I concur with the statements on 'tail wagging the dog' although I cannot see how utilising the commercial VLE software how you would get away from this without massive educational / organisational change. One problem is possibly how we teach staff to use the VLE itself - perhaps it should be more experiential / problem based.
I'd be interested to research how the issues raised here apply across the curriulum in general i.e. how the problems apply to the more traditional campus based teaching and learning. The move to apply these techniques should happen across all spheres - does online learning simply facilitate a better approach to some of these techniques.
One point I find difficult is to see the differences applied within courses - what makes our course x rather than y - from a theoretical perspective the online course is acting as 'content and support' (in its widest terms) for the MSc were are undertaking. I can see some of the examples mentioned in the approaches within the course itself.
I think there does need to be a review / shift in the VLE world - something I think is happening with the developments of Blogs, collaborative software e.g. Colloquia, and MOO/MUD type environments e.g. bodington. I cannot understand why VLEs cannot be more open and flexible to allow better creativity and construction of learning - the development and features seem to be wedded to a very old-fashioned view. For example the tools should be there within the VLE to allow course leaders to manage their course and classes in a proactive way - they genreally are not there unless they are developed specially.
I cam across a useful reference at the website Theory and practice of online learning. Some of the ideas are replicated in Relationships Between Interactions and Learning In Online Environments. Some snippets were also read at Active Learning on the Web . JiscInfonet also has a Theories of learning and teaching site which states some basic principles.This is part of their Effective Use of VLEs infokit.
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Thanks for this Simon... really useful insights about the need for a shift in the VLE word. Maybe a redefiniton of the term itself. We are currently looking at how our Ultraversity model, with its diversity of tools, can be migrated to contexts with dominant platforms. Interesting times. And the link to the JISC Infokit - can't believe I'd missed that - so thanks. Much resonance with our work on online learning. Pete Bradshaw, Ultralab, APU, Chelmsford
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