Open Source Software Virtual Learning Environment (OSS-VLEs) in Library Science Schools

Author(s):  
Rosy Jan

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is a software system designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses. The system can often track the learners' progress, which can be monitored by both teachers and learners. While often thought of as primarily tools for distance education, they are most often used to supplement the face-to-face classroom as well as blended learning. Plethora of research conducted on VLEs has reported positive impacts from various contexts. Keeping in view the benefits, the work has been initiated to review concept, features and issues of virtual learning environments. Some of the most used OSS VLEs are discussed. Further it determines the suitability of a VLE for higher education. The chapter also explore and identify the recent contributions to the concept by analyzing ongoing virtual learning initiatives and projects by different organizations and information centres to stimulate future Research and development trend in the field.

Author(s):  
Rosy Jan

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is a software system designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses. The system can often track the learners' progress, which can be monitored by both teachers and learners. While often thought of as primarily tools for distance education, they are most often used to supplement the face-to-face classroom as well as blended learning. Plethora of research conducted on VLEs has reported positive impacts from various contexts. Keeping in view the benefits, the work has been initiated to review concept, features and issues of virtual learning environments. Some of the most used OSS VLEs are discussed. Further it determines the suitability of a VLE for higher education. The chapter also explore and identify the recent contributions to the concept by analyzing ongoing virtual learning initiatives and projects by different organizations and information centres to stimulate future Research and development trend in the field.


IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110182
Author(s):  
Evans F Wema

This article reviews literature on the use of virtual learning environments by highlighting their potential and the challenges of introducing the same in Tanzania. It introduces the concept of virtual learning environments by demonstrating their applications to support teaching and learning. The article discusses the use of virtual learning environments in teaching information literacy courses by highlighting the success of using such tools in facilitating the teaching of information literacy courses to library users. In this review, special emphasis is placed on attempts by Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to introduce web-based teaching of information literacy and the challenges faced. The review reveals the need for Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to develop virtual learning environments to facilitate the teaching of information literacy courses to students and faculty so as to reach many of those who may not manage to attend the face-to-face information literacy sessions that are offered by librarians on a regular basis.


Author(s):  
Edilma Leonor DÍAZ GUTIÉRREZ ◽  
Andrea Catherine ALARCÓN ALDANA ◽  
Mauro CALLEJAS CUERVO

Resumen La calidad de un producto software aborda distintos aspectos, entre ellos la usabilidad, y al evaluarla, se afrontan algunas dificultades, como el desconocimiento de los atributos a evaluar, las características de los usuarios y objetivo del producto evaluado; en el caso de entornos virtuales de aprendizaje, deben permitir el desarrollo de procesos de incorporación de habilidades y saberes teniendo en cuenta quesus usuarios tienen distintos grados de conocimiento, edades e intereses, pertenecen a múltiples disciplinas y acceden desde distintos dispositivos. Dichas diferencias hacen que el proceso de evaluación de usabilidad de un entorno virtual de aprendizaje tenga unas características propias. Actualmente no existe un consenso en cuanto a los aspectos que se consideran para establecer factores de usabilidad en métodos de evaluación de calidad, lo cual motiva la construcción de otro tipo deaplicaciones web que dejan de lado aspectos propios de este factor, conllevando a que sean los usuarios quienes se adaptan a las características de la WebApp y no como debiera ser. Considerando lo anterior, se realizó un estudio de trabajos previos, modelos, normas y estándares de calidad, que permitieron analizar los principales atributos de usabilidad de las aplicaciones web y enfáticamente de los entornos virtuales de aprendizaje. Palabras Claves:modelo, estándar, usabilidad, entorno virtual de aprendizaje, calidad.   Abstract Software quality deals with different aspects. One of them is usability. However, it has been quite challenging to assess due to the lack of knowledge of its features. Besides, software usability is also related to its aim and target users. For instance, virtual learning environments should enhance abilities and knowledge integration. Its users have different knowledge levels, ages, interests, background and technological device access. Then, virtual learning environment assessment varies according to its own features and currently, there is a lack of consensus around setting usability principles in quality assessment methods. As a result, web applications and designing tend to overlook this aspect. Then, users have to adapt to WebApp features rather than the reverse. Therefore, this article aims at showing the study of previous works, models, norms and quality standards leading to the analysis of usability principles referring to web applications and virtual learning environments. Keywords: model, standard, usability, virtual learning environment, quality.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Lynn Walker

