ICT teachers’ and distant ICT students’ approach towards work and communication in VLE

Abstract

The recent technological developments have created a qualitatively new virtual communication medium in the hope that it will be effectively used in distance learning/teaching. In this article, we describe the reflections of teachers and students, communicating in a virtual learning environment (VLE) in a distance learning course. Representatives - professional ICT teachers and 4th year students participated in this research. The aim of this research: compare the theoretical expectations related to VLE, the ICT teachers’ and students’ experience in building practical skills via work in a VLE. Related objectives: 1) to reveal the expectations related to the employment of the VLE based on the analysis of the scientific literature; 2) to discuss the peculiarities of the ICT studies; 3) to discuss the needs of contemporary students; 4) to summarise the experiences of the teachers‘ and students‘ work in VLE on the basis of qualitative study. The methodology applied for this research includes the following methods: scientific literature analysis, interview, descriptive content analysis of the responses to the open-ended questions. Conclusions: 1. The distinction of the strengths in the early publications on e-learning and teaching can be identified as the teachers' expectations to supplement and correct teaching materials; to provide text, video, audio material; to change the graphical user interface in the teaching environment; to develop tests and use automated test assessment; to listen / access training materials for an unlimited number of students; to teach at the comfort of students’ home. These expectations are justified when teachers improve their e-teaching competencies. 2. In teaching programming practice is an essential part of it, thus, even the form of teaching is changed.[...]