Virtual Learning Environment: Minimum Standards and Expectations

An effective Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is essential for student learning in the 21^st Century, and has a wide range of benefits to all students, including promoting accessibility for and engagement with learning in a fully inclusive approach. Swansea University is currently exploring ways to make its curricula more flexible, student focused and to promote personalised learning, along with a review of the VLE itself, therefore enhancing the Minimum Standards and Expectations for our Virtual Learning Environment is timely. Notably, increasing numbers of students who require enhanced flexibility through the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme, increasing numbers of international students, and to provide enhanced support for students with specific learning requirements.

Students say their priorities for an effective VLE are that navigation is simple and things are easy to find, there is consistency across modules, and resources are accessible, organised and designed to support their learning. Moreover, internal survey results indicate that students highly value the availability and accessibility of both learning materials in advance of teaching sessions, and recorded sessions after teaching sessions through the use of video capture.

Why do we have a Minimum Standards and Expectations Policy?

To provide an easy to use and predictable user experience for students and their supporters.
To enhance the information provided to students and to encourage their active participation in their own learning.
To ensure that materials provided to students are available in advance and designed to be inclusive from the outset.
To provide a solid foundation from which colleagues can go on to develop active and blended learning opportunities.

Who are these Standards for?

Students
Academic staff
Academic mentors
Support staff

Core Principles

Each module should normally have a clearly defined, accessible and consistent structure within the Virtual Learning Environment.
All students should be able to access all relevant information on the virtual learning environment equally at any time (Inclusive practice).
All students should expect to find the minimum standards and content for all modules within the Virtual Learning Environment (see implementation checklist).
Increasingly, each Programme should seek to develop a specific page/s to encourage a greater sense of integrity and community at Programme level.

Implementation Checklist

VLE Menu Item	Content	Source	Comment
Module Information	Module synopsis Module learning outcomes Module Key/Employability Skills Module syllabus Assessment Components	Fed from the module catalogue information Currently need to be added by Module Co-ordinator from the Module Maintenance system	Modules should be updated annually via module maintenance. The VLE module information should be automatically updated when saved. Further work required for data that doesn’t auto-feed Responsible: Module Co-ordinator
Staff Contacts	Details of staff teaching on the module, contact information and office hours	Module Co-ordinator/Module Maintenance	Responsible: Module Co-ordinator
Module Content	Title, structure and outline for each teaching session. Module timetable. Aims/objectives/expected outcomes for each teaching session. Learning materials for each session normally at least 48 hours in advance in an accessible format. Lecture recorded videos normally available within 48 hours of the session* Further reading relating to each session in advance. Student expectations – how students are expected to use the VLE for each module/session.	Module Co-ordinator	* Checklist for Inclusive Learning Materials (to be updated to new SAILS guidance) Responsible: Module Co-ordinator ** Where lecture recording is available.
Assessment & Feedback	Summary of Assessments (formative and summative). Assessment and Feedback calendar & deadlines (formative and Summative). Advice and guidance on Academic Integrity, plagiarism and contract cheating. Referencing Guidelines for students. Detail of individual assessment (formative and summative): · Assessment Task · Submission instructions & Electronic submission points (e.g. Turnitin) · Weighting · Marking Criteria/rubric · Link to marks and feedback Sample papers / questions & answers Assignment Survival kit – ASK	Module Co-Ordinator Module Co-Ordinator Link to Academic Guide/Regulations/Assessment Policy within template Link to relevant handbook/website Module Co-Ordinator Module Co-Ordinator Embedded within template	Responsible: Module Co-ordinator
Reading List	Reading List	Automatic feed from Leganto Reading lists	Amendments to the reading list must be made in the Leganto system Responsible: Module Co-ordinator
Library Guides	University Library Guides	Hyperlink to the University Library guides webpage	Information Services and Systems
Getting Help	Information on where to get help	MyUniHub website and contact information	Academic Services
Student Voice	EvaSys mid-Module Feedback EvaSys end of Module feedback	Automatically fed via Academic Services team	Academic Services

The Following tables identify areas of enhancement and/or effective practice that staff may wish to include in VLE pages:

Module Level
Additional Information or Material	About this module site Introducing your module Teaching Plan Module Calendar Online tests/self-assessments Podcasts, videos etc		Responsible: Module Co-ordinator
Programme Level
Programme Level Information	Programme Learning Outcomes Programme Employability Outcomes/Key Skills Programme Assessment Schedule Module Options/Pathways Learning Opportunities (years abroad or in industry, summer placements) Programme Handbooks Programme discussion boards	Programme Approval and Management System	Responsible: Programme Director

Compliance and Monitoring?

Each Subject Area/Board of Studies is responsible, with student representatives, for auditing their implementation of the minimum standards and expectations. Initial random sample checks should take place before the end of Semester 1 in each academic year, with a follow up random sample check early in Semester 2.

All Module Co-ordinators and Programme Directors will be required to reflect on their VLE provision through Annual Programme Review (notably Annual Module Review). Directors of Learning and Teaching in Colleges/Schools will oversee a consistent approach to auditing and monitoring VLE provision, and ensuring that this is embedded in standard review processes (N.B. we would expect Colleges/Schools to implement a monitoring approach which works within the subject areas, rather than expecting the Director of Learning and Teaching to review each site).

VLE sites will also be sampled and audited on an annual random basis by a range of colleagues including those from SALT, SAILS, Student Representatives and/or the TEL Team, to ensure the load can be spread across the institution.

All audit reports, including relevant aspects of Annual programme Review analysis, will be submitted to College/School Learning and Teaching Committees and the University’s Learning, Teaching and Quality Committee for monitoring after each review point.

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