Charalambos Vrasidas – författare

Teacher preparation programs in the United States and around the world have finally begun to address this deficiency in their programs. The realization that technology is a powerful driving force in education coupled with a renewed emphasis on teacher preparation by governments have resulted in some dramatic changes in teacher preparation programs. I believe that we have just begun to see changes in teacher preparation and that the pace of change will continue to accelerate. This volume covers some of the more exciting developments in the field, including the emergence of wireless computing in the classroom and the preparation of teachers in an online environment. In short, I am optimistic. For those of you who are also in the field, I think you will agree. For those who are just entering the field, this book is a great place to start as you change education. Finally, while this book is the last book of the three part series that we at CAIT conceptualized with Charalambos Vrasidas and Gene Glass, it is also the beginning of a new relationship. We are excited to join with a new partner, CARDET, to present this book. Over many years in the education and R&D field, I have come to realize the value of partnerships and relationships. I want to thank both Charalambos and Gene for making this series a reality and such a success. We are looking forward to working with them and CARDET in the near future.

This work discusses issues relating to distance education and distributed learning. There are essays covering: rethinking assessment for the online environment; the role of collaborative learning in social and intellectual development; and the embodiment of knowledge in virtual environments.

How can professional development for teachers be more efficient and effective? This essential question lies at the heart of this timely and useful book. In an era marked by a heightened emphasis on school reform, the education and professional development of teachers is widely regarded as the keystone to educational improvement. Recently a bewildering array of online professional development programs has arisen. But how effective are these programs and how do they compare with one another? Inspired by a recent conference on usable knowledge at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, this book offers clear and practical answers to these and other questions about online professional development. The authors look closely at exemplary online programs, compare them carefully with one another, and draw helpful conclusions about themâboth for those who develop online programs, and for teachers and administrators in search of professional development programs that make a difference.