In practice, Social Constructivism and Distributed Cognitions Theory are evident in many interactive web-based communities. For example, a Texas A&M research and design team used a systematic process to build and promote the Directory for Community Resources (DCR), an interactive website that serves the disability community in Texas.

In their report about the project, the team came up with sixteen guidelines for designing interactive web-based learning communities. Following are a few representative ideas:

• Prototyping - Web-based prototypes for websites are more effective than paper storyboards
• User-Centered Design - Work to ensure stakeholder buy-in by including representatives from each stakeholder group throughout the design and development process
• Human-Computer Interaction - Usability is critical; work to attract users and to identify and overcome any barriers to participation
• Technical Issues - Develop a plan to promote the site and to protect its content

These designers/developers/researchers say, "Multiple goals are served when individuals construct meaningful products such as the DCR with members of a community. First, the acts of investigation and contribution can promote the contributor's learning. Second, the act of contribution fulfills individuals' altruistic aspirations. Third, each contribution improves the efficiency and effectiveness of service providers in their future work day. And fourth, a broad audience benefits from access to the contents of the collaboratively constructed product." (Cifuentes, Sharp, Bulu, Benz,& Stough, 2010)

References:

Cifuentes,L., Sharp, A., Bulu, S., Benz, M., & Stough, L. (2010). Developing a web 2.0-based system with user-authored content for community use and teacher education. Educational Technology Research & development, (Vol. 58-4, pp. 377-398).

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved August 17th, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2010, August). Distributed Cognition (DCog) at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved August 17th, 2010 from http://www.learning-theories.com/distributed-cognition-dcog.html