ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief overview of the various theories of learning that have shaped current approaches to instructional design as applied to online learning environments. Weyers introduces the SOLO taxonomy (the structure of the observed learning outcomes) and describes how learner's understanding of a knowledge domain increases through four levels of complexity over time from a surface to a deep understanding. Weyers goes on to argue for a move from a focus on instructiona design — which he sees as being teacher centric — towards a more learner centric style of design. Taking a connectionist view, Weyers goes on to offer a set of design principles for a more dynamic model of online learning, principles that recognise and are adaptive to the complexity and depth of the mental knowledge schemas the learner already possesses He closes the chapter by showing how this new model could be applied to a higher education curriculum.
