T E M P L E TIPSHEET
A LOOK AT THE WEEK AHEAD
NOVEMBER 5 - NOVEMBER 12, 1999
UNIVERSITY NEWS BUREAU (215) 204-7476 Fax: (215) 204-4403 [email protected]
GETTING MAD--AND GETTING EVEN--AT WORK -- Catastrophic incidents of violence in the workplace are headline-grabbing but still the rare exception to how disgruntled employees express their anger, according to Dr. Deanna Geddes, Temple professor of human resource administration who has studied workplace aggression. "Despite the recent devastating tragedies in Honolulu and Seattle, aggression at work usually takes more subtle forms," she says. More commonly, employees will retaliate verbally--engaging in either a screamfest or the silent treatment, or gossiping behind the back of the supervisor or co-worker. Some resort to obstructionist tactics such as a work slowdown, withholding information, not returning phone calls or calling out sick. Increasing employees' perception of procedural fairness in the work environment can significantly defuse angry reactions, Geddes says. Reach Dr. Geddes at her office, 215-204-8195, or through the News Bureau 215-204-7476.
FROM POKEMON-IA, A LESSON FOR EDUCATORS -- All across America, kids are ga-ga over Pokemon, the latest Nintendo-created game aimed at children, mostly boys, ages eight and up. And while some schools are banning Pokemon cards because they distract kids from classroom work, Temple psychologist Frank Farley says educators can learn much about motivating their students from the popularity of the game, which involves 150 creatures on cards with differing abilities and powers. Kids must use their memory, math and decision-making skills to play the game, leading to fierce competition and even aggression, he says. "There's a deadly boredom in America's schools. And Nintendo is just walking right through that," he says. "Why can't educators make education as fun and as engaging to kids as Pokemon, but without the aggression? Teachers might be able to convert each Pokemon character to a famous person with their own powers and abilities. They could make the lives and times of Newton, Shakespeare, and Darwin as interesting to their students as these little creatures are. Motivated kids will learn, learn, and learn." The Pokemon craze transcends Beanie Babies, says Farley. "Pokemon has a high social factor. Collecting Beanies is not as engaging or cognitive. They really can't compare." Reach Dr. Farley at his office, 215-204-6024, or through the News Bureau.
SUFFRAGISTS HIT PRIME TIME ON PBS -- Will Ken Burns' new PBS documentary on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton popularize--and romanticize--the women's suffrage movement, as he's done for baseball and the Civil War? Temple education professor Christine Woyshner, a social studies specialist who has taught courses on how to integrate women's history into middle and high school classes, says Burns' newest film, "Not for Ourselves Alone," premiering this weekend, will at least get viewers thinking about the 70-year struggle for women's right to vote. "Given Burns' reputation, I think folks will take a look at the film," says Woyshner, adding that, from classrooms to retail bookstores, women's history is still treated--and presented--differently than "American" history. "If you go to bookstores and look at the shelves for books on American history, books on women's history aren't there. They're in the women's studies section. And women's history is American history." Still, says Woyshner, Burns' film may help viewers appreciate and understand the long struggle suffragists faced. Any step toward bringing women's history into the public eye is helpful, for sure." Reach Dr. Woyshner through the News Bureau.
This Week at Temple
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: RACE: WHAT'S DISCUSSABLE? WHAT'S NOT? WHY NOT? -- A Temple Issues Forum will feature Associate Dean Thaddeus Mathis of the School of Social Administration, Paul L. Wachtel, director of the Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies at CCNY and author of Race in the Mind of America, and several Temple students exploring the boundaries of talking about race and racism in America. (Kiva Auditorium, Ritter Annex, 13th St. and Cecil B. Moore Ave.)
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: ECONOMICS OF SPORTS CONFERENCE -- Executives from the sports world, industry analysts and academic researchers will look at cities' relationships with their sports franchises and other issues related to the business of sports. The Phillies' Bill Giles, former NHL commissioner Gil Stein and entrepreneur Michael Veeck are among the speakers. (Rock Hall and The Apollo of Temple, Broad St. above Cecil B. Moore Ave.)
Thursday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m.: POETS & WRITERS SERIES -- Award-winning poet Mei-mei Berssenbrugge will present a free public reading in an appearance in the series that was rescheduled from September due to Hurricane Floyd. (Temple Gallery, 45 N. Second St.)
VISIT THE NEWS BUREAU's WEB SITE: http://www.temple.edu/news_bureau/
RSS