Virtual Learning Environments: e-portfolio

08 Jan 2013 Ofsted

Ref: 120361

Introduction 

This suite of materials on Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) reflects what we have been seeing on inspection, or as the result of visits and research, and offers resources and ideas for those looking to improve their Virtual Learning Environments.

Watch the welcome message:

and find out more in the Ofsted VLE portfolio introduction (ppt 9.4MB) – open in slide show mode to hear the narration.

The portfolio offers the following resources – you can download each individually, or save a zip file containing all the resources. All files can be found under 'Available downloads' below.

Section 1: case studies

To provide ideas or inspiration we offer a selection of case studies of providers that have, in our judgement, been using virtual learning environments well.

Section 2: learners' views

You can see results of the Youth Sight survey commissioned by Ofsted to show what learners, in a variety of settings, think about working on a Virtual Learning Environment. This may augment your own findings.

Section 3: from the reports

This section has two documents, covering learning and skills inspections in 2010/11 and 2011/12, where we have extracted references to Virtual Learning Environments and associated aspects so that you can see what has excited or concerned inspectors.

Section 4: links to other resources

A list of links to resources, mainly web-based, that may be of use in developing a Virtual Learning Environment. These have been recommended by providers, or are ones that we have found.

Section 5: have your say – and help out the VLE community 

We hope these resources will give people who are interested in virtual learning environments some ideas or inspiration as to how they might improve their facilities.

However, we appreciate that this is only a very limited review of what is going on or is available. Having this in mind, we would be delighted to receive ideas and input from you, which could take the form of:

• links to new resources, applications, software, or hardware you have been using – we will use them to update our links document
• comments on what has worked well for you or your institution; or feedback from learners
• pictures/screenshots of some useful approach.

We looked at the various ways of doing this – bulletin board, social networking site, forum, wiki – but decided that we would start small and sensible with something we could easily and cheaply manage. Therefore, if you have any input that you would like to share with us please email it to vle@ofsted.gov.uk – comments will be published here when we update the resources.

Section 6: Ofsted good practice

A resource that allows you to access previously published Ofsted Good Practice Reports that have a link with Virtual Learning Environments.

Available downloads

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