Education: NEW! (Fall, 2025) - The "VLE: Virtual Learning Environment" (demo / training site)
Ontario Ministry of Education's K-12 database for Teacher Candidates & their instructors
Database Details
The VLE is the Ontario Ministry of Education’s “secure online learning management system (LMS) that supports the delivery of online, remote and blended learning to Kindergarten to Grade 12 students and educators in Ontario.” It is delivered through Desire2Learn (D2L.com)'s software system, BrightSpace, the same software used for Laurier's MyLearningSpace (MyLS). Although the VLE is not designed for classes that are being fully taught in person, there are many components withing the VLE to supplement in-class lessons & activities, and to provide professional development for teachers.
- Laurier’s access to the VLE is strictly for demonstration (learning) purposes only and can only be used by Teacher Candidates and their Laurier instructors, to help prepare Teacher Candidates before going out on practica. Content cannot be modified, nor does it contain the full array of resources that can be found in the version of the VLE that is available to School Boards and their employees. (See note, below.)
- Each course within the VLE contains:
- “Start Here”;
- “Teacher Guide” &/or “Release Notes” (to help plan content delivery & organize resources for lessons);
- “Learning Activities”; and
- “Assignments”.
- “Discussions”, “Quizzes”, “Surveys” and a WYSIWIG Editor, are only operable for Ontario School Boards, their teachers, and Teacher Candidates out on placements.
- More information on the VLE : overviews of both what Laurier's Teacher Candidates and their instructors can access, along with the full version as offered through School Boards
- Ontario's VLE (D2L.com): an introduction to the VLE
- What does the VLE Offer? (D2L.com)
- quick overview video (1:55 min.)
- Ontario's VLE One-Minute Workflows: over 60 one-minute videos, demonstrating the functionality of the full version of the VLE, as offered through School Boards.
- What does the VLE Offer? (D2L.com)
- Ontario's VLE (D2L.com): an introduction to the VLE
N.B.> FOR TEACHER CANDIDATES, ONCE ON PLACEMENT:
Ontario’s School Boards (and their teachers) all have their own VLE logins, with far greater access to the database’s contents; once on placement, Teacher Candidates should be able to:
- view the entire course content;
- edit content for classrooms (i.e. use “classroom shells”);
- and access the “eCommunity” for further professional development or information.
When a Teacher Candidate is in their practicum placement, their school board and/or Associate Teacher should ensure that they have full access (e.g., editable content). School Boards have a Technology Enabled Learning and Teaching (TELT) specialist who creates a one-off full access account for them. An Associate Teacher may not ask for an account to be created if they are not using the VLE as much or wish the teacher candidate to prioritize the in-person component of the practicum.
Link to Database
< https://trainingsite.elearningontario.ca/d2l/login >
N.B.> a special User Name & Password are required by all Laurier Teacher Education Candidates & their instructors, to access this database; more information to come on how you will be able to access those. In the interim, if you have any questions, please contact Hélène LeBlanc.