Ben Chang

Education

1997/07-2003/05: Ph.D., Department of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Central University, Taiwan

1995/07-1997/06: M.S., Department of Information and Computer Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan

1991/07-1995/06: B.S., Computer Science & Information Management, Soochow University, Taiwan

Academic Positions

2020/08-     Director, Center for Teacher Education, National Central University, Taiwan

2020/08-     Head, Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction, National Central University, Taiwan

2018/08-2021/01: Division Chief, Registrar Division, Academic Affairs, National Central University, Taiwan

2018/08-2021/01: Division Chief, Center for Teaching and Learning Development, National Chiayi University, Taiwan

Research Highlights

Ben Chang studied learning technology at National Central University, Taiwan, and received a Ph.D. on the theme of EduCities: Structured Network Learning Society from the Computer Science and Information Engineering Department in 2003. "EduCities", literally referring to an excellent educational city in Asia, is a prototypical network learning society. It is a pioneering Internet city for education in the world. With the metaphor of a city mechanism, it responds to the real world, connecting people and the current educational organization, and carries out various learning activities online. Based on the EduCities platform development experiences, he now serves as the co-founder of an open social learning networking platform named CoCoing.info (https://cocoing.info). He actively participated in the Interest-Driven Creator theory (IDC Theory) development. He serves as one of the anchor authors and is the corresponding author of the IDC Theory paper.

Currently, he is the professor of Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction, National Central University, Taiwan, and he is the co-founder of Pocketor (https://pocketor.cocoing.info) English Pocket Tutor platform.

Professional Honors and Awards

2016 Outstanding Academic Advisor Award, National Central University, Taiwan

2011 Young Researcher Leader Award, Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education

2011 Outstanding Administrative Work Award, National Chiayi University, Taiwan

2010 Best Short Paper Award, 10th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies

2003 Member of the Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society

Research Grants

2021-2024:
Teach to Learn (T2L): Social Learning Networking Supported T2L Design, Evaluation, and Outreach (MOST 110-2511-H-008-005-MY3)

2018-2021:
Social Learning Networking Driven Automatic Knowledge Process and Association (MOST 107-2511-H-008 -006 -MY3)

2016-2018:
Relational-Based Approach: Concept-Knowledge Cloud and Its Social Learning Networking Development (MOST 105-2511-S-008 -007 -MY2)

2013-2016:
Classroom Learning Network Based Gamification Apps Design and Its Human Factors Analysis (MOST 102-2511-S-008 -019 -MY3)

2012:
The Effects of Cognitive Styles on the Use of Novel Portable Devices: A Perspective of Group-Based Learning (MOST 101-2511-S-415-016-)

2010 - 2011:
Understanding Students’ Competition Preference in Multiple-Mice Supported Classroom (99-2511-S-415-006-MY2)

Selected Papers

1. Shih, YA., & Chang, B. (2020). Empirical study on the effects of social network–supported group concept mapping. RPTEL 15, 23 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-020-00143-7

2. Shih, Y., Chang, B., & Chin, J. Y. (2020). Data-driven student homophily pattern analysis of online discussion in a social network learning environment. Journal of Computers in Education, 7, 373-394. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-020-00160-x

3. Chan, T. W., Looi, C. K., Chang, B., Chen, W., Wong, L. H., Wong, S. L., ... Chou, C. Y. (2019). IDC theory: Creation and the creation loop. RPTEL 14, 26. doi:10.1186/s41039-019-0120-5

4. Chan, T. W., Looi, C. K., Chen, W., Wong, L. H., Chang, B., Liao, C. C. Y., ... Ogata, H. (2018). Interest-driven creator theory: towards a theory of learning design for Asia in the twenty-first century. Journal of Computers in Education, 5(4), 435-461.

