This article reports on the findings of a formative evaluation of an online competency-based child welfare practice course, paying particular attention to the instructional design principles and features required to promote the learning and enhancement of skill sets for reflective anti-oppressive social work practice. The article begins by differentiating the major forms of instructional design along two main dimensions--objectivism and constructivism--and examines the application of constructivism to the instructional design principles and teaching strategies of the online course. It concludes with the findings of the evaluation and a discussion of the pedagogical implications for social work education. (Contains 3 tables, 1 figure and 1 footnote.)