A Report on the Impact of Virtual Learning on UWTSD London Students

This report investigates the impact of virtual learning environments, specifically Moodle, on students at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David London. The research employs both primary and secondary data collection methods. The introduction establishes the importance of digital skills and virtual learning in modern education, setting the aim to analyze the impact of virtual learning on student learning experiences. The literature review explores existing research on virtual learning, its benefits, and its drawbacks, citing studies on virtual learning models and their effects on student engagement and satisfaction. The methodology section details the use of primary data through surveys and secondary data from various sources. The primary data analysis presents findings from a student survey, revealing students' awareness of virtual learning, changes experienced after implementation, issues encountered, and the forms of virtual learning used. The report concludes that virtual learning is a vital aspect of modern learning, offering easy accessibility, but also acknowledges its limitations. It emphasizes the need for larger sample sizes and a broader scope for future research to enhance the reliability and generalizability of the findings. The report also includes references to the sources used in the study.

Digital Skills and Research
Methods
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Aim:.............................................................................................................................................3
Rationale......................................................................................................................................3
Objectives....................................................................................................................................3
Questions.....................................................................................................................................3
Scope............................................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
Methodology................................................................................................................................5
PRIMARY DATA ANALYSIS (RESULTS).................................................................................5
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Digital skills are the abilities of an individual to use the internet to its full capacity. It has
become very important for everyone to be excel in this as now everything is digitalised and has
become a necessity (Guasch, Alvarez and Espasa, 2010). This project is carried out for
University of Wales Trinity Saint David London. The following report will discuss what is the
impact of virtual learning in students of the same institution. To collect the relevant information
use of both primary and secondary methods of data collection will be done as this way broad
understating of the topic is possible.
Aim:
“To analyse the impact of virtual learning environment Moodle on students learning
experience” a case study of University of Wales Trinity Saint David London.
Rationale
With the advancement in the technologies it has become important for the different
institutions to upgrade their teaching and learning styles. It is for the benefit of the students as
they have to be trained according to the requirements of their future. Due to this reason analysing
the impact of virtual learning on students is crucial so that accordingly the changes in the
different institutions are adopted.
Objectives
To understand the concept of virtual learning
To determine the impact of virtual learning on students learning
Questions
What is the concept of virtual learning?
What is the impact of virtual learning on students?
Scope
The chosen topic for the research has wide scope as in the present world almost everything
now is done through the digital technology and has made the work easier. User will get to know
about how it has impacted and changed the learning process. Much of information will be
available as use of both secondary and primary source is done which will help in understanding
the concept in more details.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
According to (Xu and et.al., 2011) virtual learning is a process which is carried out through
computers and internet and can be used within and outside the education institution. Use of
different software’s is done to facilitate the learning process and made teaching process more
effective and interesting for the students. Author added that it has solved the issue of close
monitoring on every student as through this activity of every student can be traced which was not
earlier possible in the traditional learning styles. He says that now teachers can simply by log- in
from anywhere can revise their syllabus, design the patterns and can plan their next lecture which
has helped much to those who run short of time and finds it difficult to do all the work on their
own. Apart from this not only the teachers but also the students can get the lecture if they were
absent on a particular date which further has helped them to remain updated and loss which was
faced before due to nonattendance is evaluated.
According to Pellas, (2014) the virtual learning model has a significant impact on students'
learning because there is critical relation between way of learning and students. In the virtual
learning model, students are provided digital gadgets to under any concept or study. Due to this
learning the level of satisfaction and engagement raised in an effective manner. The traditional
model of learning is being avoided by most of the students because in this model, old techniques
of learning are used. While in the virtual learning method, new and advanced technologies are
used that help to students to learn in a quick manner as well as it is become cause of promoting
education among learners. In addition, the another impact of this model on learning of students is
that they can do study at any time and from nearly any location. This model offers an effective
way to train students, to change the traditional approach of studying and to attract more number
of students around the globe.
Though, along with the above mentioned positive impact of virtual learning on students,
it has some negative impact too. Such as under this, due to absence of face to face meeting,
various issues raise like lack of understanding of students. As well as in this model, about 78%
of students fail to complete their course. The key reason of this is the lack of student engagement
and their ineffectiveness to find needed activities. Basically, this model can become successful
only if students engage actively. In some cases, students are getting benefit of this learning
model because they involve completely in all the activities. In the economical perspective, this
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model is less costly and those students who have shortage of funds can get learning in less time.
So overall, the virtual learning model has a positive impact on students if they involve actively.
Methodology
In order to collect the information on relevant topics use of different methods is done. The
following report uses these below approaches:
Primary method – It is a process in which the data is collected for the first time. In this the
researcher does the search by themselves on the topic and present them (Flaherty, Honeycutt and
Powers, 2015). Here in this report use of survey will be done that will be conducted in the class
among the students. Simple random sampling method will be used and then observations will be
further presented in graphical format so that the analyses can be done easily. Sample size of 30
would be taken.
Secondary method – This is the other method of gathering the information. Here the data
which already collected once by someone else is used to do the analysis (Quinlan and et.al.,
2019. It is important that the source of information is wisely chosen as it will affect the quality of
final work. In this research the views and aspects of different authors will be analysed and
recorded to make the conclusions.
