Learning Theories and Instructional Designs: Developing a Multimodal Quality and Student Support Service for Online Learning

Abstract

This work explores how prominent learning theories can be used to design online learning environments that prioritize quality and offer effective student support. Employing a bibliometric integrative review method, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on eighty-nine relevant articles refined from a pool of 357 sources. These sources explore (online) learning theories, practices and their associated instructional designs. Six prevalent learning theories were identified: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Social Constructivism, Connectivism, Community of Inquiry, and Online Collaborative Learning. Each Theory was examined, highlighting its strengths, limitations, and its potential to inform effective online instruction. This analysis yields two crucial insights. First, the underlying philosophy of education and the chosen learning theory significantly influence the design of online learning environments. Second, existing online learning approaches often lack a strong integration of learning theories, particularly regarding assessment, student support strategies and quality learning within collaborative activities. By drawing on these insights, this Analysis proposes a model for online learning instructional design that emphasizes the multimodal, integrative, quality and student support service online learning model. This Model incorporates the concepts of different learning theories, and prioritizes quality and student support services, aiming to create engaging and effective online learning experiences that promote deeper learning and critical thinking skills.