Relevance of VLE for AEDP

I introduced briefly the concept of blended learning in my last blog. The term ‘blended learning’ is used in multiple contexts, but in its purity it means: Learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and is based on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course--Heinze and Procter

Let’s return back to AEDP:

IMD’s AEDP(Accelarated Executive Development Program) is a blended learning program that gives you control over the time and location of your studies while also providing peer interaction through short intensive modules. – Leif M. Sjöblom

So what are ingredients for a perfect blended learning program like AEDP?

1. Flexibility of location and time: Designed for full time working professionals
2. Collaborative learning: The concept is heavily rooted in Vygotsky’s theory of ZPD(zone of proximal development). Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together.More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetry roles. Leif hinted importance of collaborative learning by mentioning peer interaction
3. Learning Materials
4. Faculty

Now IMD wants to design a perfect blended learning program, ingredient 3 and 4 are world class, how can we address 1& 2? The requirement 1 clearly rules out the feasibility of a full time traditional classroom course. Requirement 2 underlines the need for a virtual environment else flexibility of location and collaboration cannot be accommodated at the same time.

VLE comes in as solution to address the requirements of AEDP. Please refer to my blog “Path to blended Learning-Virtual Learning Environment” to learn about VLE. “Countenance” model (Stake, 1967) can be used to better understand the impact of VLE. The countenance model aims to capture the complexity of an educational innovation or change by comparing intended and observed outcomes at varying levels of operation. The congruence between the intentional and the observational accounts provides the basis for judging the success or otherwise of the innovation, whilst at the same time allowing for the recording of unintended outcomes. The experiments showed that observed outcomes were far more positive than intentional. Some positive outcomes of the studies related to VLE:
1. Improved learning experience by offering flexibility of time and place
2. Effective use of staff time
3. Increasing the reach- Internationalisation
4. Financial benefits: decrease in overall cost of education
5. Better use of space in campus



Typical components of VLE:



In terms of toolset VLE contains :
 Conferencing
 Content
 Tracking
 Assignment handling
 Assessment
 Synchronous tools
 Blogs
 Wikis
 Podcasting
 Social bookmarking
 Eportfolio

IMD’s VLE covers the full spectrum : wikis, blogs, conferencing, synchronous tools(chats), virtual blackboard etc. The VLE is packaged with all the enablers required for providing the best possible collaborative environment. I think IMD’s VLE is placed perfectly to enable the democratization of learning and run blended learning programs like AEDP smoothly. VLE introduces the participants to Web 2.0 and social networking tools and utilities. VLE tools helps not only to have a virtual classroom but also facilitates the peer learning by sharing and collaboration.

To summarize the usage of VLE has turned the learning experience upside down. Traditional courses can be summarized as : You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. With VLE enablement: You can bring a pond to a horse and hope it will dink.

Path to blended Learning-Virtual Learning Environment

The flattening of the world has led to increased usage of technologies based on www . The field of higher education is no exception, the need was to create a distributed education system- "anytime anywhere anyplace". The advent of web 2.0 technologies has satiesfied the need of "global education marketplace" for professionals, corporations and educational institutes. The culmination of efforts in this area has led to development of Virtual learning Environment(VLE) -A virtual learning environment is designed information and social space.

"A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a software system designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting, as distinct from a Managed Learning Environment, (MLE) where the focus is on management. A VLE will normally work over the Internet and provide a collection of tools such as those for assessment (particularly of types that can be marked automatically, such as multiple choice), communication, uploading of content, return of students' work, peer assessment, administration of student groups, collecting and organizing student grades, questionnaires, tracking tools, etc. New features in these systems include wikis, blogs, RSS and 3D virtual learning spaces.
While originally created for distance education, VLEs are now most often used to supplement traditional face to face classroom activities, commonly known as Blended Learning. These systems usually run on servers, to serve the course to students Multimedia and/or web pages." ---- wikipedia

While VLE was initially used for distant learning now it has expanded its scope to supplement face-2-face classroom-Blended Learning.