Introducing E-Learning in a Traditional Chinese Context

This chapter describes an attempt to introduce e-learning to a group of language teacher educators in a traditional Chinese context. It reports on the strategies adopted in a one-year teaching development project, responses of participants, typical instructional designs generated and the causes for innovation-decision. It argues that even in a context with a strong transmission tradition, an ordinary member can still function as a “change agent” in diffusing teaching innovation and developing a focused learning community. By revealing the process and results of the attempt, the author hopes that other practitioners can continue to explore feasible ways of stimulating active learning in both teachers and students. Lessons learned from this study may also enable instructional designers to gain a better understanding of how to promote their work in similar cultural contexts.