The VLE is a great servant but a terrible master. In the last few years colleagues and I have been required to upload more and more materials onto the VLE (I use two of them) and students are beginning to believe that this is the fount of all knowledge. If the VLE is a pointer to research sources it is great. If it becomes, and sadly it often does a substitute for research then it is useless.

We at Botho university are one of the few institutions in Botswana utilizing VLE. The university staff use the blackboard supposedly for teaching and learning. But I and 3 of my colleagues are carrying out a study to establish if at all VLE is used effectively. From some of our findings it seems like lecturers use it as a depository for their notes and other documentation needed to prepare students for their exams. We need to use it for more than that.

It is advantageous since it allows students to access information from anywhere-but reduces the contact time leading to very limited development of soft skills such as interpersonal,  good communication and analytical skills-my thoughts!!