5. Chang, B., Shih, Y. A., & Lu, F. C. (2018). Co-construction concept through cloud-based social network platform design, implementation, and evaluation. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(5), 238-253. (SSCI) doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i5.3419

6. Chang, B., & Lu, F. C. (2018). Social media facilitated English prewriting activity design and evaluation. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 27(1), 33-42. (SSCI) doi: 10.1007/s40299-017-0363-0

7. Yu, F. Y., Hsieh, H. T., & Chang, B. (2017). The potential of Second Life for university counseling: A comparative approach examining media features and counseling problems. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning.12:24. doi: 10.1186/s41039-017-0064-6

8. Chang, B., Chen, S., Tsai, Y. C., & Lai, M. L. (2017). The effects of task activities and gaming scales on eye and visual search performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 66, 16-25.

9. Yang, E. F. Y., Chang, B., Cheng, H. N. H., & Chan, T. W. (2016). Improving pupils’ mathematical communication abilities through computer-supported reciprocal peer tutoring. Educational Technology & Society, 19(3), 157-169.

10. Lu, F. C., & Chang, B. (2016). Role-play game enhanced English for specific purpose vocabulary acquisition framework. Educational Technology & Society, 19(2), 367-377.

11. Wang, J. H., Chen, S. Y., Chang, B., & Chan, T. W. (2016). From integrative peer response to game-based integrative peer response: High ability vs. low ability. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 32(2), 170-185.

12. Cheng, H. N. H., Yang, E. F. Y., Liao, C. C. Y., Chang, B., Huang, Y. C. Y., & Chan, T. W. (2015). Scaffold seeking: A reverse design of scaffolding in computer-supported word problem solving. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 53, 409-435.

13. Chang, B., Chen, S., & Jhan, S.N. (2015). The influences of an interactive group-based videogame: Cognitive styles vs. prior ability. Computers & Education, 88, 399-407.

Patents

• Learning and Creation System and Computer Program Product Based on Social Network (Taiwan Patent ID: 723602)

• Portable Cart for Mobile Computer Classroom (Taiwan Patent ID: 199970)

• Infant Ride Mean with Infant Studying Function and Infant Studying System (Taiwan Patent ID: I282528)

Academic Services

• 2012-2015 Executive Committee Member of APSCE

• 2011-2020 Executive Committee Member of Taiwan E-Learning and Digital Content Association

• 2004-2007 Administrative Secretary of Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education APSCE) (2004.1 ~2007.12)

Dr. Ben Chang is a professor of Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction at National Central University, Taiwan. 

He studied learning technology at National Central University, Taiwan and received a Ph.D. on the topic of “EduCities: Structured Network Learning Society” from the Computer Science and Information Engineering Department, National Central University, Taiwan in 2003.  "EduCities", literally referring to an excellent educational city in Asia, is a prototypical network learning society. It is the pioneering Internet educational city in the world. With the metaphor of a city mechanism, it actually responds to the real world, connecting people and the current educational organization, and carries out various learning activities online. 

Dr. Chang was a division chief of Center for Teaching and Learning Development at National Chiayi University, Taiwan. He had assisted the center in applying for and running the Taiwan Teaching Excellence Project for three years of which National Chiayi University has received more than one hundred million New Taiwan dollars funding from Ministry of Education in Taiwan. Owing to the Teaching Excellence Project, Dr. Chang established the first digital classroom center in southern Taiwan.

Dr. Chang has received funding from the Ministry of Sciences and Technology of Taiwan every year since 2008. He was the best short paper award winner of the ICALT 2010. 

In addition, Dr. Chang has been extensively involved in international academic activities. He had served as the APSCE’s founding Administrative Secretary from 2004 to 2007. Besides, he was the program committee members of many internationally renowned conferences. He was invited to sit on the GCCCE program committee board from 2009 to 2011. In 2005, he served as a local organization chair of International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2005). Dr. Chang served as the ICCE workshop, tutorial, and interactive event co-chair from 2007 to 2009, and 2010, and he was the executive program chair of GTEL&S sub-conference and executive co-chair of work-in-progress poster papers of ICCE 2010.

Currently, he is the professor of Graduate Institute of Learning and Instruction, National Central University, Taiwan, and he is the co-founder of CoCoing.info (https://cocoing.info) social learning networking platform.