Pilot study on the impact of VLE on mathematical concepts acquisition within secondary education in England

The research investigates the “impact of VLE on
mathematical concepts acquisition of the special education needs
(SENs) students at KS4 secondary education sector” in England. The
overall aim of the study is to establish possible areas of difficulties to
approach for above or below knowledge standard requirements for
KS4 students in the acquisition and validation of basic mathematical
concepts. A teaching period, in which virtual learning environment
(Fronter) was used to emphasise different mathematical perception
and symbolic representation was carried out and task based survey
conducted to 20 special education needs students [14 actually took
part]. The result shows that students were able to process information
and consider images, objects and numbers within the VLE at early
stages of acquisition process. They were also able to carry out
perceptual tasks but with limiting process of different quotient, thus
they need teacher’s guidance to connect them to symbolic
representations and sometimes coach them through. The pilot study
further indicates that VLE curriculum approaches for students were
minutely aligned with mathematics teaching which does not
emphasise the integration of VLE into the existing curriculum and
current teaching practice. There was also poor alignment of vision
regarding the use of VLE in realisation of the objectives of teaching
mathematics by the management. On the part of teacher training, not
much was done to develop teacher’s skills in the technical and
pedagogical aspects of VLE that is in-use at the school. The
classroom observation confirmed teaching practice will find a
reliance on VLE as an enhancer of mathematical skills, providing
interaction and personalisation of learning to SEN students.