Using your VLE to include everyone 

Some students learn quicker than others. Some are great at writing but freeze in oral assessments. And some take feedback better if it comes from a fellow student than if it comes from the teacher. Here are three simple ways you can use your virtual learning environment (VLE) to give all students a sporting chance.

Using a voice recorder to empower poor writers

At some agricultural colleges in Norway, students are set a simple task: write an essay explaining how a milking machine works. The task is designed to assess the students’ understanding of the machinery; but some students fail even though they understand the machine perfectly. Why? Because the students aren’t good at essay writing.

The solution is very simple. All the teacher has to do is give two options when creating the task in the VLE: ‘submit your answer in writing’ and ‘submit your answer as a sound or video file’. Now, students who find writing daunting can record their explanation directly in the learning environment.

See how the voice recorder works in it’s learning

Varying assignments to match your students’ abilities

Most VLEs have a fantastic, but often under-used feature. It’s possible for teachers to assign permissions for each student. What does that mean in plain English? You can create one assignment for weaker students, and a tougher assignment for students who are ready for a challenge.

For example, most question-based assignments increase in difficulty as the questions progress. Let’s say you have a 20-question assignment: you can set questions 1–10 for your weaker students, questions 5–15 for your intermediate students, and questions 10–20 for the real brain boxes. Many teachers have been doing this for years, but most VLEs allow you to create different groups of students within each course so you can assign the strongest group the toughest exercise with one click.

Helping classmates help each other

At Lutterworth College in the UK, students work within the VLE to mark each others’ assignments. According to Head of ICT Andrew Runciman, this exercise helps both weaker and stronger students progress. So, how does it work?

The teacher pairs the students up and gives them a curriculum or exam marking scheme – and grants them permission to view each other’s work in the VLE. The students are then tasked with assessing their partners work, giving constructive feedback and comments. At the end of the exercise, permission to assess work in the VLE is removed and the teacher checks the feedback and adds her own comments.

Read the case story from Lutterworth College