Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)

Looking at Dr. Fred Hofstetter's paper Back to the Future of Educational Technology (Hofstetter, 2007) as a guide for elementary level SIWS, it is clear that a vi ritual environment must have all three elements of Vygotsky's constructivist triangle (stimulus, response, extrinsic). Since the environment must allow for non-readers and emergent readers to communicate, the interface must be apparent. TR must also incorporate a form of an immediate feedback loop to validate learning objectives.

Much of the guess work involved with a vle for elementary education is that all of the mainstream models were designed for secondary and college level students (Moodle, Sakai, ACLibre, Blackboard, WebCT). Features such as blogs and wikis are tools that allow for the interact are common for the mainstream vle. Again, these tools do not lend themselves to younger students.

In order to promote Vygotsky's triangulation TR must modify existing technologies or create new ones.