Confucius Institute

zhaoyo@msu.edu

Yong Zhao, Ph.D. is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education at the College of Education, Michigan State University, where he also serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Teaching and Technology as well as the Director of the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence. Zhao is also Associate Director of the International Network for Educational Transformation, a U. K.-based organization that promotes global exchanges of educational innovations. He is a fellow of the International Academy for Education.

Dr. Zhao received his BA in English Language Teaching from China’s Sichuan International Studies University in 1986 and his M.A. and Ph.D in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined the faculty at Michigan State University in 1996.

Dr. Zhao’s research interests include diffusion of innovations, teacher adoption of technology, computer-assisted language learning, globalization and education, and international and comparative education. Zhao has published extensively in these areas. His articles have appeared in AERJ and Teachers College Record. He received the 2003 Raymond B. Catell Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association. This award recognizes “a scholar who has conducted a distinguished program of cumulative educational research in any field of educational inquiry within the first decade following receipt of their doctoral degree.”

Dr. Zhao has extensive international experiences. He has consulted with government and educational agencies and spoken on educational issues in many countries including Chile, China, Ireland, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. He is currently leading the Education Research Group of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) education network (EDNET). His current work focuses on the impact of globalization on education and the integration of Eastern and Western educational practices. <personal page>

laichun1@msu.edu
115G Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-355-8516
517-432-4797 (fax)

Chun Lai, Ph.D. received her doctorate in Educational Technology and Educational Psychology from Michigan State University. She is currently an assistant professor at College of Education, Michigan State University. Her research interest is to explore the use of technology to understand the nature of second language acquisition and to facilitate second language learning and teaching. Her specific research areas are the affordances and constraints of computer-mediated communication for language learning and the instructional design in online foreign language learning.

zhengdo@msu.edu
115H Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-355-3778
517-432-4797 (fax)

Dongping Zheng, Ph.D. received her doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Connecticut and is currently an Assistant Professor at the Michigan State University. Her research focuses on technology affordances for second language acquisition and learning in cross-cultural settings, and technology integration into K-12 and teacher education. Her expertise in the field of education includes instructional design, web design and development, and teacher training. <personal page>

dirkinke@msu.edu
115A Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-432-4797 (fax)

Ken Dirkin is the Chief Technology Officer for the Confucius Institute. His responsibility is to oversee the production of technology related materials that will be disseminated by the Institute. He also designs, develops and produces a wide array of video, CD, and Internet related products for the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence and the College of Education at Michigan State University. His interests lie in collaborative on-line applications and video production.

lapayne@msu.edu
115 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-432-4649
517-432-4797 (fax)

Lisa Payne has been with the College of Education at Michigan State University for 15 years.  She has worked with the Center for Teaching and Technology, CEPSE Department, and Dean’s Office.

Mr. Bu, Tiejun is currently a visiting scholar at MSU-CI in study of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). He is a lecturer at School of Foreign Language Education of Jilin University China. His has rich experiences in language teaching and cross-cultural communication, and he is also a Ph.D. student majoring in Comparative Literature and World Literature in Jilin University. His academic interests include CALL, cross-cultural communication, and literary criticism.

lining2@msu.edu
115 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-355-1265
517-432-4797 (fax)

Ning Li is a doctoral student in Learning, Technology & Culture Program at Michigan State University. She has been the designer and instructor for the first K-12 online Chinese course (Chinese 1A in spring 2006) through Michigan Virtual High School. Derived from her experience in Oracle Corporation prior to graduate study, Ning focuses her research on the online learning environment. She is also awarded as an Erickson Research Fellow. In Confucius Institute at MSU, Ning is working with faculty designing an innovative and interactive online language learning environment.

wangjiaw@msu.edu
115 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-432-4797 (fax)

Jiawen Wang is currently a Ph.D. student in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at the College of Education, MSU. With the background of MA in TESOL and more than ten years of classroom teaching experience both in English and Chinese as a second language, he is particularly interested in whatever new possibilities and meanings that modern technology may offer to K-12 language teachers and students. He has been involved in language and curriculum related international projects, projects dedicated to China-US educational communication and pedagogical demonstration workshops. His current research is focused on how technology may redefine Chinese literacy as a second or foreign language.

