Tutors often face the challenge of effective delivery of lessons in the classroom given the diverse categories of students. However, technology has now made their work easy with the possibility of wider student coverage as well as availability of large variety of interactive methods. Virtual learning environments not only allow for ease of access to learning materials, but also electronic submission of assignments (Jisc Infornet, 2006).
However, virtual learning environments may curtail tutor-student interactions characteristic of a classroom situation, but this can be solved through discussions. Tutors should be careful not to become too engaged in creating learning materials at the expense of student. Tutors need to learn how to balance between content generation and delivery mode for the greater benefit of students. Focus should be on methods that can help students grasp the concepts faster as such methods facilitate learning.
Given the dynamic nature of technology, tutors should also consider applying dynamic learning methods. Virtual learning environments should be modified to ensure that they are effective not only in teaching, but also in learning. According to Jisc Infornet (2006), the idea of personalised learning environments (PLEs) is taking shape with advances in development of interoperability standards. The author identifies three key areas of focus namely learners’ ability to define and use learning support tools, link with institutional systems when needed, and keeping personalised learning environment.
Jisc Infornet (2006) also advises that sustainable and scalable courses should be problem-based, group work oriented and small chunked to cater for learner diversity. The author encourages reuse of resources, but also considers making own resources available for reuse across a number of different courses within a VLE an equally important strategy for efficient use of time.
Features of Design Sustainable to Learning
Virtual Learning Environments come in a variety of forms including videos, flash animations and learning objects (Jisc Infornet, 2006). Learning objects basically refer to blocks of content that can be interlinked to produce a course. These blocks of content can be recombined in different ways and reused across a number of courses. According to Jisc Infornet (2006), learning objects approach to course building is simplistic in nature, because it implies that ‘teaching’ is simply the transmission of blocks of content while ‘learning’ is the consumption of information. The author states that designing courses in small, reusable chunks may seem intuitive if paper based content from several sources are reused and repackaged into a single course. Courses should be designed in small chunks to help improve learner diversity, choice and selection.
Students should be able to reflect on and solve a problem within a group. However, students are inexperienced in assigning roles to group members and timetabling activities. Tutors can solve this problem through asking students to provide a weekly account of the progress of their project (Jisc Infornet, 2006). Students should be motivated to work together and share resources as this allows for mind jogging to come up with solutions, hence team building.
Face-to-face interaction is also very important as it allows students to grasp the content faster and with ease. Story boards and engaging in learning activities would be best suited for this. The tutor should consider each learner as an individual with different needs and apply different methods for each student needs (Jisc Infornet, 2006)
Reference
Jisc Infornet (2006). Effective use of VLEs: Designing for sustainability. Web.