Frank Bate and Linda Smart
Research Title: To Instruct or Construct, That is the Question

Elearn.WA (Lead Agent) and TAFE frontiers (project partner)

Name of Researcher(s): Frank Bate (Elearn.WA) and Linda Smart (TAFE frontiers)

Research Focus:

The hypothesis of this research is that there is an appropriate educational design for every learning experience. Further, there is a pattern and a logic to the selection of appropriate designs. The problem is that as a system, and as individuals, we have difficulty in discerning patterns and applying appropriate designs. The result, in many cases, is that trainers and learners work with inappropriate models and become frustrated with flexible learning and return to more traditional teaching and learning relationships.

Educational design is complex. To pigeon-hole designs purely into instructivist/constructivist camps is clearly too simplistic. The researchers will apply a rigorous methodology to categorise products along this continuum both on the basis of their design characteristics and how the design is implemented.