Study Related Terms and Definitions

Course Management System. See Learning Management System.

The manifestation of scaffolded learning – when students are moved from the lower learning levels of knowledge and comprehension toward the higher learning levels of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

A group of students that progress together through a program. Some online programs have cohorts of students start courses at the same time, and complete a group of core courses together. Cohorts enable online students to get to know each other better and form supportive networked learning communities.

The Community of Inquiry (COI) is research-based framework for teaching and learning based on social constructivist education theory and research. The CoI identifies and measures three principle elements critical to a successful online learning environment – social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presences.

A research-based learning theory that supports the concept that learners construct their own knowledge and understanding based on experiences and understanding that they already have. While learning in a constructivist environment, students are expected to actively reconcile new knowledge with existing knowledge, and then advance to create novel ideas.