Ethical considerations – While collecting the information from different resources it would
be given care that the data is authenticated and has the copyright. No manipulation with the
results will be done and presented in a simple language which do not mislead the user.
PRIMARY DATA ANALYSIS (RESULTS)
Question1:
1. Are you aware with the concept of virtual learning? Yes
No
Frequency table:
Count of respondent
Yes 25
No 5
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Interpretation – The aim behind conducting this study is to ascertain the perception of
students against the virtual leraning method. From the above frequency table and graph, it can be
said that majority of people has enough knowledge about the concept of virtual learning which
infleunces them to use this technique of learning.
Question 2:
2. What are the changes found after implementing
virtual learning?
 Better understanding
of academic concept
 Record of lectures
 Ease accessibility
Frequency table:
Count of respondent
Better understanding of academic concept 20
Record of lectures 5
Ease accessibility 5
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Interpretation – From the above analysis, it has been ascertained that majority of the
students experienced change of better undersatdning of academic concepts due to
imeplementation of virtual learning in their institutes. Besides this, 5 students have experienced
the change that they are now enable to record their lectures and other 5 students observed that
they now have easy accessibility of their lectures and learning materials. Virtual learning is a
process inw hich students try to learn from sources of web and internet due to which they can
record their lectures and can access them from anywhere they want.
Question 3:
3. Did you found any issues while learning from
virtual processes?
 Yes
 No
Frequency table:
Count of respondent
Yes 23
No 7
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Interpretation – In the course of bringing any change, there are various issues which can
be faced by an institute and its students. From the above analysis, it has been seen that 23
students among 30 have experienced major issues. But only 7 among 3 students have not
experienced any issues by the implementation of virtual learning.
Question 4:
4. If any, what are the issues faced by you while
learning from virtual processes?
 Distraction due to
technological
equipment
 High dependency on
internet
Frequency table:
Count of respondent
Distraction due to technological equipment 20
High dependency on internet 10
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Interpretation – From the above pie chart and created frequency table, it has been
asceratined that 20 among 30 students are experiencing the issue of distraction from the
technological equipment. This issue is faced by them due to complexities of technological
equipment. Besides this, 10 students among 30 faces issue as virtual learning is highly depended
upon internet. It has analysed from the analysis that virtaul learning is an efcetive mode of
learning but it also has few issues which limits the potential of learning. The technique of virtual
learning is based on web browsing and internet due to which distractions are faced in students.
Question 5:
5. What are the different forms of virtual learning
implemented at your institutions?
 Computer classes
 Biometric attendance
 Web based learning
systems
Frequency table:
Count of respondent
Computer classes 20
Biometric attendance 3
Web based learning systems 7
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Interpretation – Virtual learning is considered as a vital part of learning in current
scenario. This virtual learning can be adopted through various ways. In order to analyse this
concept, 30 students were asked to state the form of virtual learning which is used in their
institute. From this analysis, it has been observed that 20 among 30 students experienced that
their institute follows the technique of computer classes. Other 3 students experienced that their
institute has biometric attendance equipment and other 7 observed that their institute has web
based learning systems.
Limitations of the study
There are various limitations to this study which are experienced after completing the
above report. The students which were selected for the survey were 30 which are not enough to
conduct a reliable research. Along with this, it also observed that the literature review which is
conducted only is developed using source of few books and journals which limits the scope of
this research. In order mitigate these limitations, investigator must select a large sample of
respondents so that reliability and accuracy of the project can get enhanced. This is also seen that
this project has limited scope and can only be used by students and not the professionals which
are also going through the new experience of virtual learning.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that virtual based learning is an important
aspect in the process of learning. In this competitive world, in which learning plays an important
role, virtual learning helps in easy accessibility of the lectures anywhere at school or at home. In
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the above report, primary and secondary both methods are used to investigate the impact of the
virtual based learning. There were few limitations in the secondary investigation which were
fulfilled from the primary one. Secondary research which is conducted using literature review
had few flaws that are limitation to the access were fulfilled from the primary investigation in
which 30 students were surveyed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Guasch, T., Alvarez, I. and Espasa, A., 2010. University teacher competencies in a virtual
teaching/learning environment: Analysis of a teacher training experience. Teaching and
Teacher Education. 26(2). pp.199-206.
Xu and et.al., 2011. A new approach toward digital storytelling: An activity focused on writing
self-efficacy in a virtual learning environment. Journal of educational technology &
society, 14(4), pp.181-191.
Pellas, N., 2014. The influence of computer self-efficacy, metacognitive self-regulation and self-
esteem on student engagement in online learning programs: Evidence from the virtual
world of Second Life. Computers in Human Behavior. 35. pp.157-170.
Flaherty, T.B., Honeycutt, E.D. and Powers, D., 2015. Exploring text-based electronic mail
surveys as a means of primary data collection. In Proceedings of the 1998 Academy of
Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 260-264). Springer, Cham.
Quinlan, C., Babin, B., Carr, J. and Griffin, M., 2019. Business research methods. South Western
Cengage.
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