Using the VLE in creative arts and Humanities

The UK Higher Education landscape has been transformed in response to a variety of factors, not-least the rapidly evolving technologies. Students begin University awash with a variety of technology-skills and expectations that their learning will mirror their social-media experiences using similar easy-to-navigate platforms. Like many HEIs the University of Huddersfield has invested heavily in its virtual learning environment (VLE) and promotes its use to enhance learning primarily through blended strategies. Despite strong evidence to support the benefits of technology enhanced learning (TEL) and extensive support provided by the institution, there appears to be significant variations in the use and development of the VLEs interactive and blended learning resources. This appears to be more apparent in the creative arts and humanities sector. Therefore, there is a need for HE institutions to further their understanding of the technological choices that academics make to support student learning since this may be based on a variety of factors including: technology constraints, personal/student ability/skill, and/or best pedagogical practice.