Cloud-based VCLE: A virtual collaborative learning environment based on a cloud computing architecture

Abstract

Today, collaborative learning has a strong presence in technology-supported education, and as a result, practices being developed in the form of computer supported collaborative learning are more and more common. However, in order to support collaborative learning practices, Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) are facing challenges of optimizing large-scale resources management, according to the huge growth of services, users and educational resources. Indeed, with daily rising trend on requirement's dynamic changes in service, existing VLE fall short to respond on demand. Thus, in this paper, by taking advantage of cloud computing services, we propose to design a flexible cloud-based Virtual Collaborative Learning Environment (cloud-based VCLE). The aim of this work is to exploit cloud computing potentials to facilitate collaborative knowledge construction and maximize resource sharing in VLE. The proposed platform fulfills the basic requirement of VLE to support collaborative learning, but also responds to learner's dynamic need on demand. The platform facilitates and supports students to fulfill task-driven learning in a more flexibly and friendly collaborative manner.