[Advisory] RE: Virtual Learning 2
Roger Broadie
Roger@BroadieAssociates.co.uk
Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:42:05 +0000
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Hi Neil,
A safe, focused and scaffolded online environment for pupils, teachers =20=
and all others who engage in supporting schools and the learning of =20
pupils (and teachers!).
There is an interesting debate that has been progressing on the JISC =20
VLE list (mainly populated by FE colleges) as to whether the VLE is =20
dead - as the Internet offers many of the tools found in VLEs.
I reckon that the school/college VLE (or whatever you call it) is a =20
route to using the Internet as VLE. Really mature learners (not many =20
teachers!) know how they want to focus and design their online =20
environment and can find and use available tools to do it.
Schools should be in the business of guiding young people into =20
learning and helping them to appreciate how they would like their =20
online worlds to work. - and progressively helping them launch =20
themselves into use of the Internet. There is also a major issue for =20
schools about engaging young people with their community of learning =20
and all the activities and opportunities it provides, and here the =20
online platform also has a major role to play.
Interestingly, we are also coming across similar needs in the =20
commercial sector. Though many employees are happily using what the =20
Internet provides, for fun, work or learning, there is increasing =20
concern to use company intranets to engage employees and to focus =20
their attention on the priorities of the business and the systems they =20=
need their staff and customers to interact with. Which essentially =20
means employee engagement and closed (more focused) social networking =20=
platforms.
Roger.
On 25 Nov 2009, at 10:17, Neil Adam wrote:
> Hi Paul
>
> Sounds to me you are talking about collaboration/publication and a =20
> range of learning tools, most of which are not necessarily part of a =20=
> VLE - certainly they don't require a VLE to manage them. The tools =20
> may be "virtual", but without the need to feed back assessment data =20=
> or manage formally constructed courses (which doesn't appear to be =20
> what you are talking about), I'm not sure what your definition of a =20=
> VLE is.
>
> Perhaps it is a safe environment for teachers?
>
> Regards
>
> Neil
>
>
> At 23:08 24/11/2009, Paul Vale Vale wrote:
>> Having looked at on-line communities within VLEs my feeling is that =20=
>> it is very much how they are used which is the key.
>>
>> As with Interactive Whiteboards, VLEs are not going to replace =20
>> teachers. However, I do feel they have huge latent potential.
>>
>> I have used a variety of on-line environments with students and =20
>> perhaps the most important aspect for me has been to develop what I =20=
>> would describe as the principles of e-facilitation - ie. why I am =20
>> doing what I am doing - and agreeing those principles with =20
>> headteacher, governors, LA etc., and then go about 'teaching' =20
>> certain aspects - such as basic ground rules starting with meetings =20=
>> with parents and their children and running through parental/=20
>> teacher/student responsibilities and general principles of e-safety =20=
>> as well as including:
>>
>> * how to address people on-line (ie. what is and what is not =20
>> acceptable)
>> * how to behave on-line - which would include inappropriate and/or =20=
>> bad and/or abusive language
>> * how important it is to read and comment constructively about =20
>> other people's comments (for example, writing something critical =20
>> without being negative!)
>> * being aware that street talk is or is not allowed in certain =20
>> environments
>>
>> .... in order to encourage every student (including students who =20
>> are either very bright, least able, or disaffected or just quiet) =20
>> to think carefully about what they write - yet feel comfortable and =20=
>> confident about writing what they think within a 'critical =20
>> community'.
>>
>> Interestingly I often see teachers (as much as students) struggling =20=
>> to develop their own e-facilitation skills to begin with. For =20
>> example for a teacher to tell a student their work is good or =20
>> excellent is not enough and it can be quite difficult to phrase =20
>> good comments without sounding patronising. Equally difficult is to =20=
>> encourage students to expand their ideas into good sentences =20
>> without putting them off writing in a 'public', albeit closed, forum.
>>
>> I have been privileged to work alongside some brilliant teachers =20
>> who have used their VLE to engage inspire and excite students who =20
>> had previously been disaffected - as well as eliciting brilliant =20
>> work from students with a positive attitude to learning.
