Virtual Learning Environment adoption and organizational change in Higher Education

Abstract

The growing use of virtual environments in higher education results in the need to identify different management models that can guide their use in a manner consistent with institutional conditions.To this end, a case-study interdisciplinary research project was conducted between 2011 and 2013. It focused on the analysis of management, from an organizational perspective, of the institutional change effected by the adoption of Moodle at the Universidad de la Republica.The research methodology included qualitative and quantitative techniques to collect information: focused interviews, surveys and participatory work dynamics with teachers, students, government officials and experts, as well as the analysis of documentary sources.Conclusions were drawn regarding the perceptions of students, teachers and government officials, conclusions that make it possible to identify various management aspects and that contribute to the assessment of the impact of Moodle as a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) at universities.It was through the analysis and descriptive reading of the sources that it was possible to create the following conceptual categories: 1) Development of Human Resources; 2) Changes in Management and Organizational Structure; 3) Design and Implementation of Institutional Policies; 4) Technological Infrastructure; 5) Transformation of Education.This research project makes it possible the understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the process studied, and also to build a conceptual perspective that is theoretically grounded, and on the subject at hand. Thus, important contributions can be made to the field and the practice.The results obtained through this research are a significant antecedent and theoretical-methodological contribution for the diagnosis, design, planning and implementation of institutional strategies related to the adoption of Virtual Learning Environments in higher education.