Virtual Learning Environment - Essay Example

There are various advantages associated with the use of ILT and the VLE as educational learning supporting tools. Accessibility is one such advantage associated with the use of VLE, mainly for students with special needs, and for those of part time and distance learning (Herman, 2004 p120). Since the tools associated with the VLE can be accessed from any point by the students, it allows tutors to address their students through channels such as videos, voice and sounds as well as pictures. Thus, this creates conveniences for students who cannot present themselves to class due to various reasons.

Students with special needs who may have difficulties attending to such classes can sit at the convenience of their rooms and access the lesson from there. Better, is the convenience created for the distance-learning students who may not be able to travel to a certain country to access the education program but can easily access it from their mother countries through VLE. Part time students can also attend to the lessons at their convenient time, since they may not be able to present themselves during the class time, as they may be occupied with their jobs or other activities (Herman, 2004 p133).

VLE is also beneficial to students who are slow learners, since it allows them to repeat the lessons taught later on, at their own pace, so they can understand better. The other advantage associated with VLE is the interactivity it provides the parties involved in the learning process. There is a great deal of interactivity between the students and their teachers, which involves instant feedbacks given to the questions asked by the students to their teachers. The teacher can easily access the progress of the student and thus correct them instantly on the mistakes they make in the process of undertaking their assignment, as there is no time lag between the presentation of the assignment and the marking (Herman, 2004 p125).

VLE affords an opportunity for students to undertake their learning activities in a self-directed manner, thus allowing them to understand and synthesize all the details in a particular lesson. The other element of interactivity created by VLE is the customization of the learning process and activities, whereby the students learning process are individualized, enhancing their understanding of the content of the lessons taught (Herman, 2004 p118). Since the students are involved in the actual undertaking of the activities as prescribed in the VLE learning guide, they happen to understand the content better.

Communication is a great advantage provided by VLE as a learning tool. Such facilities as the bulletin boards as provided by this tool serves to enhance the communication between the student and the tutor. This facility can be utilized as a means of evaluating the sources that the students can refer to regarding the lessons and topic they are learning (Herman, 2004 p130). This facility is an effective communication tool for distance learning, by offering real time communication. Communication is also enhanced through group work, which is a vital and relevant part of learning for students.

More important is the alerts that this facility allows the students, notifying them when the teacher is available to address their issues (Herman, 2004 p119). Communication is enhanced through a structured program thus affording the students an opportunity to undertake revision throughout the