Discusses constructivist uses of production rule expert systems that may be used to support learning for secondary and higher education. Highlights include locus of control; and objectivist and constructivist applications of expert systems as intelligent tutoring systems, as feedback systems, as personal knowledge representation tools, and for…

This paper describes the characteristics of microworlds and discusses the basis of their use as educational tools. The power of a microworld as a learning tool is based in the philosophy of constructivism, the Piagetian principle of equilibrium, mental models, and intrinsic motivation. Research results of educational microworld studies appear to…

Describes the Learning Enhancement Action/Resource Network faculty-development model, designed to improve teaching and learning at the College of Engineering at Iowa State University. Argues that teaching should be grounded in students' learning, and supports the constructivist notion that learning is an active process of knowledge construction.…

Reviews efforts to develop and use computer support for situated, collaborative learning. Presents lessons learned in pilot experiments designed to examine how to integrate two types of group collaboration tools: constructivist and/or minimal instructionist. Students appeared to favor the integration of instructionism into constructivist…

Argues that current computer-based instruction does not exploit the instructional possibilities of computers. Critiques current models of computer-based instruction: behaviorist as too linear and constructivist as too unstructured. Offers a design model of Expanded-frame Hypermedia Knowledge-bases as an instructional approach allowing hypermedia…

Typically, guidelines for design of interactive multimedia systems have been based on intuitive beliefs of designers rather than being founded on relevant research and theory. As advances in technology create new opportunities for education, it is important to use a range of theoretical perspectives to optimize use of new technology in teaching…

A person-centered instructional design model was developed for virtual, Web-based environments, based on the work of Carl Rogers. This model attempts to address several issues raised in the literature. A person-centered instructional model is described and contrasted with instructionalist and constructivist approaches. Theoretical and practical…

The influence of theory on instructional-design models of the future is explored on the basis of the theoretical developments of today. Anticipated model changes are expected to result from disparate theoretical thinking in areas such as chaos theory, constructivism, situated learning, cognitive-learning theory, and general systems theory.…

This paper presents a framework and model for design of open-ended learning environments (OELEs). First, an overview is presented that addresses key characteristics of OELEs, including: use of meaningful, complex contexts; provision of tools and resources; learner reflection and self-monitoring; and social, material, or technological scaffolding.…

This paper presents a framework for producing learning environments (LEs) on the World Wide Web that improves productivity and quality at a reduced cost for both designers and learners. The resulting LEs are germane to fractals. Changes in scale are likened to levels in LEs; each level expresses a given viewpoint on knowledge. Self-similarity…

This paper discusses a framework for designing online tasks that capitalizes on the possibilities that the Internet and the Web offer for language learning. To present such a framework, we draw from constructivist theories (Brooks and Brooks, 1993) and their application to educational technology (Newby, Stepich, Lehman and Russell, 1996; Jonassen,…