Lifelong Learning

Leave your name on the map to support Beijing Olympics 2008!

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When using google blog to search for edublogs of educational technology, I came across a list of educational technology journals from http://www.educational-software-directory.net/journals.html. While exploring those websites, I was so thrilled to find great reources from them. Eliminating some broken links and some paid magazines, here is an adapted list:

• Australian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET) - a refereed academic journal publishing research and review articles in educational technology, instructional design, educational applications of computer technologies, educational telecommunications and related areas. ” It is free.
• British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET) - provides readers with the widest possible coverage of developments in international educational and training technology. Subscription required. Some issues are free.
• Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology (CJLT) - a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal published 3 times annually by AMTEC. The archived issues are free.
• Educational Technology Review - publication which is designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss all aspects of educational technology in all learning environments. So far I found many free articles.
• From Now On (FNO) - journal on educational technology for engaged learning and literacy. Totally free~~
• Interactive Educational Multimedia - journal intended as a space for dialogue and reflection about the application of the multimedia technologies in education. Open Journal
• Journal of Instructional Science and Technology (JIST) - international peer reviewed journal on instructional technology. Offers some full papers
• Journal of Interactive Media in Education (JIME) - publication discussing interactive media in education. Free access to all articles!
• Journal of Technology Education - provides a forum for scholarly discussion on topics relating to technology education. In addition, the Journal publishes book reviews, editorials, guest articles, comprehensive literature reviews, and reactions to previously published articles. Free access to all articles, PDF files for downloading
• Language Learning & Technology (LLT) - a refereed journal for second and foreign language educators. That’s what best fits me~~and it’s free!
• Meridian - electronic journal dedicated to research and practice of computer technology in middle school classrooms. Free journal
• Teaching English with Technology - journal for teachers of English. Free for English teachers~~
• TECHNOS - online version of the Agency for Instructional Technology Journal. Free online journal

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Today we talk a lot about how to prepare students for 21st century and what skills they are supposed to acquire. However, before we give high expectations to students, should we look at ourselves first? Students learn in part in watching our behavior and our actions certainly exert impact on their learnings. If we are to influence students’ capacity to contribute to the 21st century, we have to change our own and our instituions’ behavior.

This thoughts arised when I read Will Richarson’s article, URGENT: 21st Century Skills for Educators (and Others) First which has initiated around 150 comments so far. Obviously, Will’s post hit a nerve.

When we talk about making life-long learners out of our students,  it’s very ironic that some of our teachers are not learning for themselves. And it’s no surprising to find teachers or educators who talk about transforming education with technology while  hardly any trace of technology could be found in their life or work!

As critical change agents, teachers can do a lot to influence their students so as to change their own pedagogies and push forward the change in education. They don’t have to teach, they have to help their students learn and learn with them.

Learning is a growing process, not only for students, but for educators.

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In today’s session (6023), we learned how to analyse policy statement from its basic elements, e.g. problem definition, goals and instruments. A good policy statment should have the problems recognized and well-defined, goals clearly articulated and feasible instruments proposed. And also it should be internally and vertically consistent.

Then we had a little discussion about why using ICT in education. When talking about using ICT as a catalyst for educational change, Dr. Fox said there is a tendency of using the word “lever” instead of “catalyst” to describe the use of ICT in education. My team partner, Peter, then gave a very insightful explanation of the differences between those two words which I was convinced at that moment. He said that a catalyst is a chemical substance which speeds up the process but it doesn’t initiate change. However, a lever can move objects from one place to another with force which indicates a transmit and transformation.

However, after I returned home, I consulted dictionary to confirm the difference but to find a different story. Here are the definitions of those two words.

Catalyst-

1. something that makes a chemical reaction happen more quickly without itself being changed.
2. an event or person that causes great change. (from Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)
3. an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action. (from Merrian-Webster Online Dictionary)

Lever-

1. a bar or handle which moves around a fixed point, so that one end of it can be pushed or pulled in order to control the operation of a machine or move a heavy or stiff object. (from Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)
2. a rigid bar used to exert a pressure or sustain a weight at one point of its length by the application of a force at a second and turning at a third on a fulcrum. (from Merrian-Webster Online Dictionary)

To my understanding, catalyst facilitates and speeds up change although itself remains unchanged. However, lever moves agent to a third point without necessarily change it. In terms of ICT used in education, whether it is a catalyst or a lever, it relies on whether it changes or transforms education or not.

ICT undoubtedly has provoked dramatic changes in the way of teaching and learning. However, doest it really change the nature of education? Or it has just pushed education to another stage without changing its basci norm. In this sense, it is more proper to say that ICT is a lever more than a catalyst in education.

Arguments are welcome.

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