VLE Session

Welcome

Beyond the Screen: Transforming VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIROMENT to Cultivate Student Engagement

LiverpoolHopeUniversity

hope.ac.uk

Goals of the session

• Understanding the University’s Virtual Learning Environment Framework.
• Reflect on student engagement and sense of belonging in Virtual Learning Environment.

Content

1.

University's VLE framework

2.

Course Design

3.

Interaction and Collaboration

4.

Assessment

5.

Learner Support

6.

Reflect on Student Engagement and Sense of Belonging

9.

Q&A

8.

Action Plan

7.

Conclusions

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About the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) framework

2013

University’s VLEframework

2020

Global Crisis

2023

Adjust VLE framework

Learning & teaching committee heads

IT

The Students' Union

The library

Student Support and Wellbeing

The VLE framework should be open to feedback from academic staff at all levels

This is an ongoing process.

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An invitation for feedback has been sent to the following departments/staff:

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The framework will be presented at Learning and Teaching day on May 13th, 2024, to ensure maximum exposure and familiarization for staff preparing for the upcoming academic year.

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The framework consist of four main areas

These areas are divided in subsections.

Course Design

Course structure, learning objectives, content organization, and instructional strategies.

Interaction & Collaboration

Type and quantity of interaction and collaboration within an online environment.

Assessment

Quality and type of student assessments within the course.

LearnerSupport

Support resources available to students enrolled in the course.

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INTERACTIVEQUIZ

Course Design

An overview

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Goals and Objectives

• Easily located within the course.
• Clearly written at the appropriate level & reflect desired outcomes

Content Presentation

• Segmented content for manageability
• Intuitive navigation
• Comprehensive topic introductions
• Consistent use of headings, subtitles, and file names.
• Clear descriptions for content & activities
• Varied presentation mechanisms for content
• Incorporation of visual and auditory elements
• Accessibility of all materials and descriptive URL links

Learner Engagement

• Activities and resources on Moodle are designed to assist students.
• Guidance for learners on how to engage with content.

Technology Use

• Tools available within Moodle
• Links to needed resources

• Use Panopto to host video content.

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Best practice: Make use of materials with a variety of modes

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Best practice: Foster a feeling of belonging among learners (student community)

Interaction& Collaboration

An overview

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Interaction and Collaboration can take many forms

The framework’s criteria place emphasis on the type and amount of interaction and collaboration within an online environment

Communication Strategies

• Asynchronous communication strategies promote critical reflection.
• Synchronous communication activities benefit from real-time interactions.

Development of Learning Community

• Communication activities.
• Student-to-student interactions.
• Collaboration activities.
• Open discussions.

Interaction Logistics

• Clarity on Expected Participation Levels
• Grading Criteria Document
• Transparent Expectations for Non-Evaluated Contributions
• Offering Constructive Input to Students
• Communication of Course Updates.

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Best practice: Public feedback

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Best practice: teamwork technique (breakout rooms)

Assessment

An overview

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AssesmentDesign

• Clarity in activity descriptions
• Creating realistic assessments for transferable skills
• Frequent integration of assessment activities
• Transparent processes for collecting and returning work
• Constructive self-assessments with meaningful feedback

It involves course activities that evaluate students’ progress towards achieving learning outcomes, offer feedback to students and instructors, and facilitate grade assignment.

Expectations

• Assessments align with the goals specified in the course
• Learners are directed to objective(s) for each assessment
• Rubrics are provided.
• Instructions are written clearly
• Communicate the importance of submission, deadlines, and feedback dates.

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Best practice: Interactive assessment

LearnerSupport

An overview

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Orientation to Course & LMS

Learner support resources address a variety of student services.

Supportive Software (Plug-ins)

Course Policies & Support

Technical Accessibility Issues

Accommodations for Disabilities

Lecturer Role & Information

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Best practice: Student moderator selected at random to assist the teacher

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Think about student engagement

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goQ5oz3WI7Y

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Student engagement in VLE refers to the degree to which students are actively participating in their learning experience.

