Rethinking online teaching and learning: A case study of an approach to designing an online learning environment

An area of concern in recent years has been around the design of curriculum and instruction and how to address the prevailing limitations of educational practices in online learning. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to understand how adults learn and the rationale for, and benefits of, using learning theories and sound pedagogical principles in facilitating technology-mediated learning experiences. Informed by the idea of Cognitive Apprenticeship, the instructional approaches explored in this case study include situated modeling, scaffolding, coaching and fading with the aid of technology. Online learning and teaching and the context and needs of adult learners are foregrounded in the literature review. The elements of the cognitive apprenticeship model and the case study are then presented and discussed. The use of technology and educational principles that informed the curriculum design follow thereafter. The lived experience in facilitating apprenticeship style learning is discussed and reflected upon in the final section of the paper. Experiences reported in this paper are useful in helping educator and designers rethink online learning and teaching approaches.