>>
>> However, what for me has been even better, has been to show =20
>> teachers the potential of the equipment they have at their =20
>> fingertips - more often working 1-1 - or with a couple of =20
>> colleagues, and as with children see the spark in their eyes when =20
>> they suddenly realise they can use their IWB or VLE to work for =20
>> them and inspire their children in ways I hadn't even contemplated! =20=
>> With increasing confidence many of those teachers are using their =20
>> virtual environments for out of school, often fun activities which =20=
>> enhance their curriculum. Such activities include:
>>
>> * setting up forums for students where their contributions are =20
>> graded as an addition to their course work
>> * setting up 'hot seats' where a teacher poses as a person in =20
>> history (eg. a first world war soldier) and students have to pose =20
>> questions as to what life was like in the trenches prior to writing =20=
>> an essay about it)
>> * setting up YouTube videos for students to share at home with =20
>> family friends
>> * setting up podcasts for students to watch, listen and remind =20
>> themselves how to construct models, carry out experiments etc
>>
>> Thus I would have to say that as long as there is appropriate and =20
>> skilled support from teachers/trainers for teachers the idea of =20
>> extending VLEs to reach students and/or even adults there is great =20=
>> potential value in developing virtual environments to enhance both =20=
>> teaching and learning.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>>
>> From: P.Twining <P.Twining@open.ac.uk>
>> To: Ray Tolley <rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk>; "secondary@talk.naace.org" =20=
>> <secondary@talk.naace.org>
>> Cc: Mal Lee <mal.lee@netspeed.com.au>; "advisory@talk.naace.org" =
<advisory@talk.naace.org=20
>> >
>> Sent: Tue, 24 November, 2009 7:04:14
>> Subject: [Advisory] RE: Virtual Learning 2
>>
>> We need to bear in mind that for many (maybe even most) families =20
>> home schooling is problematic because of the supervision elements =96 =
=20
>> parents need to go out to work. This is likely to limit the take up =20=
>> of =E2=80=98pure Virtual Learning=E2=80=99 =E2=80=93 cos we still =
need the custodial =20
>> element that school provides.
>>
>>
>>
>> Having said that, my personal view is that there is a great deal of =20=
>> scope for complementary or extra-curricula VL provision (there is =20
>> already quite a large market for face to face, one to one, personal =20=
>> tutors outside school time).
>>
>>
>>
>> Lots of interesting challenges here - but I suspect that gathering =20=
>> children together in physical locations so that they can be =20
>> supervised, even if they are then studying online, is always going =20=
>> to be an important element of our education system.
>>
>>
>>
>> PeterT
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Ray Tolley [ mailto:rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk]
>> Sent: 18 November 2009 09:53
>> To: advisory@talk.naace.org; secondary@talk.naace.org
>> Cc: 'P.Twining'; 'Mal Lee'
>> Subject: Virtual Learning 2
>>
>>
>>
>> There appears to be a growing demand for on-line or Virtual =20
>> Learning (VL) not only in adult education but also for K-12 if the =20=
>> following article is to be believed:
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=3D61825
>>
>>
>>
>> Thus my question is, =E2=80=98Is there any guidance for families =
about on-=20
>> line learning in the UK?=E2=80=99 We know that children do not have =
to =20
>> go to a conventional school if adequate home-schooling is =20
>> provided. It just seems to me that there could very well be an =20
>> explosion in VL if the Home-Access Programme enables more families =20=
>> to get on line =96 even if NOT communicating with their =20
>> neighbbourhood school.
>>
>>
>>
>> Further questions become obvious: Are there on-line courses =20
>> similar to INGOTS but for other subject areas? Are the Home-=20
>> schooling support groups ready for VL? Does NAACE or Vital see a =20
>> role for extra-curricula VL advice/support?
>>
>>
>>
>> BW
>>
>>
>>
>> Ray Tolley FEIDCT, NAACE Fellow, MBILD
>> ICT Education Consultant
>> Maximise ICT Ltd
>> P: http://raytolley.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/
>>
>> B: http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/
>> W: http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm
>> Winner of the IMS 'Leadership Regional Award 2009'
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), =20
>> an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in =20
>> Scotland (SC 038302).
>
> Neil Adam
> Beacon ICT
> Twitter: NeilAdam
> www.beaconict.co.uk
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 122 Beacon Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 3DQ
> Mobile 07720 288540
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Please note: Emails and documents sent from this computer are =20
> continually checked for viruses using a recently updated version of =20=
> Norton AntiVirus. Nevertheless, recipients should always ensure that =20=
> their computers are adequately protected.
>
> This email and any attachments are intended only for those in the =20
> address list above. If it has come to you by mistake, please let me =20=
> know, delete the message and any attachments, and please do not =20
> forward the material to anyone else.
