Faculty notes

Eric Anderman, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, made an appearance on MSNBC for a live interview on his research regarding student cheating.

Elinor Brown, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, presented three of her research papers at education colloquia sponsored by universities in China and Zimbabwe. While in Zimbabwe, she established partnerships with colleagues and discussed the economic and ethnic prejudices that prevent poverty-stricken areas of their respective countries from providing all people a quality education.

In China, Brown presented papers at the University of Fudan and the Pu-Dong University of Social Sciences in Shanghai, China, as an invited participant in two colloquia on cultural traditions and contemporary education. In addition to the presentations, Brown was invited to participate in a dialogue at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, a think tank of 80 Chinese scholars. Among the topics discussed were the rising political tensions between China and the U.S., the influence of western culture on contemporary Chinese youth, and the cultural impact of economic globalization.

Meada Hall, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, was selected as the recipient of the Alice B. Hayden Award from The Association for the Severely Handicapped (TASH), a national and professional service organization. Hall worked with special education teachers in Jessamine County and with professors at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, to provide classes to students with disabilities. According to her research, persons with severe disabilities who spend longer than four years in high school programs often decline in their academic performance once classmates their age move on to college while they continue to stay in a high school setting. In a program that she helped develop with the cooperation of Asbury College and the Jessamine County special education program, students completed their high school education in a college setting.

Sara Moore and Bill Bintz, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, received funds from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Higher Education Grant Program through the Council for Postsecondary Education for their project, "Enhancing Student Learning in Mathematics and Science through Literature-based Reading Instruction."

Michael Nelson, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, received the 2001 Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) Award for Outstanding Leadership. The award was presented to Nelson at the 2001 International Conference of the Council for Exceptional Children in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 19, 2001. In selecting Nelson, the CCBD cited Nelson's many years of leadership on the council and his prolific record of publications, national presentations, research, and service in the field.

Sharon Rostosky, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, was one of the lead researchers in a report published in September 2001 that examined the relationship between religious belief and teen sex. The results of this survey, commissioned by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, found that values, morals, and religious belief - more than fear of AIDS or teen pregnancy - played a major role in teenagers' decisions to wait until they were older before engaging in sexual activity. However, the report also indicated that when religious teens do have sex, they are less likely to use contraception. A review of research on teen sex and religion examined 50 studies and concluded that existing research on the subject is "surprisingly weak."

John Schuster, Belva Collins, Meada Hall, and Ann Griffen, all of the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, received the Exemplary Program Award for the Training Rural Educators in Kentucky - Collaborative Relationships Project. The award was presented at the conference of the American Council on Rural Special Education.

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