Previously Awarded Sabbaticals 2001-2002

James Cervantes
Mesa Community College / English-Journalism-Humanities
Research Electronic Publishing and to Write a Comparison with Traditional Publishing
The main objective was to complete and prepare for submission a manuscript of poems that a web publisher had expressed an interest in publishing, but subsequent research into electronic publication revealed that no one engages in first-time publication of original, book-length work. Instead, electronic publication is confined to previous print publications for archival purposes, or e-books. As further exploration, I polled poets, writers, teachers, and editors regarding their choice of medium for publication, their reasons for those choices, and their electronic reading habits and it appears that electronic chapbooks are the preferred format for original writing on the web. Though there are publishers of electronic chapbooks, there is not yet a review medium for their publications: an online review for those publications, RelativeLinks, was a by-product of this project.

Madeleine Chowdhury
Mesa Community College / Mathematics
Visualization in Calculus
The goal of my sabbatical project was to synthesize my previous research results in visualization in calculus. My objective was to design visual objects/manipulatives to bridge fundamental concepts through the calculus sequence. As a result, I have a small collection of manipulatives and computer-rendered objects and animations.

In analyzing fundamental concepts, I realized I'm only at the surface of conceptually understanding some theorems. The depth I understand some concepts, like the fundamental theorem of calculus as related to Stoke's Theorem, for example, is not at the point that leads me to designing/developing appropriate and viable visual tools. However, most respected researchers in math education concur there is one individual who has come close to making this conceptual bridge and he is at ASU!

My sabbatical project leads to new paths of frustrations and growth (similar to what students experience!).

Martin Etchart
Phoenix College / English
Completion of Residency Requirements & Dissertation Work on a Ph.D. in Creative Writing
I spent two semesters (Fall 2001 and Spring 2002) completing the residence requirements for my Ph.D. program, and constructing and revising my dissertation. My residence requirements took me from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Washington D.C. as I attended seminars on nature writing and critical fiction. My dissertation included a Bildungsroman (coming-of-age) novel and accompanying contextual essay. My novel, entitled, Aritzona (aritz = oak, ona = good) employed aspects of the Basque storytelling tradition including the use of Euskera (the Basque language) and the recounting of Basque fables and legends. The accompanying contextual essay gave a brief overview of the Basque people, their country, language, and origin, and placed Aritzona within the context of the Basque storytelling tradition. The work I completed prior to my sabbatical enabled me to finish my doctoral program within the sabbatical time frame. I officially received my Ph.D. in Creative Writing with an emphasis on Basque studies on April 30, 2002.

Gene Fazio
Mesa Community College / English-Journalism-Humanities
Create a Program of Training Literacy Volunteers and Place Them in the Community Centers
I went into my sabbatical looking to create a composition manual that would show college students how to teach composition to schoolchildren. During my sabbatical, I realized that the technology of teaching large numbers of students at one time is ineffective when working with students on a one-to-one basis. One-to-one instruction provides tutors with the opportunity to individualize and personalize instruction. For example, teachers spend the majority of instructional time explaining and teaching students how to do something. In contrast, tutors can lead students through a series of activities and use instructional time to respond individually and personally to their needs. After my sabbatical, I continued developing writing activities. A grant from Arizona Public Service enabled me to hire college students to try the writing activities with schoolchildren. In June of 2002, I worked for a week in a fourth grade classroom fine-tuning these writing activities. The composition manual demonstrates the difference between teaching and learning literacy through explaining "how to," and causing and acquiring new literacy abilities by doing.

Jacqueline Fergusson
GateWay Community College / Chemistry-Biology
Fulfill the Residency Requirement for a Doctorate in Education
The four main objectives set for my sabbatical year were to complete 24 credit hours of study in courses required for a Doctorate in Education, to fulfill the residency requirements at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, to experience face-to-face interactions with my mentors, faculty and students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and to complete my comprehensive Final Exams. These objectives were all realized. Many of the courses were taken online. This allowed me to experience online learning from a unique perspective. The skills and knowledge I have gained from my studies have sharpened my ability to mentor students, colleagues, and alumni, and given me first hand knowledge on the merits and challenges of online learning. In short I now have the theoretical background required to engage in a broader sphere of responsibility within the Maricopa system in the future.

Sidney Ford
Chandler-Gilbert Community College / Accounting
Online Instruction Within the Accounting Department
My sabbatical objectives and activities were to experience the online course environment from both a student's view and an instructor's view and in the process develop effective online courses based on CGCC's student preferences and approaches to learning

I fulfilled the objectives by taking four courses at California State University at Hayward and earning a Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning. The courses were all online.

