Comparing evaluation models

One of the primary differences between the two models (Conversational vs. the organisational model) described is that the conversational model deals primarily with student-teacher interactions. This form of interaction encompasses a large part of the VLE functionality, but ignores peer-group functionality and excludes tools for allowing the teacher to manage a number of students.

For this reason, these aspects of VLE functionality were therefore evaluated by using the Viable Systems Model by Britain & Liber (1999).

Evaluation models evolve over time; models that were predominant at the birth of the first VLE centred on software evaluation. As time passes, researchers change their methods in the light of further research in order to advance their own discovery. Hence, whilst Britain & Liber (1999) separately presented a set of questions based upon both Laurillard’s Conversational Framework and the cybernetic Viable System Model, by 2004, they had decided that this was “too cumbersome”. In their second VLE report they had decided to combine the two models into one set of questions (Britain & Liber, 2004[1]) under three main headings called:

The module
The student level
The programme level

[1] Britain, S. & Liber, O. (2004) A Framework for Pedagogical Evaluation of eLearning Environments, JISC. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/VLEFullReport08.doc