Yana I Tainsh

School of Education and Training, University of Greenwich, U.K.

The use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in Post Compulsory Education in Further Education Colleges (FE) has been increasing incrementally over the last five years. Having begun life in Universities and the more ‘traditional’ higher education institutions, VLEs are flexible, accessible and encourage the development of communities of practice. They encourage group activities, peer support and electronic delivery of learning but are not intrinsically designed to aid those learners at the lower end of the academic spectrum.

This paper presents a case study of learners on an introductory (Level 1) FE course in Information Communications Technology ascertaining their level of user satisfaction with a VLE using a mixed methods approach of focus groups and structured questionnaires. The use of focus groups in this study has been shown to be a sound method of inquiry by using an already validated data-collection instrument and triangulating the results with a quantitative questionnaire. Focus groups are ideally suited for small groups where a one-to-one setting can be threatening and are most effective where the groups are comfortable, there is no peer pressure and intimate topics are not being discussed. They are the data gathering method of choice for use in ‘plural voice’ situations (Fine 1994) where learners can use their own language and words.

Overall the case study was considered successful in that it identified pre-existing areas of concern for the learners that were to use the VLE. It also identified that those learners whose predominant learning style was either kinaesthetic or auditory, would require different ways in interacting with the materials in the VLE. It also confirmed that not all learners’ needs were catered for by developing a VLE that was ‘fit for the masses’.

Keywords: virtual learning environment, focus group, disaffection, impoverished learning, satisfaction, post compulsory education, policy document.

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