The improvement in the quality of education via virtual learning environments

This work focuses on analysing the use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) as a medium for guaranteeing and improving the quality of education in such a way that knowledge, the principal factor in current economy, is boosted and society's needs are responded to.;Two empirical studies are developed: The objective of the first empirical study is to analyse the relationship between student variables (age, sex, IT skills, work situation and previous experience in virtual courses) and their perception about the quality (in terms of satisfaction and perceived learning) of a course given in a VLE.;There are two main objectives to the second study: The first aim is to analyse whether a VLE means an improvement in quality in comparison to a Traditional Learning Environment (TLE) and the second aim is to evaluate whether the application to e-learning of Concept Maps and personalisation via Learning Styles, constituting what we have named an Improved Virtual Learning Environment (IVLE) gives rise to an improvement in quality in comparison to previous learning environments.;The conclusions of the first study suggest some interesting directions for future training actions carried out in VLEs. We have been able to define a profile for the student who would achieve the best results. This profile would correspond to a student of 35 years of age or more, who works and carries out a postgraduate optional course.;It has been possible to compare the quality of a VLE with that of a TLE concluding that the quality is greater for the VLE. Thus learning in virtual environments can be a valid alternative for many students who do not have the opportunity to participate in traditional face-to-face classes or who prefer the independence of this education method. In addition it has been verified that using the proposed IVLE greater levels of quality are obtained. Given that knowledge has become the most important resource in present economy and its appropriate management the corner stone of the management of the most competitive companies and organisations, an IVLE can present considerable opportunities as it encourages the quality of the knowledge acquisition process.