Instructional Design and Development of Learning Communities: An Invitation to a Dialogue

Abstract

Our goal in this article is to encourage discussion among members of the instructional design community and members of research groups who are attempting to transform typical classrooms into "learning communities." A strength of the instructional design community is its efforts to articulate, manage, and systematize the processes involved in designing effective learning environments. A strength of researchers attempting to create "learning communities" is their emphasis on new sets of principles that have important implications for the nature of teaching, learning, and assessment. By discussing insights from these two communities, we hope to begin a conversation that strengthens the communication and collaboration between the two.