Technological progress influenced -and continues to influence- the way we carry out practically all our activities.
Think about how we interact, work, have fun, shop, answer questions… We can say that all this involves the use of some technology or Internet access, right?
The learning environment is not far behind.
Just like the other areas, education has been constantly updated to keep up with new demands, keep abreast of developments and take advantage of all the advantages of the digital world.
Given this growing market for , it is essential to understand what the virtual learning environment (VLE) is and all that it can offer both students and teachers.
If you have never heard of AVA before, or if you still have any questions about the virtual learning environment, continue with us so you can learn about all the features of this (not so) new way of learning and teaching.
What is the virtual learning environment?
Before we start, it is good to remember what the AVA is.
The virtual learning environment is a technological system developed for the management of , whether they are free training courses or regular education.
Thus, there are several companies that offer this service, which means that each system has its own features, tools and aspects.
However, there are some fundamental characteristics for the AVA to deliver what the teacher and the student need, which are the ones that we are going to detail below.
1- Does not require displacement of students and teachers
Because it is a totally virtual environment, teachers and students do not need to travel to participate in classes.
Online classes must be previously recorded by the teacher and added to the platform, following the sequential logic of your .
As soon as they are available online, students can access them from wherever they are.
Unlike the traditional model, in which the teacher and the student have to be present in the same place for the exchange of knowledge to take place, in the virtual learning environment, the Internet is responsible for connecting them, regardless of their geographical locations. .
2. Offer flexible hours
One of the most advantageous features of distance education is the flexibility of schedules.
To carry out face-to-face classes, it is necessary to organize yourself to attend the educational institution at the established times. These obligations can limit people who have inflexible schedules, live in more remote regions or carry out other activities throughout the day.
The virtual learning environment can be accessed at any time, according to the student’s interest and availability.
Thus, students are responsible for making their study schedules, which, despite requiring organization, greatly facilitates the learning process.
3. The teacher can do the classes anywhere
To prepare the classes few instruments are necessary. With a camera, a microphone and a computer it is already possible to create a quality video.
In addition to that, the teacher may also need some specific objects to demonstrate what will be taught.
In the case of cooking classes, for example, it is necessary to have the ingredients of the recipe.
When teaching math, a whiteboard and whiteboard marker can help deliver the content.
Already in makeup courses, it is essential to have all the brushes, products and accessories to teach the makeup step by step.
However, nothing prevents classes from being held anywhere.
The teacher can record the classes even in his home or office. He just has to choose a neutral environment, with and without noise so as not to hinder the audio and, mainly, the content of the videos.
4. It is necessary to have access to the Internet to access the classes
A fundamental characteristic of this type of learning environment is that the student needs the Internet to participate in the activities.
As we have already said, you do not have to travel and you can even choose the best time to study, but you need to pay attention to the Internet connection in the chosen place.
If the student is offline, they will not be able to access the content, as well as a slow Internet can significantly delay their studies and take more time to complete them.
This requirement, however, is not considered a bad thing. In the end, we live in a society where the digital world is becoming more and more accessible and it is rare to be in a totally disconnected environment.
5. Not much financial investment is required
This characteristic is also one of the advantages of online courses in relation to face-to-face courses.
Both to create the classes in traditional format and to see them, it is necessary to disburse a much larger amount of money, compared to the expenses to make and access the virtual classes.
For face-to-face courses, the teacher or the educational institution needs to invest financially to get the place to teach the classes, to buy the necessary materials and technological resources, and also to print the content that will be distributed to the students.
All these factors raise the cost of the classes, which, being more expensive for the organizers, end up having a higher value for the student as well.
To create the virtual classes, he will only need a few tools that require a much smaller financial investment.
- : Many smartphones record in HD and can be used for the recording of classes.
- : if the recording is done indoors and without noise, the teacher can buy a basic and cheap model or use the microphone of the mobile itself.
- Computer with Internet: Most people already have a computer for personal use and can use it for classes without any problem.
- Program: There are several options with affordable value or even free.
- – There are also several high-quality options available at no cost.
The student will only have to buy the classes, have a computer or mobile device and Internet access.
6. Questions and answers are made in discussion forums
Many people are afraid to enter the world of distance education because they believe that there is no interaction between teachers and students. However, online learning environments have discussion forums.
In this space, students can write their questions, criticisms or suggestions and those responsible for the course can access the comments and respond appropriately.
In addition, the forum enables communication between students, which can also help in resolving doubts and problems.
In summary, these discussion forums even serve to create a classroom climate, by virtue of the exchange of knowledge, experiences and growth.
7. Assessments are also done virtually
There are some undergraduate or specialization courses that require students, including the EAD format, to attend an institution in person to take tests.
However, the most common in online courses is testing virtually, that is, within the virtual learning environment.
Teachers normally define a period for taking the tests, which can be hours or days, and the students answer the questions through the AVA itself.
In this way, in addition to the fact that no one needs to travel to teach or attend classes, it is also not necessary to go anywhere to take the evaluations and be able to advance to the next stage of the course or graduate.
8. Presence in classes is marked according to the content attended
In the traditional model, it is common for the student’s presence to be marked according to the days he attended classes, right?
In EAD courses, this account depends on the number of classes attended, regardless of the day it is accessed. That is, if in one day the student attends 3 classes, 3 attendances will be counted.
This allows the student to attend as many lessons as they want per day and not be penalized if they cannot study for one or more days.
9. There is support for students and teachers
As much as it is accumulating more and more followers, it is common for students and teachers to face some difficulties in accessing and interacting with the content in the virtual learning environment.
Most of the time, teachers do not know or do not have access to the technological resources necessary to structure the course, and it is precisely at this point that VLE support comes in.
Behind the classes there will be a team totally specialized in that, constantly working so that the content is delivered to the student in the best way.
For teachers, a good learning environment is, for example, one that offers support for exchanging files in various formats and for managing students (attendance, notes, answering questions) without headaches.
Another important detail is security when it comes to payment. Choosing a quality service ensures student access to paid classes and guarantees teacher payment.
In addition, it is common for there to be a variety of payment methods for online courses, which makes them even more attractive and accessible to those who want to buy them.
Finally, a very interesting aid for both the teacher and the students is the issuance of a certificate.
Teachers can count on the AVA for the preparation of a professional certificate and without graphic costs. Thus, students have the possibility of checking the completion of the course, which helps to enrich their academic and professional life.
Start enjoying the advantages of the AVA!
You have already seen in this text the basic characteristics of a virtual learning environment and you have also seen how it facilitates access to education due to its flexibility, mobility and low cost.
Due to the growth in demand for fully distance education that offers a complete experience to students and teachers, currently, some online course platforms are also AVAs. That is to say, they provide all the necessary support to those who decide to undertake and earn money with their classes virtually.
Given the variety of options available, it is important to do a lot of research before choosing a virtual learning environment for your course.
To help you with questions and get your classes to market as quickly as possible, find out in our post.
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