Implementing a Strategic, Sequential, and Iterative Pedagogical Flow to Online IS Distance Education Learning

The Internet and World Wide Web have enabled the delivery of online instruction through content management and learning management systems. Many educational institutions and corporate organizations utilize the online environment to successfully extend the reach of their training and education programs. Away from the structure of a classroom, many students are unable to demonstrate sufficient discipline to organize work, and apply the rigor that is needed to successfully learn in an online environment. This report details a successful design initiative to create a learning cycle framework for online instruction of Information Systems courses. The Information Systems Learning Cycle (ISLC) integrates the elements of cognitive and applied instruction via a sequential and iterative pedagogical flow that maps the elements to specific online technologies. Content instruction and lab instruction through a virtual lab environment blend together in a strategic flow that allows for improved online student course completion rates, student satisfaction, and knowledge retention.