This includes both how they behave and how they think, such as how much time and energy they commit to their assignments, how well they communicate with their classmates and teachers, and how much they understand and remember from the course content.

Student Engagement in VLE

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXv00Lz4F3k

Watch 1:39 to 3:46 min

Think about sense of belonging in VLE

How do you design and facilitate online activities that promote social interaction and collaboration among your learners?

Think about sense of belonging in VLE

How do you incorporate and showcase the relevance of your subject matter and teaching methods in the VLE to motivate and inspire your learners?

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Conclusion

The session on VLE development has provided us with valuable tools to transform our online courses. By prioritizing student engagement and a sense of belonging, we embark on a path that not only enriches learning experiences but also strengthens the bonds within our virtual academic community.

'The work of education is divided between the teacher and the environment'

- Maria Montessori

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Action Plan

Next Steps

Crafting an action plan ensures tangible implementation. Let's collectively elevate our courses, making a lasting impact on the academic journey.

1.

Reflection and Assessment

2.

Prioritize Areas for Improvement

3.

Set Achievable Goals

5.

Integrate Collaborative Tools

4.

Explore New Engagement Strategies

Any questions?

• You can also send us an email at administration@hope.ac.uk
• Visit our website at https://www.hope.ac.uk/

Thanks for your attention

Christeen Cjahua

Kim, M. K., & Kim, S. M. (2020). Dynamic learner engagement in a wiki-enhanced writing course. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 32, 582-606.Kennedy, G. (2020). What is student engagement in online learning… and how do I know when it is there. Melbourne CSHE discussion papers, 1-6.Luo, N., Li, H., Zhao, L., Wu, Z., & Zhang, J. (2022). Promoting student engagement in online learning through harmonious classroom environment. The Asia-Pacific EducationBedi, A. (2023). Keep Learning Student Engagement in an Online Environment. Online Learning, 27(2), 119-136.

References

• Transparent information on course software, including costs.
• Listing required software with installation links.
• Strategically placed links for software usage.

Guideline: Establish clear and achievable goals based on the identified areas for improvement.Action: Define specific, measurable objectives for each aspect you plan to enhance in your courses.

3.

Set Achievable Goals

Guideline: Experiment with different engagement strategies discussed in the training session.Action: Choose at least one new strategy to implement in your courses and outline how it will be incorporated.

4.

Explore New Engagement Strategies

Go further:

• Explore principles of Universal Design for Learning
• Use Moodle accessibility tools to identify common accessibility issues
• Check and update old documents

• Inclusive mechanisms enabling full participation for learners with disabilities.
• Incorporating accessibility in content design and delivery.
• Accessible information on institutional support for disabilities
• Design elements, including color choices, text sizing, audio and video controls, and alternative tags, embody considerations for universal accessibility

• Clearly labelled tutorial materials (eg videos)
• Seamless navigation within and beyond the course
• Fostering Learning through Audio, Visual, and Text Modalities.

1.

Reflection and Assessment

Guideline:. Begin by reflecting on the key insights gained from the training session. Action: Identify aspects of your current courses that may benefit from enhancements related to student engagement and a sense of belonging.

• Ensuring accessibility through standardized formats in course materials
• Inclusive approach to software requirements
• Efficient file management
• Providing compact alternatives
• Optimizing multimedia delivery (e.g. Panopto)

Go further: Create a course FAQ with a forum where students can ask you questions

• Accessible and diverse contact information for lecturers/tutors.
• Inclusion of anticipated e-mail response time.
• Clear explanation of lecturer/tutor responsibilities in the course

1.

Prioritize Areas for Improvement

Guideline:. Prioritize specific areas or aspects in your courses that align with the training's focus.Action: List the key elements you believe will have the most significant impact on student engagement and belonging.

Guideline: Explore tools that promote collaboration and interaction among students.Action: Explore tools that promote collaboration and interaction among students.

5.

Integrate Collaborative Tools

• Identified links to institutional resources for student success
• Effortless navigation and clear policies
• Convenient access to institutional services