Abstract
Switching the development focus of computer-based instruction from the concerns of delivery technology to the fundamentals of instructional methodology, is a notion that has received increased attention among educational theorists and instructional designers over the last several years. Building upon this precept, a proposed methodology and computer support system is presented for distilling educational objectives into concept maps using strategies derived from cognitive theory. Our system design allows for a flexible and extensible architecture in which an educator can create instructional modules that encapsulate their teaching strategies, and mimics the adaptive behavior used by experienced instructors in teaching complex educational objectives.