V11-51

   Learning environment’s efficiency is determined by learning methods supported. What makes the difference is not the technology itself, but rather, the learning methods enabled and supported by the technology. The main learning theories are objectivism and constructivism. Objectivism is a teacher-centered learning method whose goal is to represent and transfer objective realities from the teachers to the learners. An objectivist environment supports the passive learning methods, in which the learners are passive recipients of instruction, acquiring common understanding from teachers, rather creating their own knowledge. In contrast with objectivism, constructivism is learner centered. In a constructivist environment, learners can control their learning paces. The role of teacher is to assist the learners in constructing their own knowledge.

    Web-based virtual online classroom (WVOC) is designed in two components. Instructional communicating environment (ICE) is mainly used to transfer learning materials and promote teachers and learners to interact instantly. To improve interactivity, ICE also provides some efficient tools such as chat-room, bulletin board systems etc. Collaborative learning environment (CLE) encourages learners to explore and communicate freely. This environment provides for learners some other learning tools such as lecture video, chat-room, contextual discussing forums, frequently asked questions (FAQ) etc.


Considering the passage, which of the following can be inferred about the relationship between the Instructional Communicating Environment (ICE) and the Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE) in a Web-based virtual online classroom?

A. ICE and CLE are mutually exclusive components with no overlapping functions or tools.
B. While ICE focuses on transferring objective knowledge, CLE is dedicated to creating subjective understanding among learners.
C. Both ICE and CLE utilize similar tools, but their applications differ in the context of teacher and learner roles.
D. The effectiveness of ICE and CLE depends solely on the technological capabilities they possess.
E. CLE is a subset of ICE, mainly used for enhancing learner-teacher interactions.