Abstract:

The learning paradigm for students has shifted over the past decade, creating uncertainty in the higher education department. The return on investment (ROI) for students learning under these circumstances is in jeopardy based on several factors such as; future accreditation, future employment, and actual learning outcomes. These factors have created a connection for students to the virtual learning environment to assist them and give them positive outcomes. The accreditation factor has been dependent on the accreditation body in the institute’s geographic location. Many institutes have implemented virtual learning programs to create a more sustainable working academic platform for working adults and distant students. This gives every student the option to study the specified program from the university in a various locations.

The return on investment (ROI) measures the students gain from these platforms and online programs. This has been a major topic spreading internationally based on distant learning is acceptable, accredited, and used in various geographic locations. The ability to measure the outcomes and return on investment for every student body is dependent on the institute and the virtual department. Institutes need to have a successful model to successfully instruct students to learn and understand concepts used in this academic method. This creates a major concern why the model which institutes use to work from needs to be a specific and sustainable for any institute.

The framework for creating a sustainable platform for online learning has to pass by specific checkpoints in order to become manageable and implementable for institutes. This model is not reinventing the wheel but implementing new sources and information into a pre-existing concept. The model will also create new opportunities, possibilities, and give every student equal opportunity for learning outcomes to be reached. Faculty will also have a training system which will need to be implemented in order for the entire platform to be acceptable.

This paper will outline the framework and a given model for virtual learning to show the simplified ways of making a sustainable virtual learning environment. These examples are based on pre-existing programs in the higher education department implemented at US universities.

Keywords:

Blended Learning, On-line Learning, Distant Education, Sustainability.