The Introduction of Virtual Learning Environment e-Learning Technology at a Sixth Form College: A Case Study

The use of technology to support teaching and learning in further education has moved from a mere experiment to become a fundamental part of many colleges' curriculum. This has brought a significant change into the FE colleges' operations and management of course delivery. A major part of that change has been intensified by the widespread introduction and use of VLE e-Learning technology. One of the characteristics of the technology is that it combines a variety of tools and resources into a single integrated system. To embed VLE into a college curriculum is not merely to employ a single intervention but to change the fabric of students and teachers' experiences of teaching and learning as well as that of the senior management of the institution concerned. In the past, much of the literature on VLEs has concentrated on studies which list and compare system functions, describing small scale and short term applications or providing speculative theories and predictions. Little attention has so far been paid to analysing what effects a VLE's use has on the participants particularly across a large group of users and over a long period of time. To this extent, this study presents an evaluation of the introduction and management of the recently introduced VLE e-Learning technology at a sixth form college. The study attempted to answer four fundamental questions: - How effective was the case study college in managing the introduction and implementation of the technological change to enhance the use of e-learning? - What was the impact of the VLE e-learning on teaching across the case study college? - What was the impact of the VLE e-learning technology on students' learning? - Did the VLE e-Learning technology cut the costs of course delivery? To answer these questions, a case study research method was used so as to have a real life scenario rather than making hypothetical statements. The impacts of the technology were carefully evaluated against the four stated questions by using the Davis Technology Acceptance Model and change management concepts. The study concluded that the introduction and management processes of a technological change in an academic institution play significant roles in its acceptance and use.