FROM PHYSICAL BENCHMARKS TO MENTAL BENCHMARKS: A Four Dimensions Dynamic Model to Assure the Quality of Instructional Activities in Electronic and Virtual Learning Environments

The objective of this paper was to develop a four dimensions dynamic model for
designing instructional activities appropriate to electronic and virtual learning
environments. The suggested model is guided by learning principles of cognitivism,
constructivism, and connectivism learning theories in order to help online learners to
build and acquire meaningful knowledge and experiences. The proposed model consists
of four dynamic dimensions:
 Cognitive presence activities;
 Psychological presence activities;
 Social presence activities; and
 Mental presence activities.
Cognitive presence activities refer to learner’s ability to emerge a cognitive vision
regarding the content of learning. The cognitive vision will be the starting point to
construct meaningful understanding. Psychological presence activities refer to the
learner’s ability to construct self awareness and trustworthiness. It will work as
psychological schema to decrease the load of learning at distance. Social presence
activities refer to the learner’s ability to share knowledge with others in a way to
construct a community of practice and assure global understanding of learning. Finally,
mental presence activities refer to learner’s ability to construct mental models that
represent knowledge creation. It will help learners to make learning outcomes and
experiences transferable. Applying the proposed model will improve the process of
developing e-based activities throughout a set of adaptive and dynamic frameworks and
guidelines to meet online learner’s cognitive, psychological, social and mental presence.