Abstract :
This case study explores how a constructivist-based instructional design
helped adult learners learn in an online learning environment. Two classes of
adult learners pursuing professional development and registered in a webbased
course were studied. The data consisted of course documents, submitted
artefacts, surveys, interviews, in-class observations, and online observations.
The study found that the majority of the learnerswere engaged in two facets of
learning. On the one hand, the instructional activities requiring collaboration
and interaction helped the learners support one another’s learning, from
which most claimed to have benefited. On the other hand, the constructivistbased
course assisted many learners to develop a sense of becoming more
responsible, self-directed learners. Overall, the social constructivist style of
instructional strategy seems promising to facilitate adult learning, which not
only helps change learners’ perceptions of the online learning, but also assists
them to learn in a more collaborative, authentic and responsible way. The
study, however, also disclosed that in order to maintain high-quality learning,
appropriate assessment plans and adequate facilitation must be particularly
reinforced. A facilitation model is thus suggested
