As a junior faculty member in her fourth year at a research university, the author has discovered that there are striking differences in the way faculty members have been prepared and socialized to enter the academic workplace. While some receive a quality doctoral experience with exemplary mentoring and socialization, others do not receive the…

For many years, teacher education has been the subject of persistent concerns, many of which were reflected in a 1997 evaluation of the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP). The evaluation noted the lack of a common view of the purpose of STEP, resulting in "contradictory practices and mixed messages"; fragmented coursework; faculty…

In this article, the author describes the evolution of Electronic Collaborative Educational Learning Laboratory (ECELL) and shares some of the insights that she has gained over the past five years. ECELL was created as "Collaborative Learning Laboratory" for both pre-service and in-service teachers aimed at transforming the design and…

In one of the author's academic homes at the University of Hawai'i, the "Globalization Research Center", educators are trying to gain a better understanding of the ways in which new technologies and ways of organizing learning across the globe have been transformed in the last five to eight years and, more importantly, they are seeking…

One of the first steps in strategic planning is assessing the current environment. Developing a clear understanding of the College of Education's technology initiatives and outreach programs therefore became a priority when the author came on board in February, 2002. As Director of Outreach and Technology for the College at the University of…

As a result of rapid developments in information and communication technology (ICT), dramatic changes are taking place in approaches to teaching and learning in university and school classrooms. These changes offer new opportunities to explore entirely new methods of instruction in teacher education. ICT provides alternatives to conventional…

Universities are increasingly looking toward technology to overcome geographical barriers to access, and this has placed new demands on faculty to explore the potential of technology in their classrooms. As a result, faculty development in the use of appropriate applications for teaching and learning has become a critical issue. In the 2000…

In spite of ten campuses spread over four islands, access to higher education at the University of Hawai'i (UH) is unevenly distributed across the state. In an effort to address the problem of access, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has funded the University of Hawai'i to develop online courses and programs. In this article, the author describes…

From its beginnings 25 years ago, the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu (UH-West O'ahu) has strived to provide its students, mostly working adults with an average age of 32 years, with easy access to classes and advising by maintaining flexible class schedules and office hours. When UH-West O'ahu initiated a distance education program in 1981, the…