tailieunhanh - An investigation of the effectiveness of virtual learning environment implementation in primary education

The state-of-the-art Belk Library features the latest in information technology and is located at the center of campus, convenient to all graduate classrooms. It is uniquely designed to integrate print, electronic and audiovisual resources, with an extensive program of research, tutoring and technical support available during all hours of operation to assist students and faculty. More than 200 Macintosh and Windows desktop computers and wireless laptop computers offer access to the online catalog and the Internet. Students can choose among a wide variety of individual and group study spaces while using the more than 280,000 volumes, government documents and media. | University of Leicester MBA in Educational Management Dissertation An investigation of the effectiveness of virtual learning environment implementation in primary education By Miles Berry 2006 An investigation of the effectiveness of VLE implementation in primary education Abstract Virtual Learning Environments VLEs understood here as online systems supporting interactions between and amongst learners and teachers as well as access to resources and activities have long been held to provide a range of benefits in further and higher education. For 2008 UK Government policy is far all pupils to have access to an online learning space for many provided through a learning platform such as a VLE. This technology is presently little used in primary education and there are few objective case studies evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of VLEs in this context. The author has addressed potential impact of VLEs on school effectiveness through three interrelated areas. The contribution of VLEs to institutional knowledge management is considered. Knowledge management has received little attention in education and a small scale self-selecting sample online survey was used to identify the contribution of VLEs to this area. Responses confirmed little use of knowledge management in schools and mixed use of VLE tools to codify teachers tacit knowledge VLEs were however used to share data information and resources within the school and supported a culture of collaboration within and in some cases beyond the school such a culture being important for VLE effectiveness in this area. Schools rarely analysed VLE data to support decision making. The other two areas were addressed through a small scale action research project introducing the Moodle open source VLE to support the Year 5 and Year 6 mathematics curriculum at the author s school. Evidence from a review of the relevant literature suggested that VLEs were particularly supportive of social constructivist pedagogy and