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FIELD STUDY 1

Lesson 2: The Virtual Learning Environment

I. Learning Compass

At the end of the unit, the students will be able to:

a) make the virtual/online environment safe and conducive for learning; and
b) create an environment that promote fairness and equality for learners.

II. Lesson Overview

In this lesson, we will get to know more about virtual learning environment. A virtual
learning environment in educational technology is commonly defined as a Web-based platform
for the digital aspects of courses of study. Resources, activities and interactions are presented
within a course structure that also provide for the different stages of assessment.

In the new normal, an influx of web-based platform such as MOOC, Google Classroom,
Microsoft Teams, Brightspace, etc., is observed because this new online learning platform
presents adaptive and flexible forms of delivering course content yet still allow students to
engage in individual and collaborative despite the absence of a physical classroom.

Teaching in an open online course for future teachers like you enables you to share
knowledge with a range of students from all walks of life and from all over the world. These
online courses allow learning activities to take place in an online setting. It enriches your and
your students' perspectives on disciplinary knowledge. Alternatively, to deliver course content,
a teacher can combine on campus class with an open online course site. A teacher can use their
face to face time in class for experiments, group projects and many more.

The greatest challenge for future teachers like you is on ensuring that high standards of
learning are achieved and assuring stakeholders that virtual or open online environment can still
provide a safe, comfortable, and positive learning scenario for students.
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FIELD STUDY 1

III. We are on Our Way: Course Contents and Learning Experiences

A. Activity

Directions: Which virtual learning environment is right for you. Describe your
chosen open learning environment. Write your comments below the picture, it
can be challenges and opportunities etc.

In this time of pandemic, we have had made adjustments, we have had made colossal turns to
cope up with this global problem. Many had lost their privileges and many are still suffering. However,
this does not stop the world from rotating and the days didn’t stop its count so everything must go on.
We had adjusted to the new normal, we are more careful and cautious to our actions and to our
activities. The government as well, made big adjustment to this pandemic. In academics, the Department
of Education as well as the Commission on Higher Education made steps to continue the learning
despite from all of this threats and risk. They have come up with different learning modalities as well as
platform for learning. In colleges, online classes, asynchronous and synchronous are implemented. This
allows college students to learn while they’re on their homes and safe from the virus. If I would choose a
virtual learning environment that is right for me, I would say it’s the synchronous. Although I am still
having hard time coping up with all those activities and I am experiencing a trouble in focusing in
lectures in Google classroom, I could still say that for me it is by far the right learning environment for
me. In synchronous, I am able to have interaction with my teacher and to my classmates. It gives me a
little bit of motivation to continue. If I have questions, I could directly ask my teacher and in that way,
there is a feedback happening which is very important in learning and won’t happen if you’re in
asynchronous. There are many advantages that really helps me understanding my lesson and cope up
with it. However, this might not apply to everyone of us since synchronous requires expense and money.
You need to have a stable internet connection to be able to join real time. It needs a at least functional
gadgets to use since it requires application such as Google Classroom and others. I am lucky to have
both of it and that’s why it works quite well on my part. Still, there are many of students who are
struggling and battling not just with this academic demand but with their daily living as well. So, I
assume that it will probably won’t work to everyone
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FIELD STUDY 1

The Virtual Learning Environment

When we say online environment, we mean the virtual space in which learners
participate and engage in the learning experience. Here, learners and instructors should be
emotionally present when they connect in an authentic way during the online learning
experience.

Any resource available on the Internet in an online educational environment. It might be

HTML documents such as course or chapter objectives, lecture notes, assignments, or answers
to chapter questions. It might be audio or video lessons, interactive exercises or exams, or
documents providing links to other Web sites.

Types of Online Learning Environment

Asynchronous Online Courses

These types of course offerings do not take place in real–time. Students are provided with
content and assignments and are given a time frame to complete course work and exams.
Interaction usually takes place through discussion boards, blogs and wikis. As a result, there is
no class meeting time. Asynchronous online learning environments are effective for students
with time constraints or busy schedules.

