Electronic Resources in the Virtual Learning

Tools for virtual learning
A brief overview of the major tools offered by most of the commercial
and in-house built VLE systems is provided below. Many exist outside
the VLE as stand-alone tools, but the key point is that within the VLE
these tools are integrated.
Content delivery tools
Content delivery is often the key component of a virtual learning
environment. Staff can make lecture notes, presentations and class
handouts available to students in one convenient place. The key
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E-learning and the digital library
advantage is that the material is secure and only accessible to members
of the institution. Most VLE software is relatively easy to use, without
specialist knowledge of website creation. Material can be uploaded in a
variety of formats.
Communication tools
Most virtual learning environments include communication tools that
allow many-to-many interaction, such as bulletin boards or virtual chat
rooms. Most VLEs offer facilities to set up discussion groups either for
entire classes or for groups of students. These can be used in a variety of
ways, but staff often find obvious benefits to answering individual
questions in a discussion group which other students can access.
Assessment tools
Online assessment, either for formative or summative purposes, is used
in many universities. Self-testing, diagnostic testing or formal assessment
can be constructed. Many VLE packages offer such a tool or allow a
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Figure 2.1
Becta diagram showing how MLEs relate to VLEs
Managed Learning Environment
Virtual Learning Environment
Curiculum 
mapping
Delivery
Assessment
Tutor 
support
Communication
Tracking
Quality 
process
Business 
systems
Student Record System
Other 
agencies
Learning 
resources
Off-line 
learning
Registers
Other 
colleges
IMS
IMS

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Electronic Resources in the Virtual Learning Environment
separate online assessment tool to be plugged in. Multiple-choice
questions are relatively easy to construct and have automated marking,
which has obvious advantages for large groups of students.
Course management tools
Numerous course management tools are available which enable tutors to
record data about student progress or to track individuals or groups of
students. Students are able to submit assignments online or have space
available to upload presentations or work collaboratively on projects.
Course resources
Many VLEs have course resource areas where tutors can add links to
websites or other resources to which they wish to direct students.
However, currently these tools are fairly under-developed. The resource
area has obvious overlaps with the library, and integration with library
systems is increasingly being explored.
Commercial VLE software
Many universities are now using commercial VLE solutions with two
clear market leaders in the UK, US and Australia: WebCT (Web Course
Tools) and Blackboard. In 2001 a survey by the Teaching, Learning and
Information sub-Group (TLIG) of the Universities and Colleges
Information Systems Association (UCISA) on the management and
implementation of VLEs in UK universities and colleges found that
WebCT was the most commonly used VLE. The top four VLEs in order
of usage after WebCT were: Blackboard, FirstClass, Lotus
LearningSpace and those developed in-house. This study was followed
up in 2003 by a complementary survey which found the picture had
changed somewhat. Blackboard was by then the most commonly used
VLE, with WebCT falling into second place, an intranet-based solution
was third and VLEs developed in-house were again fourth.
WebCT was one of the first VLE platforms and it is significant to note
that it was developed by and for academics. It was developed in Canada
in 1995 by Murray Goldberg, a University of British Columbia computer
science professor and launched commercially in 1997. Goldberg created
WebCT as an environment to study online learning, and developed the
tools to facilitate his research goals while at the same time devising the
ability to track appropriate information through the software interface.
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E-learning and the digital library
In 1999 WebCT merged with Universal Learning Technology (ULT) to
become WebCT, Inc. Since this date WebCT has evolved to include
numerous options for building the type of teaching and learning
environment desired by teaching staff. Additional features include
enhanced integration capabilities and security tools.
Meanwhile, WebCT’s main rival Blackboard claims to be ‘founded
with a vision to transform the Internet into a powerful environment for
the education experience’.
9
The original teaching and learning software
platform was launched in 1997 and known as CourseInfo. The company
was formed when two education consultants, Matthew Pittinsky and
Michael Chasen, were contracted to help lead the formation of an
Educause IMS standards group for online education technology. At the
same time, a team at Cornell University was developing an online
education software product that would be scalable for wider
institutional application. Recognising the high demand for a
sophisticated, easy-to-use and affordable online education software
platform, the two groups merged to form Blackboard Inc. Blackboard
has very similar tools to those available in WebCT.