>
Roger Broadie
Broadie Associates Ltd
Business Development Director
Frogtrade
http://www.frogtrade.com
01 422 250800=
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hi Neil,</div><div><br></div><div>A =
safe, focused and scaffolded online environment for pupils, teachers and =
all others who engage in supporting schools and the learning of pupils =
(and teachers!).</div><div><br></div><div>There is an interesting debate =
that has been progressing on the JISC VLE list (mainly populated by FE =
colleges) as to whether the VLE is dead - as the Internet offers many of =
the tools found in VLEs.</div><div><br></div><div>I reckon that the =
school/college VLE (or whatever you call it) is a route to using the =
Internet as VLE. Really mature learners (not many teachers!) know how =
they want to focus and design their online environment and can find and =
use available tools to do it. </div><div><br></div><div>Schools =
should be in the business of guiding young people into learning and =
helping them to appreciate how they would like their online worlds to =
work. - and progressively helping them launch themselves into use of the =
Internet. There is also a major issue for schools about engaging young =
people with their community of learning and all the activities and =
opportunities it provides, and here the online platform also has a major =
role to play.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Interestingly, we =
are also coming across similar needs in the commercial sector. Though =
many employees are happily using what the Internet provides, for fun, =
work or learning, there is increasing concern to use company intranets =
to engage employees and to focus their attention on the priorities of =
the business and the systems they need their staff and customers to =
interact with. Which essentially means employee engagement and closed =
(more focused) social networking =
platforms.</div><div><br></div><div>Roger.</div><div><br></div><div><br></=
div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><div><div>On 25 Nov 2009, at =
10:17, Neil Adam wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div> =
<font size=3D"3">Hi Paul<br><br> Sounds to me you are talking about =
collaboration/publication and a range of learning tools, most of which =
are not necessarily part of a VLE - certainly they don't require a VLE =
to manage them. The tools may be "virtual", but without the need to feed =
back assessment data or manage formally constructed courses (which =
doesn't appear to be what you are talking about), I'm not sure what your =
definition of a VLE is.<br><br> Perhaps it is a safe environment for =
teachers?<br><br> Regards<br><br> Neil<br><br> <br> At 23:08 24/11/2009, =
Paul Vale Vale wrote:<br> </font><blockquote type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite" =
cite=3D""><font size=3D"3">Having looked at on-line communities within =
VLEs my feeling is that it is very much how they are used which is the =
key.<br><br> As with Interactive Whiteboards, VLEs are not going to =
replace teachers. However, I do feel they have huge latent potential. =
<br><br> I have used a variety of on-line environments with students and =
perhaps the most important aspect for me has been to develop what I =
would describe as the principles of e-facilitation - ie. why I am doing =
what I am doing - and agreeing those principles with headteacher, =
governors, LA etc., and then go about 'teaching' certain aspects - such =
as basic ground rules starting with meetings with parents and their =
children and running through parental/teacher/student responsibilities =
and general principles of e-safety as well as including:<br><br> * how =
to address people on-line (ie. what is and what is not acceptable)<br> * =
how to behave on-line - which would include inappropriate and/or bad =
and/or abusive language<br> * how important it is to read and comment =
constructively about other people's comments (for example, writing =
something critical without being negative!)<br> * being aware that =
street talk is or is not allowed in certain environments<br><br> .... in =
order to encourage every student (including students who are either very =
bright, least able, or disaffected or just quiet) to think carefully =
about what they write - yet feel comfortable and confident about writing =
what they think within a 'critical community'. <br><br> Interestingly I =
often see teachers (as much as students) struggling to develop their own =
e-facilitation skills to begin with. For example for a teacher to tell a =
student their work is good or excellent is not enough and it can be =
quite difficult to phrase good comments without sounding patronising. =
Equally difficult is to encourage students to expand their ideas into =
good sentences without putting them off writing in a 'public', albeit =
closed, forum.<br><br> I have been privileged to work alongside some =
brilliant teachers who have used their VLE to engage inspire and excite =
students who had previously been disaffected - as well as eliciting =
brilliant work from students with a positive attitude to learning. =
<br><br> However, what for me has been even better, has been to show =
teachers the potential of the equipment they have at their fingertips - =
more often working 1-1 - or with a couple of colleagues, and as with =
children see the spark in their eyes when they suddenly realise they can =
use their IWB or VLE to work for them and inspire their children in ways =
I hadn't even contemplated! With increasing confidence many of those =
teachers are using their virtual environments for out of school, often =
fun activities which enhance their curriculum. Such activities =
include:<br><br> * setting up forums for students where their =
contributions are graded as an addition to their course work <br> * =
setting up 'hot seats' where a teacher poses as a person in history (eg. =
a first world war soldier) and students have to pose questions as to =
what life was like in the trenches prior to writing an essay about =
