More online learning
For an online journal that is publicly accessible and has even more articles, try the Journal of Educational Technology and Society. Volume 8, Issue 2 of 2005 is now available, and includes a nice feature called Formal Discussion Summaries, which has a helpful contribution titled 'Transitional Developments in Online Courses and Programs: Theory and Practice', by Muirhead and Betz. After presenting a paper on a variety of issues and moderating the discussions, the authors conclude that "What is remarkable about this discussion on transitional developments in online courses is that for all practical purposes the IFETS forum had little to say except on the topic of learning objects. Why? Learning objects are nebulous entities that professionals feel they need a good knowledge of. Yet, under scrutiny, they seem to hold less promise than existing trends in research imply. The theme of the authors of the pre-discussion paper that the market was overwhelming the learning objects movement held up. Another emergent theme of the discussion is that there is great diversity in contemporary online courses, a diversity that apparently does not indicate clear norms of application." The Full-Length Articles  in this issue include 'Effects of the Cognitive Level of Thought on Learning Complex Material', 'Authentic Teaching as the Context for Language Learning', 'Teachers' Perceptions on the Roles on Educational Technology', and 'Instructional Uses of Instant Messaging (IM) During Classroom Lectures'.

Major achievements by OUHK scholar
As OUHK readers (and others, especially in Asia) are aware, Weiyuan Zhang (CRIDAL Research Fellow) is a researcher in distance and open learning with a prodigious output of papers, articles, chapters and books. In recognition of his contributions, China Central Radio & Television University Press has just published a collection of 20 of Dr Zhang's articles written in 2003 and 2004. The book, Management and Learning Support of Distance Learning (2005), is written in Chinese and covers the three areas of management and administration, distance learning support and online teaching and learning. And if that isn't enough, Dr Zhang has also recently completed the third in the series of edited books on Global Perspectives: Philosophy and Practice in Distance Education. Also published by China Central Radio & Television University Press (but this time in both English and Chinese), the book explores themes that include teaching and learning theories, quality assurance, instructional design, technology and media, and online teaching and learning. As with the first two volumes, Volume 3 includes contributions from well-known scholars and researchers, this time including Peter Jarvis, Brenda Gourley, Jon Baggaley, Willa Louw, Inge Sonnekus, Sally Johnson, Paul Kawachi, Henrik Hansson, Carl Holmberg, Felix Librero, Tian Belawati, Dewi Padmo, Amin Zuhairi, Ugur Demiray, Judy Huang, and Danny Wong. Information on ordering the books can be obtained from http://www.crtvup.com.cn/bshjj/default_e.asp.

A newsletter from paradise
The European Distance and E-Learning network (EDEN) publishes a regular online newsletter that is worth a browse from time to time. It provides the kind of information that you would expect, including networking opportunities, notices about conferences and other events, a discussion board, policy development and publications. Useful links include one to elearningeuropa.info, 'A portal about the use of Information and Communication Technologies to improve learning' developed by the European Commission. Check this multi-lingual (20 languages!) site too and explore its resources, including areas that concentrate on schools, higher education, workplace education and lifelong learning.

At last, an article not about online learning
The latest issue of Open Learning (Vol. 20, No. 2, June 2005) has an article about printed study materials, the backbone of distance education that has recently rather lacked any research or investigation. The contribution, 'Teachers' views on and use of printed materials in a distance learning teacher education course', is by Yvonne Fung of the OUHK, who has explored "the extent to which students on a distance teacher education course considered that the print materials had achieved the course objectives, and how they made use of the in-text access structures. The results indicate that, although teachers on the course agreed that the materials were able to achieve the course objectives, the extent to which they made use of the access devices varied considerably." Another article that caught the eye is one that builds on and extends Adrian Kirkwood's work (from the UKOU) on students' use of media. Gordon Burt and David Lloyd (also of the UKOU) present 'The provision, use, study time and effectiveness of media: a mathematical model', wherein they claim that "mathematical modeling as used in the discipline of economics can usefully complement existing approaches. A mathematical model of student use of media is developed. The parameters are empirically estimated for an equation expressing the amount of study of a particular component in terms of its 'essentiality' and its effectiveness. Thus an ordinary language account can be given greater precision thanks to the mathematical modeling." And the overall result? The 'old' media dominate. There's more to it, of course, and the modeling they outline is not too mathematical for most readers! Finally, Open Learning does have at least one article on online learning, this time from Insung Jung, who writes about the 'Cost-effectiveness of online teacher training'. Open Learning is another journal published in both hard-copy and online, which can be accessed by OUHK staff through the E-Library.

What's wrong with 'What Works'?
Those educational researchers who keep an eye on what's going on in the US will be aware of efforts there to improve the status and impact of educational research, partly through the What Works Clearinghouse, a US$18.5million project funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. The project has already come under significant discussion and debate, one of the latest salvos appearing in Educational Researcher. In 'Evidence on "What Works": An Argument for Extended-Term Mixed-Method (ETMM) Evaluation Designs', Madhabi Chatterji is at odds with the recommended randomized field trials, and argues instead "for extended-term mixed method (ETMM) designs. Emphasizing the need to consider temporal factors in gaining thorough understandings of programs as they take hold in organizational or community settings, the article asserts that formal study of contextual and site-specific variables with multiple research methods is a necessary prerequisite to designing sound field experiments for making generalized causal inferences. A theoretical rationale and five guiding principles for ETMM designs are presented, with suggested revisions to the WWC's standards."

Those Australasians again
No, it's not a typo, but an item about the latest issue of the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (Vol. 21, No. 2, 2005). The award for the catchiest title this time around goes to Terry Anderson and his colleagues from Athabasca University with their piece 'The search for learning community in learner paced distance education: Or, 'Having your cake and eating it, too!''. As they outline, "The report summarises a study of learner interactions in the context of learner paced courses delivered by the University. Following a review of relevant literature, the study reports on interviews with Athabasca University faculty and external distance education experts, describes results from an online survey of undergraduate students, and documents how these findings may be operationalised at the University. An extensible model of community based learning support is proposed to utilise new social computing capabilities of the web, and to permit learner-learner interaction in a scaleable and cost effective manner, while retaining learner pacing."And as they conclude, "Emerging Internet based technologies create opportunities for new types of learning communities that allow learners around the globe to study at their own pace, yet engage in meaningful interactions with others - in essence, allowing them "to have their cake and eat it, too." The model presented in this paper can guide evolution to the next generation of distance education that incorporates these two elements. To realise and capitalise on new forms of learner paced education will require an ongoing commitment to innovation, experimentation and reflective study of our work, but it is within our grasp." Other articles include something for the instructional designers (or those who wonder what they do, or should be doing) entitled 'Agency of the instructional designer: Moral coherence and transformative social practice'. So what is it all about? The authors, Campbell, Schwier and Kenny, "propose a view of instructional design practice in which the instructional designer is an agent of social change at the personal, relational, and institutional levels. In this view designers are not journeymen workers directed by management, but act in purposeful, value based ways with ethical knowledge, in social relationships and contexts that have consequences in and for action."