Computer-mediated communication and teacher education: some observations from the implementation of TeleNex

This paper outlines some of the reasons for the use of computer networking for teacher education and professional development, and discusses why networking can be used to support teacher education and development. A review of the literature suggests that among other reasons, networking is particularly conducive to teacher development because: (a) it helps break down teacher isolation and build a supportive learning community, (b) it serves as an agent of change, and (c) it helps disseminate educational materials and resources. The computer network recently developed specifically for secondary English teachers in Hong Kong, the TeleNex, is reported in this paper to highlight some of the factors that should be considered in the design and implementation of networks for teacher development. Preliminary observations suggest that these teachers are on their way to using this new technology to build and own their own electronic learning community.