Constructivism vs. Objectivism: Where is difference for Designers of e-Learning Environments? Miguel Baptista Nunes and Maggie McPherson Department of Information Studies University of Sheffield 211 Regent Court, Sheffield, S1 4DP j.m.nunes@sheffield.ac.uk Abstract This position paper discusses different philosophical views of learning and the consequences of these different epistemologies on the design of online learning environments. Academic learning is proposed as a process of constructing knowledge and the development of reflexive awareness, where the individual is an active processor of information and is therefore proposed as a constructivist process. However, the pragmatic constraints of learning and teaching in Higher Education (HE) institutions pose clear restrictions on the use of pure constructivism. In fact, modularisation, semesterisation, accreditation needs, modes of assessment, as well as staff and financial limitations, mean that pure constructivist ideals are very difficult to implement and maintain at HE levels. Pedagogical models based on moderate constructivist approaches rooted and constrained by practice, may provide designers and educationalists with more useful and applicable approaches. Introduction When designing online learning environments, educational designers, like all other designers, call on prior knowledge and experience. They call to mind previous solutions and strategies they have used, have experienced, or have seen that fit the particular constraints of the current situation [5]. These previous experiences play a central role in specifying the structure and content of e-learning environments, as well as the delivery strategies that make use of these. Thus, if the pedagogical component of the design is not consciously considered and planned, the designer tends to incorporate his/her own model of learning into the environment, which may be inappropriate or inadequate for the learning activities planned [17]. Furthermore, the lack of an overall pedagogical strategy may imply a lack of a consistent and adequate educational approach throughout the whole online learning environment. In fact, when producing any learning materials, assumptions are made about the type of learning and the process of learning that it is hoped will take place [14]. Hence, e-learning environments always incorporate some form of learning model, which may or may not have been intentionally considered. One of the crucial success factors of an educational environment is that any assumptions made about the learner and the learning process, are incorporated into the design process in an explicit and consistent manner. Only with a clear sense of the theoretical foundations that underpin assumptions about learning and cognition, can an efficient online learning environment be appropriately designed, and these provide the means to choose an appropriate educational approach. The selection of an approach can be seen as a pre-design concern and is the result of answering basic questions such as: why is the environment being developed; what is the focus of the environment; and who the learners are. Thus, the adoption of different learning theories, based on dissimilar philosophies may result in very diverse designs in order to support corresponding modes of learning, interaction and knowledge acquisition. This paper analyses academic learning and suggests a suitable pedagogical characterisation that may support designers. Academic Learning Characterisation Defining academic learning is somewhat problematic. In general terms it can be seen as a series of activities that promote acquisition of high-level knowledge. However, due to the impacts of what is known today as the Information Society, both the nature of knowledge and how knowledge is to be acquired is changing. In fact, learning in HE must be assumed to be much more than acquisition of inert and abstract concepts (e.g. decontextualised definitions, algorithms and routines), which are of no use if the learner does not have the understanding to apply them in appropriate settings. The aim in HE must be to develop the learner’s critical faculties, understanding and independence of thought in addition to the gathering of concepts [2]. Proceedings of the The 3rd IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT’03) 0-7695-1967-9/03 $17.00 © 2003 IEEE