16 January 2009
By Julie Read
The national take-up of online educational materials to help students with their work has been on the scale of a ‘cottage industry’, Ofsted inspectors said this week.
Their study of virtual learning environments found the use of online materials was patchy in many schools and colleges. The benefits to learners were so far ‘not yet obvious’, inspectors said.
The report, Virtual learning environments, published on January 13, found that where services were more developed, particularly in colleges, they were able to ‘enthuse’ students.
Ofsted highlighted a 2005 government strategy report that called on the educational technology agency, Becta, to ensure that institutions made effective use of technology.
‘We found that the exploitation of VLEs at curriculum level resembled more of a cottage industry than a national technological revolution,’ said the inspectors.
The report, based on more than 40 different types of institution, found no example where a VLE provided a ‘comprehensive’ range of materials for every subject.
Chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: ‘VLEs are still in the early stages of development.
‘Further promotion of the benefits to learners will help develop the initiative more widely.’
PFjan2009
