Special Teaching Leaves

1999-2000

Mauro Caputi (Engineering), "Computer-Aided Electrical Laboratory Improvements." New measurement equipment has been acquired to improve the Electrical Laboratory student experience. The equipment for each of eight Lab Benches includes a Digitizing Oscilloscope, two Arbitrary Wave Signal Generators, and a Personal Computer. The PC is connected to this equipment to control and automate the collection of much of the data. The Laboratory Manual has been updated to include the new measurement procedures, as well as new design experiments. With the time saved from data collection, students are now expected to focus more on the significance and meaning of the data and its relationship to the electrical theory.

Joseph Lechowicz (Counseling, Research, Special Education, & Rehabilitation), "Establishing Training Objectives: Rehabilitation Administration." This ongoing study continues to develop cognitive and behavioral objectives for training post masters rehabilitation administration students using experts in the field. A training regimen will be developed based on the results of the research, which included the use of a Delphi technique to establish those objectives that are seen as most essential in training.

Rusty Moore (Marketing), "Developing Interactive Negotiation Simulations in International Business." Negotiation simulations are interactive in-class exercises in which students get hands on experience in applying concepts and other information from reading, lectures, and class discussions. Students report that their learning is significantly enhanced through these exercises. Dr. Moore developed several negotiation simulation cases during her special teaching leave in 2000, including "AIDS Medications for People in Developing Countries" (ethics of global control of intellectual property), "The Introduction of Genetically Modified Food in Brazil" (ethics of forced adoption of genetically modified foods), and "Volvo Strategy" (development and implementation of global corporate strategy). Dr. Moore also revised her in-class simulation entitled "The Counter Trade Game" which she has used in many classes in Europe and the US over the past 10 years. These revisions focused on restructuring the simulation to facilitate the use of electronic information and communication technology.

Shirlee Sloyer (Speech Communication/Rhetoric Studies), "Readers Theatre in the Classroom: Enhancing the Language Arts," wrote a new book for teachers, school and public librarians, and resource personnel, which describes how Readers Theatre activities provide risk-free opportunities to teach language arts to elementary and middle school students in new and creative ways.