This document compares and contrasts two instructional paradigms - the self-directed paradigm and the traditional paradigm - for evaluating a virology website course. The self-directed paradigm views students as active learners who jointly construct knowledge with faculty through collaborative learning and personal relationships, while the traditional paradigm sees students as passive receivers of faculty knowledge within a competitive context.

4. Instructional Paradigm Self-Directed Paradigm Knowledge Transfer from faculty to students Jointly constructed by students and faculty Students Passive vessel to be filled by faculty’s knowledge Active constructor, discoverer, transformer of own knowledge Faculty Purpose Classify and sort students Develop students competencies and talents Relationships Impersonal relationships among students & between faculty and students Personal transactions among students and between faculty and students Context Competitive and individualistic Collaborative learning involving teams and faculty Assumptions Any expert can teach Teaching is complex and requires considerable training