P. Zaphiris and A. Ioannou (Eds.): LCT 2014, Part II, LNCS 8524, pp. 23–32, 2014. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 Interrelation between Pedagogical Design and Learning Interaction Patterns in different Virtual Learning Environments Maka Eradze and Mart Laanpere Tallinn University, Narva rd. 25, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia {maka.eradze,mart.laanpere}@tlu.ee Abstract. Different virtual learning environments offer different affordances and pedagogical design for learning interactions which results in difference learning interaction patterns. With the emergence of a new era in VLE (virtual learning environments) a new set of affordances is needed to support the appropriate learning interactions. We argue that there is a strong interrelation between the pedagogical design and learning interaction patterns in a given VLE which is influenced by the affordances of that VLE. In order to create a set of affordances that support learning interactions within the DLE, there is a need of analysis of already existing learning interaction affordances across different platforms. 1 Introduction Different virtual learning environments offer different affordances and pedagogical design for learning interactions, which results in difference learning interaction patterns. With the emergence of a new era in VLE (virtual learning environments) a new set of affordances is needed to support the appropriate learning interactions. We argue that there is a strong interrelation between the pedagogical design and learning interaction patterns in a given VLE, which is influenced by the affordances of that VLE. In order to create a set of affordances that support learning interactions within the DLE, there is a need of analysis of already existing learning interaction affordances across different platforms. In this paper we examine the pedagogical designs and learning interaction patterns in VLEs like EduFeedr, Massive Open Online Courses platforms Coursera, Udacity, traditional LMSs and explore their interrelation patterns with pedagogical design of each course. The typology of the pedagogical design and interaction patterns will be based on the Communities of Inquiry [1,2,3,4]. Teaching is a design profession, today more than before. We define pedagogical design in line with Romizsowski [5] as systematic choice and use of procedures, methods, prescriptions, and devices in order to bring about effective, efficient, and productive learning. In addition to European tradition of didactic design based on heuristic guidelines, there exist several formalised and prescriptive instructional design models (e.g. [26,27,28]). As we are interested in actual pedagogical design models implemented by teachers who do not have any training or guidelines in the