FROM THE EDITOR

Change Has Been Good

As I was writing this year’s status report for JITE/JSTE to be given at the ACTE December Conference in Las Vegas, I realized that there is a real need to reflect on what has happened to the journal this past year, 2010, and ponder about the future. Generally at this time the outgoing editor usually says a few words about how it has been a pleasure to work with everyone involved with the journal, and it has been, but the work is not over yet. The editorship is a two year position and my two years are over this December. As many of you already know, I am not going anywhere, at least for a while, until a new associate editor is found and is able to take over as editor. When I realized that I would not be going anywhere soon, I had mixed feelings, I felt that I had done my job and it was time to go, but as I thought about it longer I realized that the journal is in the middle a major change from JITE to JSTE and will need steady leadership to get started. Now is not the time to change editors. We have seen many changes within our organization and the journal that we need to look at and ensure that we are going in the right direction, not only for 2011 but for the future existence of the organization as well as the journal.

Reflecting on the Past

Many changes have taken place during the year 2010 and as the saying goes: the more things change the more they stay the same. Our organization has changed and broadened its scope going from the National Association of Industrial Technology Teacher Education (NAITTE) to the Association of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Teacher Education (ASTEMTE). With this change JITE’s last edition was volume 47-1 and JSTE began with volume 47-2. There are many reasons for the changes being made that don’t think need to be addressed here, but readers can rest assured the changes are for the best and things will remain the same, JSTE will continue to be the leader in its field.

Looking towards the Future

JSTE will continue to serve its readers with quality research manuscripts dealing with technology but it will not stop there, it will also include research done in the areas of science, math and engineering. Another major change that has been implemented to increase membership in ASTEMTE is that all authors submitting manuscripts to JSTE must now be members of ASTEMTE. This is not something new as many organizations have the same requirement. As we broaden our scope in different research areas we must also expand the number of manuscript reviewers in the relevant fields. These changes are not major obstacles to overcome and I am confident that JSTE will be a success given time.

In this Issue

In this issue you will find an interesting mix of content areas and subjects. The first manuscript, Comparison and Consolidation of Models of Personal Epistemologies by Linda Urman and Gene L. Roth, deals with the assumptions that students and instructors have about the knowledge they have of technical education (their personal epistemologies) and the affects it has on their expectations and performance in career and technical education classrooms and laboratories. Their conceptual research was based on three major theoretical frameworks of personal epistemology, qualitative development, quantitative belief systems, and practitioner epistemological resources. A new conceptual matrix is included that provides a roadmap for better understanding theoretical frameworks of personal epistemologies, and give career and technical educators insights for further research and implications for practice. Following this interesting manuscript is the first true science manuscript to be published in JSTE. It is written by Richard Lisichenko titled Exploring a Web-based Pedagogical Model To Enhance GIS Education . In this manuscript the author talks about expanding the use of GIS systems beyond the traditional users, scientists and engineers, and taking it into the global community with the help of new hardware and software systems. In addition, the continued integration and access to information systems via the internet and mobile devices has contributed to the success of GIS in society. As with other technically orientated topics of study pedagogical considerations exist that include: problem solving skills, information retention, and approaches towards learning. A pedagogical approach utilizing student generated and existing internet GIS resources may provide and effective method of addressing GIS education. The final manuscript in this volume of JSTE was written by Ibrahim Y. Umar and Abdullahi S. Ma’aji titled Repositioning The Facilities In Technical College Workshops For Efficiency: A Case Study Of North Central Nigeria . In this manuscript the authors talk about the e need to evaluate technical colleges, using the ones in North Central Nigeria as a guide to explore better ways to make them more efficient. Two research questions were formulated to guide the study. Their finding will help improve technical colleges in North Central Nigeria and can be used by technical colleges throughout the world.

I really enjoyed reading all the different manuscripts in this issue of the journal and am sure you will also. What a great way to finish of the year and a new beginning for 2011.