Limitations of Using Digital Learning Environment

4. Be able to evaluate the use of a Digital Learning Environment

4.1 Describe the limitations with implementing a Digital Learning Environment in a chosen organisation.

It is too expensive to run due to cost of servers.  Moodle is used by many colleges due to its low cost. However, it may be expensive because college has to employ technicians to run the servers.

More students access Moodle, the slower system gets. When students want to access their course work, do the test or learn new material, they will struggle with it.

Website can shut down.  Students will not be able to access their important course work when website is blocked.

There are problems with customisation.  You need to know about coding and about programming. This means students are not able to develop and progress further. This also means they are not developing further.

There is a lack of human resources capabilities. This would help for students and staff to communicate more effectively.

Assessments abilities are limited.  You are not able to insert content in few places.

4.2 Suggest ways to improve the use of a Digital Learning Environment

Moodle should not be expensive to run. More efficient server would be better and more cost effective.

Teachers should be able to use Moodle more carefully. Many tutors do not use quiz, chats and forum feature where they can communicate with the learners and suggest improvement for their course work and leave them feedback. There are many features on Moodle but tutors do not use it.  Students can share files and videos. Teachers can leave feedback for learners on course page. Learners can collaborate through wiki's and group assignments. However, many students do not use these features. Teachers can set up quizzes to test learners' knowledge and learn on a group project but many both students and learners do not do that.

System should be quicker so every learner can access it with no struggle or problems.

Moodle should run on more effective server and not shut down. There should be no blocks and system should run with no interruptions so that students can access any time 24/7 their course material.

There should be no problems with customisation.  There should be more various layouts for Moodle.

There should be a human resource capability so students and staff can communicate between each other about study and their course.

You should be able to insert content in all places in Moodle and in that way assessments abilities would be improved.


 




4.4 Evaluate the benefits of using a Digital Learning Environment compared to traditional methods

Let me compare traditional methods of learning in the classroom and online learning through Moodle.

When students use Moodle, they access course online. In the classroom, learners have face to face contact with the teacher and their peers. In the classroom you communicate directly face to face with teacher and colleagues and you work together as a group or you take paper exam tests and teacher gives you feedback directly to you when speaking to you. Students interact directly face to face together. Moodle is an online way of learning. Learners communicate through chats and forums online. In Moodle you submit your work through Turnitin and Assignment online.  In Moodle learners can share and upload video files using Internet. In the classroom students communicate more face to face and exchange ideas and work together on assignments having direct contact and seeing each other. Using Moodle you do not see your colleagues or teacher, you use online platform.


Learners can access Moodle any time 24/7 during any time of day or night. . In the classroom they have to be present during lesson Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Overall, learners can access Moodle course material any time, you can exchange and leave positive or negative feedback about the quiz, they can access animated course material on Moodle, they can also do interactive games, quizzes and upload your own video and files. In the classroom students have to be there physically from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. In the classroom there is more distraction and students may find it more difficult to concentrate on their work and they can also learn at slower pace and find it four times difficult to learn their course work. Students may play jokes at each other, distract each other and learn less in the traditional classroom. It could be less efficient to study in the traditional class room. When students study through Moodle they learn four times quicker and more efficient as there is no distraction and no jokes around them and they absorb material much quicker. They can also study at their own time any time of day and night and complete course work much quicker as there is no distraction around them. Thanks to Moodle students will learn how to study independently and develop working on their own. In the traditional classroom, students will ask questions and will not be able to develop how to study independently as they will rely on their teacher help and their peers.

Another aspect is Health and Safety. In the classroom there can be much higher risk of accidents as peers may be playing jokes on each other or even create dangerous situations like spillages, broken equipment etc. Using Moodle, students are at less risk of Health and Safety as there is not much distraction and they have peaceful and quiet place to study and there is less risk of accident happening as they study on their own.