Title: Can forming a virtual learning community enhance learning on a face-to-face learning programme?

Authors: Jane McHarg, John C. McLachlan

Addresses: Peninsula Medical School, St. Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK. ' Durham University, Queens Campus, University Boulevard, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 6BH, UK

Abstract: A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) was set up in support of the curriculum at a new medical school, which delivers a five-year undergraduate face-to-face programme. We set out to evaluate the effectiveness of the VLE without any preconceptions, employing quantitative and qualitative methods. Some of the results of this study are reported here. A key finding was that students did not readily share information through the VLE in the first year despite the collaborative learning environment of the course. We have now further explored our results in the light of research on the definition of a virtual community, how to examine it and how to make a virtual community work in order to promote collaborative learning.

Keywords: virtual communities; virtual learning environment; VLE; problem-based learning; PBL; electronic library; medical school; collaborative learning; web based communities; online learning; e-learning; electronic learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2006.011769

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2006 Vol.2 No.4, pp.447 - 457

Published online: 20 Dec 2006 *

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