flex-e-bility

Constructivist instructional design models have emerged with more frequency within e-learning. These models offer guiding principles congruent with constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. Although constructivist ID models share common principles, each model also offers a unique approach to e-learning based on its context of development (Farres & MacDonald, 2006, p.164).

Farres and Colla (2006) emphasise the importance of context in developing instructional materials that support constructivist learning. They propose activity theory as a framework that has the potential to provide a conceptual framework that offers a common language for discussion and description. The authors analyse two instructional design approaches (demand driven learning model and layers of negotiation model) as activity systems to demonstrate the application of activity theory.

Farres, L., & MacDonald, C. (2006). Activity theory and context: An understanding of the development of constructivist instructional design models. In A. Figueiredo & A. Afonso (Eds.), Managing learning in virtual settings: The role of context (pp. 164-181). Hershey: Information Science Publishing.