Virtual Learning Environment

Are you looking for a tool for creating online dynamic web sites for your students? If you want a way to deliver content to students  and assess learning using assignments or quizzes, why not try Moodle, a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.  To work, it needs to be installed on a web server somewhere, either on one of your own computers or one at a web hosting company. Moodle not only give you the best tools to manage and promote learning, it can supplement  face-to-face courses (known as blended learning) or give you a platform to conduct fully online courses. It can be used for hundreds of thousands of students, yet it can also be used for a primary school or an education hobbyist. As a user you can add a file, links, as well as add engage interaction or Articulate Quizmaker output as a Scorm package. You can also embed vooki, prezi, voice thread and flash videos to make your course more interesting or appealing to students.

If you want to see a preview of a moodle learning environment, here is an orientation for a Moodle course that I created for a class last summer. Everything is still a learning experience for me so I admit that the my course design skills still needs a lot of improvement but I know I'll get there.






Another virtual learning environment is Sakai a learning management system, research collaboration system and ePortfolio solution developed by a community of academic institutions, commercial organization and individuals who work together to create an open academic environment. Here is an orientation on a course in the Sakai Learning environment.

If you're looking a commercial virtual learning environment try Blackboard, a virtual learning environment and course management system developed by Blackboard Inc.  I used it for online and blended learning classes as a student and it lets the user attached a file, or an image and add MPEG/AVI content, Quicktime content, audio content and Flash/Shockwave content

There is also Desire2Learn a Learning management system (LMS) enterprise solution for online learning, web-based eLearning open software for K-12 schools, colleges, universities and other organizations.