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Very interesting comment Tom. I watch this list closely, though my main concern is schools, because there is overlap in the FE college area. It does seem there is considerable difference between the kinds of 'VLE' needed across the age ranges. Primary school need is certainly very different to secondary school need, and both are obviously also very different to university need. Maybe the VLE for properly mature learners is basically the Internet, as the learners (if not the lecturers?) can find the systems they need for a full online life. At secondary school the thrust we see is towards creating an online world, which engages students and which scaffolds their approach to their life in school, and to learning. It has a lot to do with guiding students' attention, developing positive attitudes to schools, transmitting the school's culture and ethos, and helping students communicate and collaborate in new ways that are not easy to arrange with schools organised as most are. The result is that the schools and LAs are seeing the learning platform as the 'window' onto the online world, within which everything else the school wants students and teachers to access will be seamlessly integrated. It would be interesting to hear whether any FE colleges are using their VLEs in the same way as schools, as coherent online worlds to engage and scaffold, or more like the university picture you paint of horses for courses, accessed individually as people want to. Roger. On 13 Jul 2009, at 17:33, Tom Franklin wrote: > Franklin Consulting > While standard check lists like those already mentioned are useful, > and the involvement of users essential it is also very important to > be clear what you want the VLE for. Experience suggests that the > vast majority of teachers / lecturers use it for little more than > storing lecture notes / hand outs etc and course announcements. If > that is to be the main purpose then it might be more appropriate to > consider getting a content management system and something for > announcements and letting those that wish to do something else to > make use of any of the freely available hosted systems. I > appreciate that there are potential issues like child protection if > working with minors, but systems like ning allow you to create your > own closed location. > There is now a move away from VLEs with at least two universities > that I am aware of seriously considering getting rid of or > downgrading the use of a VLE. > The other point I would say is that it is not the esoteric features > that are important, but how easy to use the most commonly used > functions are, especially by teachers and students. How good it is > for sys admin and managers is less important, but is often used to > sell systems to the managers and IT departments. > Hope that helps. > regards > Tom. > Tom Franklin > Franklin Consulting > 9 Redclyffe Road > Withington > Manchester > M20 3JR > email: [log in to unmask] > phone: 0161 408 4401 > mobile: 07989 948 221 > skype: tomnfranklin > web: http://www.franklin-consulting.co.uk/ > > From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Richard Everett > Sent: 13 July 2009 11:26 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VLES] > > Yes the “institution perspective, the desired outcomes from the VLE, > and the affordances that the VLE have to offer” are aspects to be > taken into account. However from experience without the ‘buy in’ > from students and curriculum staff you have absolutely no chance of > success. The biggest challenge to using VLEs is not the technology > itself but the people that use it (or don’t use it!). > > I have been undertaking an extensive consultancy recently in a > college that had great advantages in terms of senior management > committing to (and funding) technology – but it was to no avail > because the curriculum staff and students were not brought into the > process. That is now being rectified and there is already emerging > evidence that a culture change is beginning to take place that will > get the technology already in place used. > > Regards > > Richard > > Richard Everett > The Old Coach House > r/o 9 High Street > Old Town > Stevenage > SG1 3BG > > p. 01438 215 447 > m. 07766 611 826 > e. [log in to unmask] > > From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of tamer abd el-gawad > Sent: 13 July 2009 10:56 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VLES] > > Hi, > I strongly agree with you both, but to reach to a set of elements > leads the decision of choosing a VLE you have to consider more than > learners and content. You also have to consider your institution > perspective, the desired outcomes from the VLE, and the affordances > that the VLE have to offer along with another set of criteria. > The best thing to do is to look for the quality e-learning models on > the web and set your own standards. > Regards, > > > > Tamer Sameer Abd El-Badea Abd El-Gawad > PhD student > School of Education > Faculty of Law, Arts, and Social Sciences > University of Southampton, United Kingdom SO17 1BJ > > > Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:04:43 +0100 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VLES] > To: [log in to unmask] > I strongly agree with Richard, and would add, if students are <19 > then also involve parents. Mainstream schooling in particular has > been very bad at involving parents in decision processes which with > the increasing expectations of remote access and the Home Access > Programme will demand home usage of equipment. > > Ray Tolley NAACE Fellow > ICT Education Consultant > Maximise ICT Ltd > P: http://raytolley.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/ > B: http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/ > W: http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm > Winner of the IMS 'Leadership Regional Award 2009' > > From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Richard Everett > Sent: 13 July 2009 09:55 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VLES] > > For what it is worth while the selection criteria are important I > would argue that it is possibly more important to get the 2 key > stakeholders – curriculum staff and students directly involved in > the selection process. > > Regards > > Richard > > Richard Everett > The Old Coach House > r/o 9 High Street > Old Town > Stevenage > SG1 3BG > > p. 01438 215 447 > m. 07766 611 826 > e. [log in to unmask] > > From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Davies Helen.M. > Sent: 13 July 2009 08:56 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VLES] > > Good morning, > > A colleague emailed me the following request. Can anyone help please? > > I am wondering if you or a colleague/contact could assist me, I am > trying to find out if there is a pre-existing e-learning Environment > (e.g. VLE) selection criteria? an Industry standard set of > requirements or selection criteria for a learning environment. > > I would greatly appreciate any feedback/ideas. > > Many thanks in advance > > Helen M Davies > eLearning Support Assistant > Library & Information Services > Swansea University > Singleton Park > Swansea > SA2 8PP > > [log in to unmask] > [log in to unmask] > > ***************** List information: ***************** Remember - > replies go by default to the entire list. 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Access the list via the > web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html To unsubscribe, [log in to unmask] > with the message: leave vle Roger Broadie Business Development Director FrogTrade Ltd T: 01422 250800 M: 07710 328672 F: 01422 354232 E:[log in to unmask] W:www.frogtrade.com Join the FrogNews Mailing List:http://www.frogtrade.com/frogtimes FrogTrade Ltd, 2nd Floor, F Mill, Dean Clough, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, HX3 5AX FrogTrade Ltd is a company registered in England with company number 3935677, VAT number 755 7184 02 This communication contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the addressee. If you are not the addressee please note that any distribution, reproduction, copying, publication or use of this communication or the information in it is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact us immediately and also delete the communication from your computer. ***************** List information: ***************** Remember - replies go by default to the entire list. Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle