Multiplicity and flexibility as design features - a case study of a web-based collaborative learning community for diverse learners

Assisted by technological advances, web-based instruction is being widely used to prepare learners for future challenges. The internet provides the possibility of erasing geographic and interpersonal boundaries among people from diverse backgrounds. The purposes of this article are: (1) to examine and discuss multiplicity and flexibility as essential elements in designing web-based courses integrating online collaborative learning; (2) to discuss implications of multiplicity and flexibility for future research and development of online collaborative learning environments.