Technology is here to stay. Over the past 20 years home computers have been increasingly common, the availability of laptops allowed a more portable use of technology which has since seen the advent of mobile devices and wireless networks in public places. Education has had to adapt to this development but has not always kept pace with the technology. In some areas it has been slow to change. The question is whether technology should drive education or simply be a tool of dissemination.
Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are a form of
information and communication technology (ICT) that provide students with
unprecedented remote-access to a variety of learning materials in a flexible,
web-based format. A number of sources (e.g. Martins and Kellermanns, 2004;
Ngai, Poon and Chan, 2007; Van Raaij and Schepers, 2008) characterise VLEs as
‘a web-based communications platform that allows students to access different
learning tools, such as course content, programme information, teaching
assistance, document sharing, discussion boards, and learning resources,
without restriction as to time and place’.
In effect, students can access their course remotely. Some
lecturers make video clips or podcasts of their lectures available via a VLE
making the issue of student attendance on campus moot. There is debate however
as to what degree the VLE can enhance the learning process. If students do not
regularly access the information available they are less likely to succeed than
their peers.
In a study of over 18,000 students, Caruso and Kvavik (2005)
found that over 72% had used a VLE and over three quarters of these reported a
positive experience. Interestingly, students reported a preference for a
moderate level of technology use as a supplement to classroom study. It is
possible therefore that over-reliance on technology in the classroom may
detract from the student learning experience.
Research shows that students clearly prefer studying at home
on a personal device over using university computer suites (Benfield, Ramanau
and Sharpe, 2009). Being able to access university VLEs and library sites remotely
has facilitated this and moved much of the learning experience away from
institutions and more into the home. The Open University has had success over
decades running courses without students attending a campus. Likewise, the
advent of massive open online courses (MOOCs) make content from leading
universities available globally via the internet, free of charge.
Why then pay for college and university? While a MOOC course
content is free it does not include a qualification; these can be obtained for
a suitable fee. The result may be the same but the experience is not. Attending
a college or university is about more than obtaining a qualification; it is a
comprehensive education.
- Benfield. G., Ramanau, R., and Sharpe, R. 2009. Student learning technology use: preferences for study and contact. Brookes eJournal of Learning and Teaching, 2 (4). Retrieved from http://bejlt.brookes.ac.uk
- Martins, L. L., and Kellermanns, F. W. (2004). A Model of Business School Students' Acceptance of a Web-Based Course Management System. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 3(1), 7-26.
- Ngai, E., Poon, J., and Chan, Y. (2007). Empirical examination of the adoption of WebCT using TAM. Computers & Education, 48(2), 250-267.
- Van Raaij, E. M., and Schepers, J. J. (2008). The acceptance and use of a virtual learning environment in China. Computers & Education, 50(3), 838-852.
