The introduction of a VLE into a further education centre setting in rural Ireland: a case study

It has long been the vision of educators to deliver effective learning through the internet. This is particularly true for the further education sector, where daily class attendance can prove difficult for the adult learner who has many responsibilities and commitments that exist outside the classroom environment. The emergence of technologies such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) offers an option for educators to deliver learning resources and communication with students over the medium of the internet. The introduction of a VLE into adult education can open up many possibilities and offer flexibility to teachers and their learners as regards time and space. This study explores the extent to which the introduction of a VLE will impact on learning delivery and contribute to classroom teaching and learning of adult students in a rural Further Education Centre (FEC) context. The option of pure online instruction will be considered for future learners, together with the current perceived role of VLEs with its contribution to a blended approach to learning delivery. The exploration of potential barriers to change that effect the many stakeholders within the FEC and elsewhere which will untimely come from such a major introduction into the educational setting. These barriers can range from technological to pedagogical and the introducers and implementers of the VLE will need to consider many issues if the delivery of educational courses is to be successful through the VLE and where both teacher and student learning expectations are realised. Key findings were determined from a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data and include the opinion that technologies such as a VLE can be of benefit to the success of a blended learning approach in a further education setting. However, great care must be taken at the introduction and implementation stage to prepare for the change processes and adequate training and support must be made available to the teachers that are involved. Affordable and fast broadband must always be available to both learners and their teacher if the benefits of the VLE introduction are to be fully realised.