The experiences I had helped me become a better instructor for both traditional face-to-face (ftf) classes as well as online instruction. Not only did I learn technical aspects of teaching online, but I also learned and gained a better appreciation of different learning styles.

I also attended/participated in CGCC's workshop on Hybrid courses this past summer, July & August 2002. From there it was decided that my first course will be a hybrid course, which means some of our meetings will be ftf. Currently at my Blackboard web site Accounting 230 and Accounting 240 are under construction for eventual online/hybrid delivery
http://personalweb.cgc.maricopa.edu/pecos_faculty/ford/web/

Thomas Foley
Glendale Community College / Mathematics-Computer Science
Flash Web Tutorials for Calculus
I published tutorial web pages on some topics covered in first semester courses in Calculus while I was at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Each web page was done in Flash, and they emulate an animated and interactive lecture. Flash software was used to achieve the desired sophistication in the web pages, which included vector animation and interactive event driven responses using object oriented programming in ActionScript. A web site contains links to these Flash modules, and these can be accessed by anyone on the web. The feedback from students and faculty has been very positive.

Sally Jacobs
Scottsdale Community College / Mathematics
Completion of Ph.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Major in Math Education
I completed and successfully defended my dissertation for the Ph.D. degree in Curriculum and Instruction (mathematics education) from ASU. The dissertation was an exploratory study investigating calculus students' notions about the concept of variable in the contexts of function, limit and derivative. The findings indicate that students think about variable in qualitatively different ways, depending on whether they have a calculational versus conceptual orientation to the mathematical task at hand. Also, in the context of limit and derivative, their conceptions of variable are somewhat less flexible. Finally, a Variable Conceptions Framework for analyzing student conceptions of variable is proposed.

John Lampignano
GateWay Community College / Diagnostic Medical Imaging
Update Knowledge and Skills Necessary to Create Distance Education Courses
A sabbatical was granted by the professional growth committee, for the 2001-2002 academic year, to research, design and develop course materials for distance delivery in medical imaging. Through various experiences and course development, I'm became more knowledgeable and confident in the design and implementation of distance education courses. I'm convinced that distance education will continue to be a major "player" in diagnostic medical imaging. Through its use, we will reach imaging students that may not have an opportunity to attend a class on campus. By offering course work on-line, we are providing access to populations excluded previously due to geographical or financial constraints.

Similar to a long journey, my sabbatical has taken some unexpected side-trips and set-backs. Accomplishments include the editing of two existing distance courses and the development and implementation of two new imaging courses this semester at GateWay. Overall, it was a year filled with rich experiences and personal growth. I'm returning to my campus with a new perspective toward distance education.

Thomas Lombardo
Rio Salado College / Psychology
The Odyssey of the Future: Science, Technology, and the Cosmos / English
This book is the second volume of a comprehensive study on the future that I am writing. This volume covers the future of science, technology, space exploration, and the effects of all these developments on the future of nature and humanity. I describe and evaluate different contemporary views and various trends and possibilities, surveying the writings of notable scientists, science fiction writers, and futurists. Some of the futurist topics I discuss are ongoing efforts to explain the origin, composition, and future of the universe, the benefits and dangers of technology, computers and information technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, global intelligence, biotechnology and genetic engineering, cyborgs, immortality, evolutionary theory, the nature of life, the present ecological crisis, and colonizing the solar system and the galaxy. I use two key principles, reciprocity and evolution, to integrate and interpret the numerous predications, topics, and issues addressed in this volume.

Mary Long
South Mountain Community College / Social Science Division
Religious Diversity in American Culture, Multimedia Approach
The purpose of my sabbatical project was to update my knowledge in instructional technology in sociology and religious studies as it applies to the research topic of religious diversity in American culture. I focused on multimedia materials. After identifying key multimedia web-based sites related to religious diversity, I researched these collaborative digital projects and archives. I investigated using multimedia programs to organize and integrate the materials into meaningful resources for education. A key organizing and guiding format for using video, audio, and image files was Digital Storytelling. My project concluded with plans to integrate the research and skills I developed into my courses.

