Evolving modes of student use - whither the VLE?

We consider the issue of where physically Informatics students choose to work. Technological change now offers them a range of points of access, at the same time as institutions are exploiting these modes to the full. In the context of a new institutional VLE, we have conducted a preliminary study of modes of use: we learn, unsurprisingly, that use of central bulk laboratories is diminishing, but that there may be subtle patterns of behaviour evident among individuals. We note that these behaviours are driven by strong external forces and will not be countered, and further note that there may be cause to worry about students becoming ‘virtual’, both for their own academic benefit and their enculturation. We conjecture that conclusions for Informatics will be relevant to the whole academy as time passes, and propose work to monitor this issue.