Template:Virtual Learning Environments/Objectives
Vision
The Vision of the 'Virtual School' Program of the Noolaham Foundation is to create open, free, accessible, self-organizing virtual learning environments for the Sri Lankan Tamil speaking students and educators.
Objectives
The aim of the project is to create open, free, accessible, self-organizing virtual learning environments for the Sri Lankan Tamil speaking to students and educators. The project will be divided into several phases each phase building on the previous and reaching out to more people. The technical complexity, capability and costs will also increase.
The first phase of the project is to immediately bring mostly text based educational resources to online and make it accessible to students. This phase involves an outreach and engagement phase to inform the students of how to use the resources.
The second phase is to build a more comprehensive virtual learning environment or classroom. Students will be able to supplement or completely learn courses online. Video lectures, self – assessment tools, collaboration tools and online based educational tools such as simulations are some key features of such a learning environment.
The third phase is to build a robust self-sustaining online social learning community where student to student, student to teacher, teacher to teacher interactions will happen seamlessly. The diaspora can co-learn and collaborate with students and teachers in Sri Lanka.
Phases
1. Virtual educational resources (curriculum, text books, notes, assignments/exercises/labs, quizzes/tests, teaching guides)
It is vital to have a reference library for any learning environments. This motivates the need of a digital library for VLE. Digital library has to be capable of providing much information/reference to a student. Thus, it decides an aim of large content providing. To manipulate contents easily, they are organized based on each subject of each grade. Digital library contents for each subject are publications by Education Department of SriLanka (syllabus, teacher's guide, textbooks) and model/past exam papers. This digital library for VLE is accessible for all who connects through internet. There are no privileges restrictions.
2. Virtual learning management systems (courses, video/multi media, animations, dynamic tools, collaboration tools, assessment, administration)
There are different technologies, methodologies and tools to implement virtual learning environments. But, selecting an appropriate and sustainable way to produce our virtual learning environments is more important to achieve our ultimate aim. Usual aspects, which constructs a VLE, are question banks, video lectures, explanations through animations, online testing or experimenting tools. There has no boundary to confine this as it evolves by time. Once a new trend or tool is identified, that will be included. More or less a student should feel a classroom environment virtually.
3. Social learning systems (self sustaining co-learning, collaborating, co-creating learning communities)
A student feel comfortable with his/her learning as there occurs useful interactions. Peer-to-peer learning and social collaborative learning form this environments. Peer-to-peer learning happens through peer evaluation and peer knowledge supporting. This captures a particular area of virtual learning. Obviously, Virtual peer-to-peer learning is more efficient as peers are self-motivated. Forums connect students, teachers and scholars at one place to share their knowledge. This creates an environment where information/knowledge passes through different communities and not kept with individuals.
