Need Of Virtual Learning Environment

Need Of Virtual Learning Environment

Virtual learning is Web-based platform for the digital aspects of courses of study. A collection of integrated tools enabling the management of online learning , providing a delivery mechanism, student tracking, assessment, and access to resources.

Difference between Virtual learning and e-learning:

There is a misconception between virtual learning and e- learning. Whereas e learning is totally based on internet where the user can access material through online only, but on the other hand virtual learning is a collection of technology tools used to support learning, and there is no need to connect with internet all the time. So it is a different concept from e- learning.

Advantages of Virtual learning: Students who want to learn deeply and precisely and do not have much time to attend the classes they use the facility of virtual learning environment where they can learn at their home or at any location by using the virtual learning tools. In the 21st century, modulation in education has become the need of an hour. That is why many organizations and schools have adapted the VLEs in order to increase academic performance, address the students the need to update in digital environment and increase the possibility to get success in the competitive world.

Many higher educational institutions use the VLEs in order to:

• Reduce the time of teaching staff and use that time to add more useful material for students in the modern era.
• To provide the facility of online presentation by the faculty or instructors.
• To provide the interconnection between different colleges or technical institutions so that students can get more and more useful materials by using the virtual learning tools.
• To provide re- use of common material of different courses.
• To improve the academic performance of the students and get self assessment by using the virtual learning tool and hence groom themselves.

Features of VLE: Content management – creation, storage, access to and use of learning resources.

• Curriculum mapping and planning – lesson planning, assessment and personalization of the learning experience.
• Learner engagement and administration – managed access to learner information and resources and tracking of progress and achievement.
• Communication and collaboration – emails, notices, chat, wikis, blogs and through social media also.
• Real time communication – live video conferencing or audio conferencing.

A typical VLE may have the following elements:

• Course content.
• A notice board which contains the ongoing course.
• Self assessment.
• Formal assessment in which faculty will assess by giving assignment, presentation ,essay submission and examination etc.
• Peer assessment which helps the students to assess one student to another so that they can get better marks in the examinations.
• Interactive online whiteboard for effective learning.
• Links to outside resources so that there will be large amount of resources to access the material.
• Facility to provide necessary hyperlinks so that an instructor can create the link for students in which he or she can upload the material, test or other important materials.

Conclusion: Based on above features and requirement for the students in the competitive world it is necessary to implement the Virtual learning environment for the better performance of the learner as well as for an organization or educational institutions.