Abstract: This paper explores various learning and teaching strategies for both learners and teachers in creating online learning environments, whether constructivist or instructivist, that are conducive in unleashing innovative ideas for problem-solving in the 21st Century Berge and Haung (2004, p3) state that “ The lack of retention, or dropout, has historically challenged educational systems and seems to be especially acute in distance learning” Flood (2002) reports attrition from eLearning as high as 70 -80% (Forrester, 2000) Rogers’ (2013) Pedagogical Variation Model (PVM) shows how an in-depth insight to e-moderator pedagogical leadership is paramount to successful e-learning, be it in constructivist or instructivist learning environments Garrison’s (2011, p 70), eLearning framework notes that “the teacher’s scholarly leadership, a legitimate and important authoritative, essential teaching responsibility has been either ignored or downgraded, in online learning environments”