Virtual Learning Environments, Blended Learning

and Teacher Intervention

Dr Nathalie V. TICHELER
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
n.ticheler@westminster.ac.uk http://ticheler.blogspot.com @nvticheler

Background information
Topic: Students engagement with a Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard)
for Blended Learning and elementary French

Setting: new university in the United Kingdom

Rationale: institutional policies, practitioner research, reflective practice, student
feedback, lack of data on students behaviour and attitude, staff development

Doctoral thesis (more information available on http://ticheler.blogspot.com)

Research context
Professional, organisational,
national and theoretical
(Plowright 2011)
Precarious situation of languages
in the UK
(Kelly 2008; Worton 2009)
Promotion of elearning
(HEFCE 10-year strategy for
elearning launched in 2005 and
revised in 2009)
Institutional policies (elearning,
blended learning, teaching and
learning (2010 & 2011)
Need to know more about students
attitude, behaviour and engagement
(Mayes 2009; Garrison 2011)
Homo sapiens digital (Prensky 2011)
Normalisation of technologies
(Bax 2011)
Notion of student autonomy
(Little 2011)
Something about courses at the
targeted university
Gillespies triangle (2012)
Institution
Lecturers
Students
Research set-up
Focus on the students voice
and their experience

Vygotskian perspective

Practitioner research
96 questionnaires

6 follow-up interviews

Other data collection tools

Interaction between researcher
and participants
Findings
Over 75% of students describe
Blackboard as easy to use,
convenient and useful

Nearly 70% are satisfied with the
layout and nearly 80% are satisfied
with the contents

Nearly 90% report a high level of
confidence in their use of
Blackboard. However.

Interview data and their response to
open questions indicate they also
want to be guided by the teachers

Differences in students attitude and
behaviour are noted in the statistical
treatment of data when it is considered
in connection with the various tutors

Some lack of awareness of the
provision of materials and how to
exploit them

A perceived lack of knowledge of how
to use communication tools

A minority of students report
alternatives learning preferences


Recommendations
Student digital literacy
(Conole et al 2006; Sharpe et al
2009)

Transferability of digital skills for
formal learning purposes
(Haythornthwaite 2007; Tammelin
et al 2008; Ellis & Goodyear 2010)

Careful induction of staff and
students (time and training)

Streamlined and relevant provision
Integration of VLE to daily routine
of the course (inside and outside
the classroom (Bax 2011)

Providing training and guidance to
students in a scaffolded manner,
evolution of pedagogical practices
(Tammelin et al 2008;
Wise & ONeill 2009; Oliver 2006)

Examples of uses and activities