The Community of Inquiry Framework is based on the premise that online learning is a collaborative constructivist activity However, not all courses are similarly oriented In general, courses can be divided into constructivist and objectivist In constructivist courses. learners develop solutions to problems through sustained discourse and inquiry, making the learning a function of interaction with other learners in objectivist courses, truths are considered absolute and learning is more heavily weighted toward interaction with content. This study examines the impact that these differing orientations have on student perceptions of community of inquiry by examining the factor patterns of courses characterized along two dimensions objectivist/constructivist and individual/collaborative. The findings reveal that learner age may be one of the most significant determinants of whether and how course orientation is perceived (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved