Supporting Teaching in 21st Century Environments: How the Connectivist Model of Instructional Design Serves the Purpose

Choice is a commonly found element in today’s world. It is still often lacking with curriculum design decisions made for today’s college classrooms. Lecture still seems to dominate as the chosen form of interaction. Nonetheless, universities are embarking on learning space design initiatives as part of campus master plans. Successful college learning experiences are not only predicated on reshaping physical structures but also on the implementation of a faculty development program designed to support college instructors to impact 21st-century learning. Based on elements of the Faculty Learning Community model, Ball State University’s Interactive Learning Space Initiative has become the cornerstone for changing the culture of teaching in environments created to actively engage college learners. A connectivist approach to instructional systems design serves as the active principle in this initiative to reshape teaching and learning at the college level.