it)<br> * setting up YouTube videos for students to share at home with =
family friends<br> * setting up podcasts for students to watch, listen =
and remind themselves how to construct models, carry out experiments =
etc<br><br> Thus I would have to say that as long as there is =
appropriate and skilled support from teachers/trainers for teachers the =
idea of extending VLEs to reach students and/or even adults there is =
great potential value in developing virtual environments to enhance both =
teaching and learning.<br><br> Paul<br><br> <br> </font><font =
face=3D"Tahoma" size=3D"2"><b>From:</b> P.Twining <<a =
href=3D"mailto:P.Twining@open.ac.uk">P.Twining@open.ac.uk</a>><br> =
<b>To:</b> Ray Tolley <<a =
href=3D"mailto:rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk">rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk</a>>; =
"<a href=3D"mailto:secondary@talk.naace.org">secondary@talk.naace.org</a>"=
<<a =
href=3D"mailto:secondary@talk.naace.org">secondary@talk.naace.org</a>><=
br> <b>Cc:</b> Mal Lee <<a =
href=3D"mailto:mal.lee@netspeed.com.au">mal.lee@netspeed.com.au</a>>; =
"<a href=3D"mailto:advisory@talk.naace.org">advisory@talk.naace.org</a>" =
<<a =
href=3D"mailto:advisory@talk.naace.org">advisory@talk.naace.org</a>><br=
> <b>Sent:</b> Tue, 24 November, 2009 7:04:14<br> <b>Subject:</b> =
[Advisory] RE: Virtual Learning 2<br> </font><font size=3D"3"><br> We =
need to bear in mind that for many (maybe even most) families home =
schooling is problematic because of the supervision elements =96 parents =
need to go out to work. This is likely to limit the take up of =E2=80=98pu=
re Virtual Learning=E2=80=99 =E2=80=93 cos we still need the custodial =
element that school provides.<br><br> <br><br> Having said that, =
my personal view is that there is a great deal of scope for =
complementary or extra-curricula VL provision (there is already quite a =
large market for face to face, one to one, personal tutors outside =
school time). <br><br> <br><br> Lots of interesting challenges =
here - but I suspect that gathering children together in physical =
locations so that they can be supervised, even if they are then studying =
online, is always going to be an important element of our education =
system. <br><br> <br><br> PeterT<br><br> <br><br> =
<b>From:</b> Ray Tolley [<a href=3D"mailto:rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk" =
eudora=3D"autourl"> mailto:rjt@maximise-ict.co.uk</a>] <br> <b>Sent:</b> =
18 November 2009 09:53<br> <b>To:</b> <a =
href=3D"mailto:advisory@talk.naace.org">advisory@talk.naace.org</a>; <a =
href=3D"mailto:secondary@talk.naace.org">secondary@talk.naace.org</a><br> =
<b>Cc:</b> 'P.Twining'; 'Mal Lee'<br> <b>Subject:</b> Virtual Learning =
2<br><br> <br><br> There appears to be a growing demand for =
on-line or Virtual Learning (VL) not only in adult education but also =
for K-12 if the following article is to be believed:<br><br> =
<br><br> <a =
href=3D"http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=3D61825"> =
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=3D61825</a><br><br> =
<br><br> Thus my question is, =E2=80=98<i>Is there any guidance =
for families about on-line learning in the UK?=E2=80=99</i> =
We know that children do not have to go to a conventional school if =
adequate home-schooling is provided. It just seems to me that =
there could very well be an explosion in VL if the Home-Access Programme =
enables more families to get on line =96 even if NOT communicating with =
their neighbbourhood school.<br><br> <br><br> Further questions =
become obvious: Are there on-line courses similar to INGOTS but =
for other subject areas? Are the Home-schooling support groups =
ready for VL? Does NAACE or Vital see a role for extra-curricula =
VL advice/support?<br><br> <br><br> BW<br><br> <br><br> Ray =
Tolley FEIDCT, NAACE Fellow, MBILD<br> ICT Education =
Consultant<br> Maximise ICT Ltd<br> P: <a =
href=3D"http://raytolley.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/"> =
http://raytolley.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/</a><br><br> B: <a =
href=3D"http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/"> =
http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/</a><br> W: <a =
href=3D"http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm"> =
http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm</a><br> Winner of the IMS =
'Leadership Regional Award 2009'<br><br> <br><br> <hr> =
</font><font size=3D"3" color=3D"#808080"><br> The Open University is =
incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England =
& Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).<br> =
</font><font size=3D"3"></font></blockquote><font size=3D"3"> =
<x-sigsep></x-sigsep></font><p><font size=3D"3"> <br> Neil Adam<br> =
Beacon ICT<br> Twitter: NeilAdam<br> <a =
href=3D"http://www.beaconict.co.uk/" eudora=3D"autourl"> =
www.beaconict.co.uk</a> <br><br> =
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br> 122 =
Beacon Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 3DQ<br> Mobile 07720 288540<br> =
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br> =
Please note: Emails and documents sent from this computer are =
continually checked for viruses using a recently updated version of =
Norton AntiVirus. Nevertheless, recipients should always ensure that =
their computers are adequately protected.<br><br> This email and any =
attachments are intended only for those in the address list above. If it =
has come to you by mistake, please let me know, delete the message and =
any attachments, and please do not forward the material to anyone else. =
</font></p></div> </blockquote></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Roger =
Broadie<div>Broadie Associates Ltd</div><div><br></div><div>Business =
Development Director</div><div>Frogtrade</div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.frogtrade.com">http://www.frogtrade.com</a></div><div>0=
1 422 250800</div></body></html>=
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