Haisen Zhang

Haisen Zhang is currently a visiting scholar at the School of Education, Michigan State University. He is also an associate professor of English at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China and a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Technology at the School of Educational Technology, Beijing Normal University. His research interests mainly center on technology-enhanced language learning, more specifically on use of information technologies such as multimedia, the Internet, virtual reality, podcast, and mobile phone to transform language education at both K-12 school and university levels. In his research, he primarily focuses on addressing the issues of learners in technology-enhanced learning environments from cognitive, sociolinguistic, psychological, and pedagogical perspectives. He is also interested in e-curriculum development and teacher professional development, in which he has completed several projects.

zhangsh5@msu.edu
115 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-533-8156

Shenglan Zhang is a doctoral candidate in the program of Educational Psychology and Educational Technology in the College of Education at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on hypertext reading (English and Chinese), technology integration in literacy learning and foreign language learning. She has a Master of Arts Degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Southern California. She has taught Chinese extensively in different colleges and university in the United States including Middlebury College, University of Southern California and Kenyon College.

Liang Xiaoqing is the president and chief editor of Multimedia Press of CCRTVU. He has rich experiences of editing, developing and publishing multimedia products. He is the director of the Center for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at CCRTVU. Mr. Liang is the vice executive director of CI-MSU and the director of the China R&D Center of CI-MSU. 

reny@crtvu.edu.cn

Ren Yan is the vice president of China Central Radio & TV University Press, and the director of Modern Distance Education Resource Center of CCRTVU. He has rich experience in multimedia development and management. He is the assistant director of the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

lifujia@crtvu.edu.cn

LI FUJIA is the deputy director of the office of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language at CCRTVU. She has rich experience designing Chinese multi-media course. She participated in designing China Panorama, which is the world’s first comprehensive multi-media course series for foreign learners of Chinese, and compiledone of the series-- Approaching Chinese. She planned the comprehensive multi-media course series----Easy Chinese, which isthe first course series specifically for overseas Chinese language learner, and compiled Time to Talk Chinese, which is specially designed for families whose native language is not Chinese. She is the curriculum director at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

shimg@crtvu.edu.cn

Shi Minggui is the assistant director of Modern Distance Education Resource Center of CCRTVU (China Central Radio & TV University). His research focuses on developing online distance education technology and multimedia material. He has developed several resource development projects for the country. He is the technology director at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

weij@crtvu.edu.cn

Wei Jie has rich experiences in developing TV programs, especially on producing and editing language teaching TV programs. He has successfully shot and developed several educational TV programs. He is the director of Multimedia Production Press of CCRTVU, and the assistant director of the Center for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. He is the technology professional at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

caoxiaoyan@crtvu.edu.cn

Cao Xiaoyan is an assistant profession at the Center for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language of CCRTVU (China Central Radio & TV University). She is interested in the teaching material compilation and multi-media teaching material development. Sh has rich experience in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. She has developed and managed some Chinese teaching TV programs and compiled some books. She was once the core script writer in the program called “Chengo Chinese”，which is a biggest collaborative project between U.S. Department of Education and Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. Cao Xiao Yan is in charge of the curriculum development at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

yangl@crtvu.edu.cn

Yang Liang graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University, majoring in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. He works at the Center for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. His interest focuses on writing script. He is the secretary of CI-MSU and the curriculum script writer at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.

wanh@crtvu.edu.cn

Wan Hua has rich experience in the development of multimedia teaching resources and he successfully developed many online courseware. His interest lies in the development of multimedia teaching resources. He is the core technology person at the China R&D Center of CI-MSU.