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Title:
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VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND LARGE GROUP TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A PRACTITIONERS VIEW |
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Author(s):
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Munacinga Simatele |
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ISBN:
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978-972-8924-58-4 |
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Editors:
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Miguel Baptista Nunes and Maggie McPherson (series editors: Piet Kommers, Pedro Isaías and Nian-Shing Chen) |
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Year:
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2008 |
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Edition:
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V I, 2 |
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Keywords:
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Virtual Learning environments, large group teaching, learning communities, computer aided assessment |
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Type:
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Full Paper |
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First Page:
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459 |
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Last Page:
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466 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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This paper explores, from a practitioners point of view, the opportunities that Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs)
offer in large group teaching. Responses to government policy in higher education in the UK have led to sharp increases
in student numbers. In many cases, this expansion has not been accompanied by increased resources, leaving universities
with very high staff-student ratios. This has made it difficult to incorporate some of the principles of good practice in
education. VLEs can be used to fill pastoral gaps which are often a feature of large cohort sizes, encourage reciprocity
and cooperation, engender higher order learning and develop employability skills. The most beneficial of the features
provided by VLEs are online group discussion sites and computer aided assessment. |
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