Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): A Web-Based Collaborative Learning System

Using Internet and WWW to support teaching or learning has become a trend in modern higher education. However, most distant-learning or virtuallearning sites are still limited to the dissemination of teaching materials. Neither the strengths of Internet and WWW have been maximized nor the functions have been fully utilized, for instance, supporting autonomous, exploratory, interactive and collaborative learning. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has developed a virtual learning system, called Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), to prove that such kind of learning is possible with Internet and WWW technologies.