Rethinking how people learn: A holistic framework for effective learning design

Abstract

Learning is an integral part of being human. How people learn has long been discussed, revealed in many learning theories, investigated in numerous studies, and demonstrated in extensive practices. The goal of this article is to rethink how people learn from four fundamental perspectives, that is, learning by interaction with content (C), learning by interaction with other people (O), learning by interaction with self (S), and learning by interaction with tasks or practices (T), so-called COST model. This framework offers a high-level view of human learning and the role of technology in human learning. Moreover, it serves as a guide for effective design of learning experiences, learning environments, and learning approaches, where technology has become a crucial component.