Amy Marin
Phoenix College / Psychology
Using Interactive Learning Techniques to Energize the Psychology Classroom
The purpose of my sabbatical was to increase my expertise in the area of interactive learning. I set five goals: 1) Write and publish an instructor's resource guide for incorporating interactive learning. 2) Take three workshops from Susan Ledlow; Rookie Seminar, The cooperative Learning Seminar, Introduction to Active Learning 3) Team teach an Introductory Psychology course at ASU with Dr. Nancy Felipe Russo emphasizing interactive learning techniques and strategies 4) Collaborate with Dr.Felipe Russo in the development of web-based interactive learning exercises for introductory psychology 5) Prepare a workshop for PC faculty on how to use interactive learning in the psychology classroom. I gained so much from my sabbatical experience. I gained skills, such as learning PowerPoint, blackboard, and web-based classroom management strategies, that were byproducts of these goals. I developed good working relationships with ASU and Montessori Day School.

Linda (Baker) Nance
Scottsdale Community College / Nursing
Update Knowledge and Expertise in the Field of Pulmonary (Respiratory) Nursing
The purpose of my sabbatical was to update and expand my knowledge in the field of respiratory nursing. I was to increase my expertise in new advances, current research, community health issues and cultural diversity. The respiratory diseases I was to study included asthma, Valley Fever, and pneumonia. I chose facilities that were diverse in patient populations in order to study community health and cultural issues. I was to develop a web site that contained research and current practice for individuals diagnosed with asthma.

I was able to meet all my objectives. The clinical sites chosen (Phoenix Children's Hospital and Pulmonary Clinic, Mayo Hospital, and Pappas School) assisted in my obtaining of knowledge and expertise of many respiratory disorders, cultural and learning experiences. I developed a very rudimentary web site that contains links to several websites for asthma education that can be accessed and used for asthma education for groups or individuals.

Nellie Nelson
Scottsdale Community College / Nursing
Update Knowledge and Expertise in the Field of Nursing "The Nursing Shortage"
Using a structured interview guide, I visited nine community colleges to interview nursing directors and faculty about their approaches to the nursing shortage crisis. The crisis of fewer applicants entering nursing programs along with the challenge recruiting of nursing faculty. The shortage exist across the nation and there is a recognized need to increase the number of nursing graduates while challenged with the declining population of applicants. Fewer nurses are going into nursing education at the graduate level and therefore fewer faculty are available for teaching positions. A literature review and conference attendance also supported the topic to help find solutions to the "shortage".

I shared a summary of the strategies with the nursing leadership and interested faculty in the Maricopa Community College Nursing Program with the goal of adopting new ideas to address the shortage issue.

David Pineda
Phoenix Collegve \ English
Completion of Residency Requirements and Dissertation Work on a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Chicano Literature
My sabbatical had four objectives: 1) improve my creative writing skills, 2) deepen my understanding of my own heritage, the Mexican American culture, 3) integrate an interdisciplinary approach to my teaching style, and 4) complete my Ph.D. degree. Aside from my course work, I attended conferences of the Associated Writing Programs and participated in workshops on writing and the teaching of writing and attended readings by major poets and fiction writers. I studied the history of the Mexican American and read the works of the Latin American "Boom" writers and the theoretical frameworks that underlie their writing. I also read salient novels by Mexican Americans, keeping an eye on how history plays a part in the development of literature. I traced the influence of the Latin American magical realists on Chicano writers. I studied critical theory to be able to converse with the scholarly community. I supplemented my studies with knowledge from other disciplines such as anthropology and sociology, and by reading important works in women's studies and multicultural literature. I applied theory to practice by writing a creative dissertation and by completing my Ph.D. degree.

Penelope Price
Scottsdale Community College / Motion Picture-Television
Update Knowledge and Expertise in the Field of Motion Picture/Television Production
The goal of my sabbatical was to update my knowledge in the field of computer software programs, and then integrate that knowledge both conceptually and practically into the Motion Picture/Television Program at Scottsdale Community College. The year long process of achieving this goal has been a profound journey which has not only led me to embrace digital technology as a tool for creating media, but also as a powerful medium for teaching, specifically through the Blackboard e-Learning software platform to create "Internet Enhanced" classes. Learning the language of computer technology is the cornerstone to entering the field of Motion Picture/Television, a world which is no longer limited to Television and Movie Theaters, but encompasses and relies upon the Internet and digital technology. Teaching in this way will immerse the students into the very technology that they are learning to wield, requiring them to develop sophisticated computer skills in order to survive, and guaranteeing that they will have marketable skills.

Janet Reckmeyer
Glendale Community College / Business and Information Technology
Complete Internship with Oracle Corporation
The purpose of my sabbatical was to complete an Internship with Oracle Corporation. My goal was to gain work experience using Oracle products and to acquire new skills that could be shared in the classroom environment at Glendale Community College.

