The paradox of constructivist e-learning

A constructivist learning philosophy works for me. I enjoy researching new information and finding answers to questions I hadn’t previously thought to ask. I especially appreciate when such questions and resources are provided by an expert teacher to support my learning.

Lee’s Learning Log displays the results of my efforts. My blog entries reflect a constructed knowledge process and provide a record of how I plan to leverage my learning. This space is a perfect knowledge-management system.

A constructivist approach is well-suited for e-learning. Interactive-technology (including hypertext) provides an environment where learners have great opportunity to pursue individual learning paths. In this context, the learning environment presents multiple perspectives on the content, is complex and ill-defined, and emphasizes the construction of knowledge by the learner.

These 3 characteristics of an on-line learning experience are closely associated with an approach called the Cognitive Flexibility Theory (CFT), which focuses on the transfer of knowledge and skills beyond the immediate learning situation. This theory supports the use of hyperlink pathways that connect specific, context-dependent assets (media, text, images, sound, web pages, assessment items or other pieces of data). For example, a term referenced in the lesson text might be linked to a Glossary definition in another part of the learning program.

And there is the paradox. E-leaning experiences are facilitated through inter-connected hyperlinked material, yet SCORM-conformant Learning Objects are compartmentalized and independent of learning context.

A primary feature of a Sharable Content Object (SCO) is reusability, which means that each SCO must be a stand-alone chunk of content for learning purposes. To design an on-line course, then, requires a hierarchical, table of contents structure for lessons and other learning objects. With such a rigorously controlled external sequence of instructional events, we’ve lost context-dependencies and the “cognitive flexibility’ of a constructivist learning environment. For example, we can no longer link to a Glossary from within a SCO, nor can we launch any other object at all (including a Glossary or a help file) when another SCO is already open.

To create effective e-learning that results in meaning as well as just knowledge, today’s Instructional Designer must develop a new bag of tricks.