Computer-supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is a widely accepted group-teaching and learning methodology. It focuses on communication and collaboration aspects among learning entities, between instructors and students. The contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly we introduce a novel, role-based concept of collaborative learning where both instructors and students/student groups operate in combined teaching and learning activities while acting mainly autonomously. Secondly the beneficial learning effect of these methods (for students and instructors) is greatly enhanced by our new approach of reducing the course material to the essential underlying problems. In addition we shape the multimedia-based CSCL methodology according to the nature and character of the problem world of the course subject area. We apply our method to a classical area of computer operating systems (storage management) illustrated by the example of the famous ‘Dining Philosophers’ Problem’. The benefits of our approach are of particular use for senior-level undergraduate courses, for Life-Long Learning or for Distance Teaching and Learning programmes. In many of these areas intensive hands-on experience and competence has to be achieved under rigid time or learning environment constraints. In traditional classroom teaching these constraints would typically only allow for a superficial acquaintance with the subject areas.