Virtual Learning Environments

Virtual learning environments are widely spread in higher education, yet they are often under utilised by the institutions that employ them. This book addresses the need to move beyond thinking about the VLE simply in terms of the particular package that an institution has adopted, and viewing it as a significant educational technology that will shape much of the teaching and learning process in the coming years. Considering how virtual learning environments can be successfully deployed and used for effective teaching, it sets out a model for effective use, focussing on pedagogic application rather than a specific technology, and seeks to provide a bridge between pedagogical approaches and the tools educators have at their disposal. It contains essential advice for those choosing a VLE and encourages all those involved in the deployment of a VLEs to use them more productively in order to create engaging learning experiences.

Martin Weller is a Professor of Educational Techn ology at the Open University where he was the Director for the VLE project. His research interests include e-learning implications, learning design and learning environments.

1. What We Talk About When We Talk About E-Learning 2. VLEs, Democrats and Revolutionaries 3. Using Common VLE Tools 4. Beyond the VLE 5. Choosing a VLE 6. MLEs and Metaphors 7. Standards and Specifications 8. Learning Design 9. The Open Source Option 10. Personalization and VLEs 11. Affordances and Patterns 12. Case Studies 13. Technology Succession 14. VLE 2.0