Digital Skills & Research Methods: Impact of Virtual Learning Env.

This report investigates the impact of virtual learning environments (VLEs) on students' knowledge and learning experiences. It explores the emergence of VLEs, their effects on student outcomes, and challenges associated with virtual learning. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative data from student surveys and secondary data from existing literature. Key findings reveal that while most students are familiar with virtual learning and view it as a complementary activity to face-to-face classes, opinions vary regarding its effectiveness. The report concludes with recommendations for educators and students to maximize the benefits of virtual learning while mitigating potential drawbacks, suggesting that teachers leverage technology to enhance teaching and learning processes.

DIGITAL SKILLS AND
RESEARCH METHODS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................3
RATIONALE..................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................5
Research Type.............................................................................................................................5
Data Collection............................................................................................................................6
Sampling......................................................................................................................................6
Ethical consideration...................................................................................................................6
FINDINGS.......................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION............................................................................11
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................2

Topic: The impact of Virtual learning environment
INTRODUCTION
A virtual learning environment is an internet based platform for the digital aspects of
courses of learning, generally within the educational sector. It is basically a network support
software arrangement that is planned in a manner which make easy education and coaching with
the use of diversify equipments and techniques (González-Marcos and et.al., 2017). Students
utilise a VLE can be set a chore to complete within class or at their own place, instance and
position to help them effectively to expand their learning. This learning technique provides
resources to administer the learning experiences converse them and make possible for tutors and
beginner involvement in the whole experience. This research report will illustrate the impacts of
virtual learning environment with the help of primary as well as secondary research data
collected from students who are utilising the facilities of virtual learning.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 To discuss the emergence of virtual learning environment on the knowledge occurrence of
students.
 To identify different impacts of virtual learning experience technique on students.
 To suggest recommendations regarding the ways students can cope up with virtual learning
environment challenges.
RATIONALE
This topic i.e. the impact of virtual learning environment is important to study as it enables
the teachers to plan their lessons, manage their work related to their administration part, tracking
students performances in accurate manner and their level of engagement in the class along with
providing extra supportive material in order to collect significant information’s. The issue and
the impacts are necessary to study as due to various situations such as Covid -19, mostly all
students and teachers have no other option except virtual learning in order to expand their
knowledge level (Kuzilek and et.al., 2018). The study conducted on the impacts of virtual
learning environment which is crucial for students as well as tutors. With the help of this useful

technique, it has been identified that students and employees are able to do their work by sitting
in front of screen and attend meetings, read documents, operate equipments, access computers
and handle the situations in complete manner with the help of digital gadgets. The research is
highly significant in order to describe the negative as well as positive impacts of the virtual
learning environment technique which impacts the students in both optimistic along with
pessimistic manner. Various students, teachers as well as other researchers can also use the
information that has been collected from research in order to take decisions that could be fruitful
for overall growth and success.
LITERATURE REVIEW
As per the view of Alves, Miranda and Morais, (2017) it has been identified that virtual learning
environment is a kind of online system comprises with variety of tools that support and manage
the learning experiences which refers to route management and education managing scheme. The
virtual learning environment plays a supportive role by providing instructions to the tutors to
select and utilise different resources and applications in order to review course content. It has
been identified that VLE’s can be one of two types such as it can consists of software that can be
sold by any company and utilised by educational as well as other institutions in order to get
advantages from that activity while on the other hand, it can be set up by the tutors within free
software according to the convenience of students as well as their own self.
Morales-Salas, Infante-Moro and Gallardo-Pérez, (2020) researched the impacts of virtual
learning environment is that constructive impacts of the use of VLE’s on students learning are
supported that various students utilise various software teamwork implement that facilitate
students as well as tutors to converse online in order to expand their indulgent and investigative
abilities. Students execute appreciably superior on standardised tests in interpretation verbal
communication and expressions and on method of deepness of accepting numerous viewpoints
and self-governing thoughts than those students who do not use the software or virtual learning
techniques for enhancement of their knowledge.
On the other hand, the Becerra-Romero, Díaz-Rodríguez and González-Estrada, (2019) state
certain negative impacts of VLE are as well that does not allow for the social as well as
emotional interaction that takes place within the traditional classrooms. According to them most
of the students and tutors do feels that there are no momentous distinctions in learning routine

