Impact of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) on Students’ Learning Experience

Module Aim

1. To improve students’ digital skills within the workplace.

2. To develop awareness of the importance of effective analysis of information and its translation into knowledge.

Upon the successful completion of this module, the student will be able to:

1. Evaluate the appropriate use of contemporary techniques to improve workplace efficiency and employability.

2. Identify and effectively evaluate a range of information sources.

3. Show a competence in workplace data handling.

Report (2000 words)

Produce a research report on the impact of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – Moodle on students’ learning experience at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David London Campus.

You are required to collect and analyse both primary and secondary data as part of the research. In class (face to face and online), each student has to develop a questionnaire on the above topic, which should be used as a primary data collection tool. You then need to use that questionnaire to conduct a survey. If you are attending classes online, you have an option to conduct your survey online to collect primary data for this report. You are then required to present their survey results in an excel table to generate graphs.

Research of published material on the topic of the impact of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) on students’ learning experience in general should be gathered and analysed as a secondary data collection tool. Finally, a conclusion should be provided from the analysis of both primary and secondary data. You are also advised to provide in-text citations and references as per the Harvard referencing style.

1. Engagement with Literature Skills

Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to-date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable referencing system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of your work.

We expect to see good use of Harvard Referencing from you that points to third parties agreeing or disagreeing with the argument you are making. We expect to see between 7-10 references, with at least 2 coming from the books/e-books on the Online Resources List for the module.

2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

At level 4, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated with your area(s) of study. Knowledge relates to the facts, information, and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.

3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

Learning Outcomes

You should be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of your subject(s) of study. You should be able to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems related to your area(s) of study and/or work. Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At what cost? You should provide justification for your arguments and judgements using evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area and that you are able to make sound judgements and arguments using data and concepts. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.

Here we are looking at your ability to apply the theories and the concepts of your subject into practice. Your writing should reflect your analytical and logical thinking. The way you think should be clear to your audience through your writing. Read your work after you have written it. Get someone else to read it as well. Does your writing make sense to others? Try not to use words you do not understand. If you need to use “big” words, make sure you know what they mean.

4. Practical Skills

At level 4, you should be able to apply the basic underlying concepts and principles to evaluate and interpret these within the context of your area of study. You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real-world artefacts, examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others based on stated criteria.

Guidance specific to this assessment:

Here, we are looking at whether you can collect data of your own and compare it with data you have found elsewhere. One way you could do this is to find a survey that exists already and develop your own way of testing it. You need to show the marker that you have an ability to analyse your primary data as well as your secondary data and then compare your findings with the secondary findings.

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. This includes demonstrating: that you can communicate the results of your study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments; that you can initiate and complete tasks and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively; fluency of expression; clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in presentation and organisation.