Model-facilitated learning environments: The pedagogy of the design

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how instruction, technology, and models converge to create online model-facilitated learning environments. These instructional environments are designed in such a manner that the interaction with the model on the computer network is essential to the learning experience. The idea is to use these models to maximize the pedagogical power that helps students construct conceptual mental representations that lead to a greater degree of retention and overall recall of information. How students will act and learn in a particular environment depends on how the instructional designer creates the environment that maximizes their learning potential, considering the interrelationships between the learning experience, the technology, cognition, and other related issues of the learner.