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| Vol. 18, No. 11 | Nov. 12, 1998 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 11 | Nov. 12, 1998 |
Earlier this year, James Morrison, consumer studies, received the 1998 Special Outstanding Recognition Award from the Delaware State Advisory Council on Career and Vocational-Technical Education for dedicated service and outstanding contributions to vocational-technical education. Given each year, the plaque was presented to Morrison at the 1998 annual conference of the Delaware Advisory Council, a group of statewide businesspersons and vocational and business educators.
"The award was in recognition of the outstanding model we developed for business and finance market education," Morrison said. "The award recognizes the novelty and impact of the ideas proposed in the model."
In the state of Delaware, framework commissions-consisting of parents, businesspersons and educators-have been formed by the secretary of education to restructure the curriculum for specific subject areas, he explained.
"The changes we proposed were so innovative, our model revolutionized the curriculum for grades seven through 12, and for the two years of community college," Morrison said. "These changes affect more than 20,000 students."
"This award has sent a signal that the government of this state is really serious about making curriculum changes," he said. "They have recognized that things need to change in the schools in Delaware. Acceptance of the model we created is a step towards that end."
Morrison has co-chaired the Framework Commission on Business, Finance and Marketing Education since 1996. The report on the business and financial curriculum model was submitted to and approved by the Delaware State Board of Education last May.
According to Morrison, the new model adds the study of business ethics, international dynamics of the business world and diversity issues in the workplace.
The addition of the concept of digital literacy-such as electronic printing, scanning, copying and faxing-has moved the emphasis away from simply computer literacy. Accounting and banking applications also have been added within this model as well.
Morrison explained that the model is intended to introduce the students to the core concepts of leadership skills, interpersonal communication, multimedia presentations and collaborative work.
Morrison came to the University in 1971. He teaches courses involving computing and telecommuting applications and the ways these technologies affect the consumer.
"I teach using a problem-based learning approach," Morrison said. "Using this method enables students to learn to make decisions that reflect the reality they will encounter after graduation."
Morrison has published a book on welfare reform involving the use of technology, The Healing of America.
He is currently working on a book on leadership within an entrepreneurial framework, involving the expectations of people in the business world. The book emphasizes the need for graduates to have leadership training for developing a vision for inspiring others to enhance competitive efforts in a global marketplace.
-Gail Walford
