Online Learning Centres
Networking technologies now make it possible for virtual learning environments (VLE) to exist. VLE’s are basically software systems designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting and normally works over the Internet. More often than not, VLE’s use computer programs to facilitate computerized learning or e-learning. It provides a collection of tools such as those for assessment, communication, uploading of content, return of students’ work, peer assessment, administration of student groups, collecting and organising student grades, questionnaires, tracking tools, etc. Newer features in these systems include wikis, blogs, RSS and 3D virtual learning spaces.
While originally created for distance education, VLEs are now most often used to supplement traditional face-to-face classroom activities – commonly known as ‘Blended Learning’. These systems usually run on servers, to serve the course to students through a multimedia framework (MMF) that handles media on a computer and through a network.
A good multimedia framework offers an intuitive API and a modular architecture such as what Digital Summit employs to easily add support for new codecs, container formats and transmission protocols. It is meant to be used by applications such as media players and audio or video editors, but can also be used to build videoconferencing applications, media converters and other multimedia tools.
TAKING IT EVEN FURTHER
Digital Summit takes VLE’s much further mostly because of its expertise as a solutions provider for enterprise application integration. For example, in the image sampled below, a possible design for a well-known long distance school that would allow them to gather, harness and share knowledge may not only feature a stakeholders’ relationship manage-ment system but also integrate other systems such as membership/user profiles, digital document management, project collaboration functionalities and a host of other educational and administrative systems and applications that bring together people regardless of distance and enrich the learning experience for all users, including students.
