The Affordances of Virtual Learning Environments in Remote Chemistry Learning

The Affordances of Virtual Learning Environments in Remote Chemistry Learning

Mafor Penn, Umesh Ramnarain
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 18
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-6932-3.ch005
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Abstract

Today, virtual learning environments (VLEs) are increasingly valuable for mediating teaching and learning in higher education. This chapter reports the affordances of VLEs in remote chemistry learning. The effects of VLEs versus remote lectures on students' achievement scores in chemistry content tests were compared, and the affordances of VLEs for 21st-century chemistry learning were investigated. This research aimed to investigate the impact of VLEs when learning chemistry remotely and answer some questions about their affordances in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Fifty pre-service science teachers (also referred to as students) from a South African university participated in the studies. A mixed methods approach with a quasi-experimental design was preferred. Pre-and post-tests were used to evaluate achievement scores for control and experimental groups, while focus group interviews were used for data gathering in reflection. Results showed a positive shift in achievement scores of the experimental group compared to the control group.
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Background

The working definition of VLES in the current chapter is as follows: A virtual learning environment (VLE) is an educational Web-based platform for the digital aspects of a course or module, usually situated in an institutional platform. VLEs present resources, activities and interactions within the module structure and provide for the different stages of assessment. VLEs also usually report on participation; and have some level of integration with other institutional systems (Britain & Oleg, 1999).

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are different from virtual classrooms, which replicate physical classrooms to enable people to learn from a distance and connect with content delivery. VLEs are intended to harness technological tools that enhance teaching and learning experiences in virtual spaces (Boulton et al., 2018). In a typical VLE, the instructor tends to include different virtual artefacts, including virtual laboratories, videos, simulations, and assessments for students to attempt in the learning process.

The ultimate goal of adopting such a learning environment is to enhance active engagement with the content, interactivity and in science education inquiry-based learning opportunities for students when they learn remotely. In a nutshell, a VLE helps instructors to create and facilitate technology-enhanced learning for students while developing learning autonomy (Alves et al., 2017; Britain & Liber, 1999). In institutions of higher learning, VLEs are usually integrated within broader institutional learning management systems (LMS).

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