This article will present the process and the curricular and pedagogical lessons learned from adding a 3D virtual learning environment to an online course in a distance and hybrid education master’s degree program. Based on student surveys, course evaluations, and faculty interviews, the author will summarize attitudes and expectations from the varied stakeholders and offer practical recommendations on the design and delivery of an effective virtual world learning environment in an online course. The author is involved in developing 3D virtual learning environments and integrating their use in graduate level counseling courses in traditional, blended, and online master’s programs. In the fall of 2007, the author began the process of incorporating the virtual world Second Life into an online counseling skills and techniques course in the Human Services Counseling Program at Regent University. The course objectives consisted of teaching graduate level students expertise such as clinical counseling skills and techniques. One of the critical competencies, the student’s ability to demonstrate the basic counseling skills needed to be an effective counselor including attending, listening, empathy, warmth, and respect, was very difficult to teach and evaluate from a distance. In the past, program instructors have taught online and blended courses with the asynchronous learning environment Blackboard and the synchronous technologies, Skype and Instant Messenger. With the use of new learning environments, such as 3D virtual learning environments, the author hoped to provide the instructors and students with an environment more conducive to developing effective counseling skills. The author implemented the virtual learning environment – a simulated counseling facility and tested the virtual counseling facility’s use as an innovative learning environment for simulation of student counseling sessions. This article will discuss the author’s personal experiences as well as the empirical research collected during this case study. Given the potential for significant growth in the use of virtual learning objects, this article should provide useful information for instructors and administrators considering virtual environments as a means of teaching practical skills at a distance in online programs.


Author(s):  
Jean-Eric Pelet ◽  
Benoît Lecat

The authors’ research examines the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of management studies. This article provides two main contributions. First, an exploratory study introduces and describes the concept of VLE applied to the training of seven students in an “interactivity design” (IS) course. Second, a confirmatory study conducted with 168 students in management presents a framework of VLE application in the context of management courses (MS). Results indicate that in the context of management studies, singular differences in the knowledge of VLEs exist between low/high skilled students. Even if a VLE can benefit skilled students, low skilled students must first understand and appreciate the full meaning of VLEs. A VLE leads to good training of students in IS courses. However, its existence must be communicated more intensively in the context of managerial studies. Furthermore, these students will need to be trained before achieving a sufficient level of competency to be able to manage projects using Second Life (SL).


Author(s):  
Fredrik Paulsson ◽  
Mikael Berglund

A general SOA framework for Virtual Learning Environments, based on the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, is suggested in this chapter. Five basic and general services are suggested for implementation of modular Virtual Learning Environments. The design of the service framework was tested by implementation in two prototypes, using two different approaches where a Java-RMI based implementation was compared to a Web Service (SOAP) based implementation. By implementing the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy and the VWE SOA framework, the prototypes showed that a level of modularity, similar to the level of modularity of Learning Objects, could be achieved for the Virtual Learning Environment as well. Using the VWE Learning Object Taxonomy, this was accomplished by including the learning content and the Virtual Learning Environment into the same conceptual space. The comparison of the prototypes showed that the Web Service approach was preferred in favor of the Java-RMI approach. This was mainly due to platform neutrality and the use of the http-protocol. The study was supplemented by an analysis of the two approaches in relation to a third, REST-based approach.


Author(s):  
Anita Cassard ◽  
Brian W. Sloboda

This chapter presents some of the methods and approaches that are used in the assessment of student outcomes in 3-D virtual learning environments. Distance learning or eLearning that includes the 3-D virtual learning environments have been increasing dramatically because of the rise in demand by students. Because of this advent in eLearning, assessment of the outcomes is crucial when measuring student learning. In addition to the measurement of student learning, the instructional designers will need assessment of student learning as a means to upgrade the 3-D virtual learning environments and maintain the relevancy of the content for students. Much of the research on measurement of outcomes is based on anecdotal evidence provided by students. A comprehensive examination of assessment of the 3-D virtual learning environment becomes paramount, so educators will have a better idea how to carefully assess outcomes of student learning.


Author(s):  
Arshia Ayoub ◽  
Zahid Ashraf Wani

The emergence of the internet has opened a wealth of new, network-based applications, from digital music stores to new venues for scholarly publishing. It has replaced the physical learning environments with virtual ones. The virtual learning environments are utilized for not only imparting informal but formal education as well. A collaborative virtual learning environment is a computer-based, distributed, virtual space or set of places. In such places, people can meet and interact with others, with agents, or with virtual objects. Collaborative virtual learning environment might vary in their representational richness from 3D graphical spaces, 2.5D, and 2D environments to text-based environments. In this milieu, the proposed study shall make an endeavor to time travel and identify various virtual learning systems, services, and tool that are being used and adopted by virtual learners. In addition, the study shall also anticipate the future virtual learning environments based on current trends and future requirements.


Author(s):  
Chee Leong Lim ◽  
Habibah Ab Jalil ◽  
Aini Marina Ma'rof ◽  
Wan Zuhainis Saad

Assisting peer learning performance through behaviour of teaching for learning is not a novel idea. In most learning environments, students have been supporting one another regardless of the involvement of their teachers. However, though the potential of peer learning has been realized, it is often introduced in unintentional way, without much consideration of their implications in different learning environments. In the virtual learning environment (VLE), especially, the application of peeragogy is imperative as the online knowledge is mainly generated through peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Therefore, it is timely to explore how to embrace online collaborative tools in facilitating online peer learning. Three emerging online collaborative tools (workshop, wiki, and database) are discussed in this chapter with focus on the strategies and ideas to assist peer learning performance in VLEs. Checklist related to selecting the most effective collaborative tools according to the diverse pedagogical requirements is also provided.


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