Synchronous Online Courses

These types of course offerings require the instructor and all enrolled students to interact online
simultaneously. Similar in some ways to a webinar, participants interact through text, video or
audio chat. Synchronous learning environments enable students to participate in a course from a
distance in real time.

Hybrid Courses
Hybrid courses, also known as blended courses, are learning environments that allow for both
in–person and online interaction. Typically, hybrid courses meet in person several times during
a semester and provide for computer–based communication in between those face to face
sessions.

Benefits of Online Education

 Flexibility. Students have the freedom to juggle their careers and school because they aren't
tied down to a fixed schedule. ...
 Reduced Costs. Online education can cost less due to a variety of reasons. ...
 Networking Opportunities. ...
 Documentation. ...
 Increased Instructor - Student Time. ...
 Access to Expertise.
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FIELD STUDY 1

Here are some of the most common challenges students are currently facing with online
classes along with specific tips on how to address them:
 Technical issues.
 Distractions and time management.
 Staying motivated.
 Understanding course
expectations. Lack of in-person
interaction
Online learning can be as good or even better than in-person classroom learning. Research
has shown that students in online learning performed better than those receiving face-to-face
instruction, but it has to be done right

Drawbacks. While logistically sound, taking too many online courses or having
poor online instruction can be harmful to a student's future. One of the most glaring issues
with online education is the lack of interpersonal communication Many at-risk students are behind in
reading and math.

Online learning is more independent and does not require you to be in a certain place at a
specific time. This flexibility makes education more accessible to people that may not
necessarily be able to commit a large amount of time to attend classes..

The virtual classroom cannot replace the traditional classroom because it is by its
very essence or nature not completely 'real. ' Teaching on the Internet is teaching in virtual
reality, but not in reality. To be sure, online teaching has its place, especially for students who
could not otherwise attend college, and given the health risks, it's how we need to teach until
there's either a cure or a vaccine for COVID-19.
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FIELD STUDY 1

B. Application

1. Directions: Visit a school/online classroom

2. Observe the physical facilities in the learning area and or;
3. Using a checklist of a virtual class system, assess the desired features and
functionality of the online platform used.

4. Answer the following questions:

a. How do your observations help you as a future teacher?

In observations, you are to experience the gist of an actual teaching process.

Hence, it would help me in the future especially on my first day of teaching because it will
give me ideas on how to handle students as well as present my lesson in an actual and real
classroom. It will give me a clearer picture of my self as a teacher in the future thus, I would
benefit a lot from it.

b. What is an ideal classroom conducive for learning?

An ideal classroom that is conducive for learning is a classroom where the

students’ needs is addressed. An ideal classroom fits to every individual student’s despite of
diversity in the classroom. An ideal classroom is clean, quiet and comfortable. The students are
able to enjoy with the lesson with security. A classroom that does not promote bullying or bias.
A classroom that is promoting equity.
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FIELD STUDY 1

5. Teacher Competency framework in Online Education

Which of the competencies are lacking or want to enhance in your role as a teacher? Explain briefly.

V. Let Us Dig Deeper

A. Directions: Design an effective or ideal online learning environment.

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FIELD STUDY 1

B. Directions: Interview a private school teacher using the questions below via phone call or
any online plat form, and answer the questions below.

3. What are the best virtual classroom practices that they have been doing in their school?

4. How were these best practices become possible?

5. What tips you can give to future teachers regarding virtual online teaching-learning process?

VI. References

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242715308_Selecting_a_Virtual_Classroom_System_Ellumi
nate_Live_vs_Macromedia_Breeze_Adobe_Acrobat_Connect_Professional

https://blog.heinemann.com/classroom-environs-checklist

NCBTS 2004

Serrano, Ruby et al, Field Study 1: The Learner’s Development and Environment.
Mutya Publsihing House, 2014

Teaching on the Digital Age. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/5-2-what-is-a-

learning-environment/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242715308_Selecting_a_Virtual_Classroom_System_Ellumi
nate_Live_vs_Macromedia_Breeze_Adobe_Acrobat_Connect_Professional