between the environments. They do believe that students in an online knowledge background
lack the occasions and repayment of prearranged along with the intellect of centre of population
created in a conventional on location classroom surroundings.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
It is a course of accomplishment through which the researchers complete their investigation
towards this exacting topic that shows pathway to researchers in order to overcome from the
problems due to which the topic requires detailed study (Henritius, Löfström and Hannula,
2019). In order to finish this research and analyse the whole study, researcher use mixer of
strategies because the data were obtained from all other features during the study time period.
The basic purpose of this study is to satisfy the research planning and target decided by the
scholar.
Research Type
Research can be categorised into two categories such as Qualitative and Quantitative.
Qualitative research is a kind of method which focuses on collection of data through open ended
as well as informal communication (Batto, Baz and Mammass, 2017). It includes gathering and
analysis of non numerical data to understand the perception regarding research. On the other
hand, Quantitative research is a process of assembling and examining the data into numerical
terms. In this study, to evaluate the impact of virtual learning environment, qualitative research
type method will be chosen because it helps to capture accurate and detailed visual perception
about the research topic.
Data Collection
This is a process of pull together; calculate as well as examine precise data for study by
using resourceful practices. Data can be composed through two intermediates i.e. Primary and
Secondary. Primary data collection is a procedure of collection of data directly rather than
collecting the data from previous researches (Dung, 2020). On the other hand, secondary data
refers the information which is previously composed by other scholars to examine the topic of
exploration. In this report, data is collected through both the mediums i.e. primary and

secondary. For primary data, a survey was conducted among students through questionnaire and
for secondary data related articles and journals has been considered.
Sampling
It is a procedure of collecting pre planned number of observations from varied population.
The methods of sampling from large amount of population depend on the type of analysis which
researcher wants to do in its report. Simple random sampling and systematic sampling are two
techniques for collecting the sample data. Random sampling describes the collection of data from
students to complete the collection of samples and viewpoints while systematic sampling
involves the collection of data from particular set of persons for example collection of data only
from specific students (Murugaiah and Yen, 2019). In this report, random sampling technique
has been selected to complete the data collection for the analysis. Thus, for the purpose of
survey, 15 students have been selected randomly in order to resolve the purpose and collect the
reviews to determine the research topic.
Ethical consideration
In order to justify the aspects of ethical thoughtfulness, an approval form has been filled by
erratically selected students within the University. This in revisit shows the agreeable
contribution and attention of students towards the study. In addition to that list of orientation also
has been added to enjoy that the work has not been imitate from somewhere else. So, in total and
largely manner all principled considerations has been stand for by researcher while pursuing the
study in order to successfully gather and analyse the sequences in detailed ways.
FINDINGS
Findings are the interpretation of final results that has been pulling out from the data that has
been collected from students and taking the decisions that are based upon the analysis. This part
includes the pictorial representation of data in the form of pie charts which helps in giving exact
directions about the impacts of virtual learning environment on students. In this study, qualitative
analysis has been conducted in order to achieve the objectives of the report and to evaluate the
qualitative data appropriately.

1. Maximum number if students do agrees that they are completely aware about the concept
of virtual learning.
Are you familiar with virtual learning? Outcome
Yes 13
No 2
Total 15
Figure 1: Awareness about virtual learning among students
Interpretation: From the above diagram it has been illustrated that maximum number of
students i.e. 87% of students do familiar with the concept of virtual learning environment while
on the other hand there are certain students such as 13% who are still not aware about the
impression of virtual learning. Thus it has been clarifies that still there are certain amount of
students who are completely unaware about the impacts of the virtual learning as they have never
been utilised this activity or tool in their learning habits.

