We’re also seeing more use of
social media. For example, many modules have their own hashtag, and staff can embed a Twiter feed into the module in the VLE. That way staff and students can share resources and reflections throughout the term.” In addition, many institutions are now
making greater use of VLEs’ assessment and feedback capabilities, and placing more focus on group work and student- generated content that’s created and shared through the VLE. At their best, today’s VLEs play a vital
coordinating role within an institution, connecting students and teachers and providing a central place for learning, teaching and assessment activities. And, in addition to their specific academic uses, VLEs are also widely used to set up community areas that students can access for non-teaching services (like libraries or careers services). This all sounds rosy, but some
institutions are still failing to take full advantage of the vast breadth of functionality offered by VLEs. “Sadly, the
“Modern VLEs are enabling students to do more independent learning where the lecturer is there to guide the student and use the contact time to target specific areas of struggle or need”
primary use of the VLE in contemporary academia is as a storage space for notes and slides, and as a student mass- emailing tool,” believes David Kernohan, Senior Co-Design Manager in the Jisc Digital Futures team. “Much innovative technology enhanced
learning work takes place outside of the VLE, on the open web. As far as I am aware, there is very litle use of some of the more advanced pedagogic tools that many modern VLEs include – though we have seen a recent growth in computer- aided assessment.” So while many establishments
are making diverse use of VLEs and integrating them into teaching practices, it’s equally evident that there is room for greater uptake in embracing the manifold features offered by modern VLEs. But what do they offer, how have they improved – and how are they keeping up with the demands of modern HEIs? Greater flexibility and a beter
responsiveness to the demands of their users are two advancements often cited in modern VLEs. Recent years have seen systems adapt to become more personalised, while an increased mobility (through app integration or bespoke mobile apps in addition to web versions) has added to the convenience of learning through VLEs. Richard Havinga, e-Learning Solutions
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