Constructivist Perspectives for Online Education
Abstract: This paper reflects on the real online classroom experiences of one instructor and instructional designer, and attempts to articulate how a constructivist perspective can go hand-in-hand with a competency based model to make education more meaningful and relevant for students and educators. The paper offers a concept map for how learning takes place within this model, and examines the behaviors and practices of students and educators that best facilitate learning in a constructivist environment. In conclusion, this paper encourages all educators and instructional designers to keep finding new ways to actively encourage constructivist learning habits for our online students. This paper inspires us all to think beyond the banking theory of education, and to continue to help construct new meaning and knowledge for our educational institutions.