Virtual Learning Environment

A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a web-based system which helps teachers manage various curricula. It models in-class education by providing online access to classes, class content, homework, tests, assessments, grades and external resources, such as databases or academic links. It can also feature a social space for discussions and debate. While more frequently used in tertiary and higher education institutions, VLEs are not necessarily restricted to covering tertiary programs and can be used for smaller curricula, from kindergarten onwards.

Similar terms
VLEs can also be referred to as e-learning, learning platforms, learning management systems, managed learning environments, managed virtual learning environments. They may also be called personal learning environments and personal online learning spaces.

Purpose

 * Content management: making, storing and accessing class resources;
 * Curriculum mapping and planning: lesson plans, assessments;
 * Learner administration: managed access to learner records, resources, tracking progress and achievement;
 * Communication and collaboration: emails, notices, wikis, blogs, discussion boards.

Features

 * The course syllabus;
 * Admin info about the course: prerequisites, credits, registration, payments, timetables, contact information for instructors and course coordinators;
 * Noticeboard for current news about the course;
 * The basic content for some or all of the course, the complete course for distance learning. This can be in the form of recorded lectures, slide presentations and notes;
 * Additional resources, links to academic databases or study guides;
 * Self-assessment quizzes;
 * Formal assessment submission, e.g. examinations, essays, project presentation;
 * Communications, e.g. email or private messages, discussion boards, chat rooms, wikis, blogs, RSS;
 * Management of access rights for instructors, assistants, course support staff, students;
 * Documentation and statistics for institutional administration and quality control;
 * Authoring tools for instructors and student submissions.

Reasons for use

 * Economises the time of the instructors and cuts costs of instruction;
 * Facilitate online learning by instructors without needing web authoring experience;
 * Providing students with instruction in a flexible manner to students with different time and location constraints – in a manner familiar to web-oriented students;
 * Facilitate networking of instruction between campuses or colleges;
 * Allows reuse for common material;
 * Allows automatic integration for student learning results into campus information systems.

Standards
    Most VLEs support the Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) as a standard, but there are no commonly used standards for transferring a student’s course performance from one VLE to another. SCORM is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning, defining communications between client side content and the host’s run-time environment. The use of the SCORM standards allows most VLEs to be consistent in how they provide coursework.   Systems available


 * Blackboard
 * WebCT
 * Moodle
 * Totara
 * Docebo