by Don Ely
Fall 2004
George Chang
wins 2004
Distinguished Service Award
Q1. What caused you to
enter the field of educational technology?
It was during my study at National taiwan University, I took a
course in "audiovisual education" that got me interested in the
field. I strongly agree with the change from audiovisual
education to educational technology. In fact, I was one the first
to write a book in Chinese on the topic using education technology as
the title of the book, and I also helped with our recent named change
of our association (changing from the former title-Niational
Audiovisual education Association of China (Taiwan) to Taiwan
Association for Educational Communications & Technology).
Q2. Who were
the most influential people in your association with out field?
There are my people in the profession that have influreneced me, the
main person is Dr. Shen Yi-Gen, who is my mentor at National Taiwan
University, other people include Dr. Don Ely, Dr. Jerold Kemp and Dr.
Richard Cornell.
Q3. What major
changes, if any, have you noticed in the International Council of AECT?
I have not noticed any major change in the International Council over
the years, but I am happy to see many new faces and their active
involvement in the International Council.
Q4. What
trends in our field do you detect in Taiwan?
The development of Educational Technology as a field and profession in
Taiwan has been slow compare to North America. However, I have to
say that the trends are much or less the same. As with US, we
began as a field of "audiovisual education", and graduall;y with the
change of technology and the imcorporation of new thoughts and
practices. We basically followed the same paradigm shift.
Currently, the goverment in Taiwan put much effort to move the country
into a digitized, electronic environment, and thus eLearning and the
incorporation is IT in classromm have been one of the effort.
This trend have help with the repid growth of the fiend in the last
five years.
Q5. What
advice would you give to young people who are about to enter our
profession?
They should have a passionate heart, and be able to understand the
diversity of cultural background and uniqueness of development in each
country within the international environment.
