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wlichen@pacificoaks.edu
626-529-8461

Office Location: Pacific Oaks College
55 Eureka Street Pasadena, CA 91103

55 Eureka St.
Title(s): Core Faculty
Department: School of Education
Website
Education: B.Ed., Preschool Education, Nanjing Normal University, China, 1983
M.Ed., Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1985
Ph.D., Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992
Licensure(s): Association for the Education of Young Children
American Educational Researcher Association
Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association
Areas of Interest/Expertise: Early Childhood Education Curriculum Development
Bilingual and Bicultural Development in Young Children
International Perspective on Early Childhood Education Models
Qualitative Research
Bio: Dr. Wei Li-Chen is specialized in Early Childhood Education. Born and grew up in China, she came to the United States for advanced study initially sponsored by a UNICEF Fellowship. She has experience from being a preschool teacher in China and USA, developer of ECE curriculum and in-service program for teacher professional development, administrator of program development and implementation, to being a faculty and researcher in higher education institutions.

Select Presentations:
• Li-Chen, W. (September, 2007). Keynote Speech, “Teacher Development and Curriculum Development: Dialogue with Professor Feng Xiao-Xia.” ECE Teacher Professional Development Institute, OMEP China, Nanajing, China.
• Li-Chen, W. (April, 2006). When the West Meets East: Issues of Context Defining and Meaning Making in the World of Globalization.” American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
• Li-Chen, W. (July, 2005). When the West Meets East: Meaning Making of ECE Concepts in a Different Context.” Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, Taipei, Taiwan.
• Li-Chen, W. (July, 2002). Teachers’ Transformation in Chinese Context: From Traditional to
• Li-Chen, W. (November, 2001). Meeting Asian/Pacific Islander American Children’s Child Care Needs. National Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA.
• Li-Chen, W. (November, 2001). Exploring Emergent Curriculum and the Reggio Emilia Approach in the Context of China. National Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA.
• Li-Chen, W., Cornin, S. & Lenear, T. (November, 2001). Pathways for Building Bridges for Collective Social Change: The Teaching Umoja Initiative and the Early Childhood Equity Alliance. National Association for Multicultural Education Eleventh Annual International Conference, Las Vegas.
• Li-Chen, W. (October, 1999). Meeting the Unmet Needs. Washington Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference. Bellevue, WA.
• Li-Chen, W. (October, 1998). Quality Care in a Cultural Context. Washington Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference. Bellevue, WA.
• Li-Chen, W. (June, 1997). Play, Constructivism, and Staff Development. Sixth Annual Conference of NAEYC’s National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development.

Philosophy
Confucius said that teaching and learning should facilitate each other’s growth. In other words the teacher is a student at the same time and student a teacher at the same time. I think in order for this to happen, the mutual respect and appreciation of each other’s wisdom and experience has to be in place. When this happens, this is what makes teaching rewarding learning as well.

Wei Li-Chen