Abstract:

The new model of teaching and learning promoted by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is aimed at the acquisition of skills and abilities. Many of the theoretical materials have been taught in universities with methodologies based almost exclusively on teacher's oral presentation of the contents (face-to-face interaction). Of course, some issues related to teaching the basics of design, although theoretical, require a practical approach in order to deepen certain aspects and thus achieve a better consolidation of knowledge.
An education based on the acquisition of competences means that students must have a range of tools to work and interact with information in different ways towards acquisition of practical skills. Thus, virtual learning environments (VLEs) provide students with additional resources that perfectly complement the theoretical contents explained by the teacher in classroom, while facilitating the coordination between people when doing group work.
This paper explores the advantages of the VLE "Virtual Classroom" for teaching, developed at Universitat Jaume I of Castellón (Spain). Through analysis of different case studies conducted in the current academic year 2009-10 is possible to evaluate the success of using this platform by students and teachers in the field of design, and thus to define specific guidelines to improve the introduction of new technologies for building a more appropriate blended learning.

Keywords:

virtual learning environments, blended learning, design, academic performance, EHEA.