Virtual Learning Environments/Learner Management Systems are overarching learning and teaching systems that have become increasingly important in educational institutions in the last decade. The systems include a set of tools to support the delivery of online education. Tools include facilities for communication –such as chat, forums, etc., reflection and collaboration tools such as blogs and wikis, tools for assessment – such as drop boxes for assignments and e-portfolios for aggregating learning evidence. They include commercial products such as Blackboard and open source systems such as Model.
Published in Chapter:
Leading Pedagogical Change with Innovative Web Tools and Social Media
Catherine McLoughlin (Australian Catholic University, Canberra, Australia)
Copyright: © 2012
|Pages: 11
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-068-2.ch001
Abstract
Today, in a globalised, digital world, leadership challenges in the adoption and integration of emerging social software tools to supports for learning abound. Today’s students who have grown up in technology saturated environments have never known a world without the Internet, mobile phones, video on demand, and personal computers. Leaders and educators must therefore know their students, and cater for their diverse needs. Educational institutions in the 21st century must learn how to adopt social software tools and apply sound pedagogical strategies in order to add value to existing practices and to enhance the learning process. ICT supplements and enhances learning and student engagement through access to global learning communities and rich resources, and this requires educators to be conversant with the technology, able to lead by example and capable of creating authentic contexts and environments for learning. Educators in today’s media rich society must be ready to grapple with the significant pedagogic, cultural, and social changes associated with technological innovation.