During the initial phase of my Internship, I worked with a mentor learning to install Oracle 9i. In addition, I was asked to assist with a Request for Information (RFI) from a University that was researching a new system for their data management. Writing the RFI required intense research on all phases of Oracle products. This opportunity broadened my understanding of Oracle capabilities and helped me develop a better understanding of a wide variety of Oracle products.

The second goal of my sabbatical was to acquire new skills and broaden present skills by attending classes taught through Oracle University. The educational opportunity was extremely beneficial.

Sally Rings
Paradise Valley Community College / Reading-English
From Surface Learning to Deep Learning: The Challenge for Higher Education in the 21st Century
My sabbatical project was to better understand deep learning--learning that changes people's understanding and behavior. Although I visited several innovative institutions and leaders in higher education, the primary focus of my study was in reviewing the literature. I studied the recent research in how the brain learns, focusing primarily on the applications of those concepts to formal educational settings. I reviewed recent writings about practices in higher education that foster deep learning: learning communities, cooperative and collaborative learning, and authentic assessment. Because I came to understand more fully that educational institutions as they have been traditionally configured do not foster deep learning, I investigated organizational learning, since schools must change in order to create a rich environment for learning. In addition, I read about the nature of change--the difficulties in implementing change as well as strategies and principles for effecting change. At the conclusion of my project, I developed workshops on learning to present to my colleagues.

Sue Ann Scarbrough
South Mountain Community College / Chemistry
A Dissertation in Partial Fulfillment of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in Higher Education
An investigation is initiated into the impact of gatekeeper courses on student persistence at the community college level, and the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of these courses. The investigation focuses on lower division academic gatekeeper courses: courses with unusually high nonsuccess rates that also enroll large numbers of students. Persistence rates will be compared for students enrolled in an academic transfer program by the number of incidents of non-success in gatekeeper courses. The efficiency and effectiveness of select sequences beginning with General Biology I, General Chemistry I and College Algebra will also be evaluated, where course efficiency is characterized by the success of students in a given course and effectiveness is characterized by success in a post-requisite course. The Index of Course Efficiency will be determined by calculating the ratio of the total number of times that students enroll in a course to the number of students who enrolled. The Index of Course Effectiveness will be measured by calculating the proportion of students attempting a post-requisite course that successfully complete the course.

Joyce Story
Glendale Community College / Foreign Language
Update Knowledge in the Field of Spanish
I enrolled in three graduate courses in the Spanish Department at Arizona State University: Colonial Spanish American Literature, Mexican Culture and Civilization, and The Contemporary Spanish American Novel. Work with the Spanish language was intensive: classes were conducted in the language; the readings and research materials were in Spanish; and I wrote the required papers in Spanish. In addition, I conducted storytelling performances in the Spanish language at a literacy project at Andalucia Primary School. The sabbatical resulted in my increased competency in the language as well as the enhancement of my knowledge and understanding of Spanish American history and culture. My improved classroom performance benefits my students and advances MCCD's educational program

Walter Thielen
Paradise Valley Community College / Speech Communication
Multimedia Curriculum Development for Interpersonal Communication
In the process of learning various computer programs, approximately 25 hours of multimedia instruction were developed for the COM 110 Interpersonal Communication course at Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC). Two sets of curriculum materials were produced. The first set of 576 detailed Microsoft PowerPoint slides summarized the ten chapters in the textbook. These ten presentations were burned to CDs and distributed to students on the first day of the Spring 2002 semester. As expected, students have reported that about one hour was required to progress through each chapter. The second part of the sabbatical focused on developing multimedia instruction to complement lecture and discussion within the classroom itself. A total of 324 slides were developed and organized around 15 topics, which translated into approximately 15 hours of in-class instruction. Multimedia development included the use of text, pictures, clipart, sound, interactivity, and animation.

Alan Tongret
Paradise Valley Community College / Humanities-Theatre
Research and Write an Original Play to Celebrate the Grand Opening of PVCC's Performing Arts Center, "The World Aflame, A Comedy"
The World Aflame is set in 1665 and concerns a pivotal year in the life of Samuel Pepys, Surveyor General of the Royal Navy. Pepys is living a life of luxury and pleasure when the Dutch Navy attacks, throwing London into panic. Pepys puts his shoulder to the wheel, but it's slow going, rallying a fleet rife with corruption, or getting the attention of a king whose life is a nonstop orgy with his mistress. Pepys struggles on as the bubonic plague decimates the population and the Great Fire lays waste to London. The Dutch fleet is about to capture what remains of England when Pepys--showing the same genius at naval administration as he does at frivolity-stops them in a terrifying battle.