Optometric Education

ASCOTECH

Volume 25, Number 2
Winter 2000

Technological Resources for the Optometric Educator

Dominick M. Maino, O.D., M.Ed., F.A.A.O.

In the first Optometric Education ASCOTECH column, Dr. William Dell said that we would review the literature regarding teaching, distance learning, computer aided instruction and other uses of technology within the realm of education. In the ASCOTECH columns we will abstract a current article and then discuss its implications regarding how this would affect the way we teach our students. This format suggests several basic questions: Where do you find articles appropriate for this task? What journals or other resources are available to us? Can we use current technology to aid us in our search for relevant articles? This column will begin to address these issues.

Journals

There are relatively few journals specifically devoted to the topic of the use of technology in education. The Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) has several publications that can assist us in our search for articles that directly link educational outcomes and the technological tools currently available. The AACE's (www.aace.org) membership includes educators, "researchers, developers, and practitioners in schools, colleges, and universities; [as well as] administrators, policy decision-makers, trainers, adult educators, and other specialists in education, industry, and the government [who have] an interest in advancing knowledge and learning with information technology in education."

The AACE offers several publications, conferences and other resources that the optometric educator would find appropriate. These publications include:

WebNet Journal: Internet Technologies, Applications & Issues
This is a quarterly publication whose main emphasis is on the World Wide Web and the use of the Internet. Other areas discussed include educational applications of intranet-based technology, applications, research and issues. This journal's authors are from academia, the corporate world, developers and educators. There are many how-to articles and discussion of the latest developments in the use of the WWW and teaching. The latest issue of this magazine had articles reviewing web-based training systems, the role of the library, instructional graphics, and other issues related to cyberspace and education.

Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching (JCMST)
This is also a journal that is published quarterly. JCMST is devoted to using information technology for teaching mathematics and science. Journal of Interactive Learning Research (JILR) This publication emphasizes the theory, design, implementation, effectiveness and affect on education when using authoring systems, computer-mediated communications and collaborative learning. Articles reviewing distributed learning environments, performance support systems, multimedia systems, simulations and games are also included. Other topics discussed include intelligent agents on the Internet, intelligent tutoring systems, micro-worlds, and virtual reality based learning systems.

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH)
The primary goal of JEMH is to present the theories and practice of teaching how to apply new and powerful technology while using images, sound, text and data tools.

International Journal of Educational Telecommunications (IJET)
IJET is a forum that facilitates the international exchange of information on the current theory, research, development, and practice of telecommunications in education and training.

Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE)
JTATE content discusses teacher education, graduate programs in areas such as curriculum and instruction, educational administration, staff development, instructional technology, and educational computing.

Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual (ITCE) formerly JCCE
This journal reports the research and applications for using information technology in the education of children enrolled in early childhood education, preschool, and the elementary grades.

Educational Technology Review (ED-TECH Review or ETR)
This publication allows AACE members to exchange information among disciplines, educational levels and information technologies. All AACE professional and student members receive ETR as a benefit of membership.

ACCE also offers various conference proceedings on CD-ROM. These include: WebNet 99--World Conference on the WWW and the Internet, ED-MEDIA 99--World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications, SITE 99--Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Annual, and the M/SET 99--International Conference on Mathematics/Science Education & Technology Annual. Over the next several months, I will review various articles from the journals listed above. Until then you might want to log on to the ACCE homepage and start your own review of these journals.

Websites for Educators

Where should you start your search for grants and other sources of funding for your many projects? You could begin your search by going to the US Department of Education (www.ed.gov/funding.html or http://ocfo.ed.gov/) Another resource for grants related to teaching and learning opportunities is located at www.ntlf.com/html/grants/titles.htm. Do you want to know how technology is going to affect education? All you need to do is log on to http://www.millennaire.com to find out. How about putting your course online for FREE? Go to http://www.blackboard.com for more information.

Contact with Your Ideas:
Dr. William M. Dell Bdell@pco.edu
Or Dr. Dominick Maino Dmaino@eyecare.ico.edu