2. Majority of students share their vote with a joint view that virtual learning can be a
complimentary activity of face to face classes’ activities.
Do you think that virtual learning can
replace face to face classes?
Outcome
Yes 4
No 5
Can be a complimentary activity 6
Total 15
Figure 2: Virtual learning can replace face to face classes
Interpretation: In the above pie chart it has been clearly identified that maximum number if
students i.e. 40% share their vote in favour that virtual learning can be a complimentary activity
to the virtual learning environment while 27% share their views in favour that yes according to
them virtual learning activities are able to replace face to face classes in future terms. On the

other hand, 33% says that no virtual learning will not ever replace the face to face classes’
activities.
3. Majority of students share their views that virtual learning if effective and they share 9 points
from the scale of 1-10.
How effective is virtual learning from a
scale 1-10, where 1 is less effective and 10
is most effective?
Outcome
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 3
7 2
8 1
9 7
10 2
Total 15

Figure 3: Effectiveness of virtual learning according to students
Interpretation: From the above pictorical representation, it has been clearly visible that majority
of students i.e. 47% goes with 9 points and they measure their level of understanding and
effectiveness of virtual learning is at the scale 9 out of 10. Remaining 7% students agrees for 8
points, 13% goes with the 7 points, 20% agrees for 6 points and 13% goes with the 10 points.
However, there are no students who share their views with the scale from 0 to 5 and thus it has
0% due to which it has become unseen in the above pictorical diagram.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
In terms of the education and knowledge experiences, the use of digital gadgets, social
arrangements and request should be look upon by teachers as great remuneration that technology
convey to the teaching and learning progression. Thus it is suggested that tutors instructor
apprentice on the potentialities and best uses of internet platform and other applications with
certain purpose. This will help teachers to cope up with the anticipated fear of students’ diversion
during the use of new equipment. Thus, from the above complete and detailed report, it has been
concluded that in order to analyse the impacts of virtual learning environment, this research is
very much helpful for the readers and various other scholars. The data that has been collected

within the study suggests that the use of VLE has a constructive impact on students’ erudition.
The report consists of various sections such as research objectives, different views of authors
with certain impacts reasons to conduct study, research methodology and findings that are highly
required in order to evaluate the exact outcome from the study.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alves, P., Miranda, L. and Morais, C., 2017. The influence of virtual learning environments in
students’ performance. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(3). pp.517-527.
Morales-Salas, R.E., Infante-Moro, J.C. and Gallardo-Pérez, J., 2020. Evaluation of virtual
learning environments. A management to improve.
Becerra-Romero, A., Díaz-Rodríguez, M. and González-Estrada, O.A., 2019. Development of a
virtual learning environment for the subject Numerical Methods under Moodle.
In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1161, No. 1, p. 012010). IOP Publishing.
Henritius, E., Löfström, E. and Hannula, M.S., 2019. University students’ emotions in virtual
learning: A review of empirical research in the 21st century. British Journal of
Educational Technology, 50(1). pp.80-100.
Dung, D.T.H., 2020. The advantages and disadvantages of virtual learning. IOSR Journal of
Research & Method in Education, 10(3). pp.45-48.
Murugaiah, P. and Yen, S.H., 2019. Navigating the Shortcomings of Virtual Learning
Environments Via Social Media. International Journal of Virtual and Personal
Learning Environments (IJVPLE), 9(2). pp.1-14.
Battou, A., Baz, O. and Mammass, D., 2017, April. Toward a virtual learning environment based
on agile learner-centered design. In 2017 Intelligent Systems and Computer Vision
(ISCV) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
González-Marcos, A., and et.al., 2017, September. A virtual learning environment to support
project management teaching. In International Joint Conference SOCO’17-CISIS’17-
ICEUTE’17 León, Spain, September 6–8, 2017, Proceeding (pp. 751-759). Springer,
Cham.
Kuzilek, J., and et.al., 2018, September. Student drop-out modelling using virtual learning
environment behaviour data. In European conference on technology enhanced
learning (pp. 166-171). Springer, Cham.
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Appendix
Questionnaire
Q.1 Are you familiar with virtual learning?
 Yes
 No
Q.2 Do you think that virtual learning can replace face to face classes?
 Yes
 No
 Can be a complimentary activity
Q.3 How effective is virtual learning from a scale 1-10, where 1 is less effective and 10 is most
effective?
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
2