The 14th edition of a business textbook, authored by a Mississippi State University professor, has been released for use in summer classes.
Carol Lehman, a professor in the College of Business and Industry, co-authored Business Communication, a textbook used to teach students business communication skills.
Lehman worked with Debbie DuFrene, a business professor at Stephen F. Austin State University, to complete the newest edition that puts a greater emphasis on technology communication.
“Today, most businesses communicate electronically, so we felt that it is important for students to learn the skills they need to do so,” Lehman said. “This is the first textbook that goes this deep into electronic communication.”
Although the new edition of the textbook explores technology in communication, the authors say it still includes traditional forms of communication.
“The book focuses on technology and traditional communication roles in the business environment,” DuFrene said.
Both DuFrene and Lehman taught classes that used earlier editions of the book before working on the project.
Lehman started working with the 10th edition in 1990 and DuFrene began co-authoring with Lehman on the 12th edition.
“We both taught from the book before we worked on it, and we thought it was outstanding,” Lehman said.
A new feature found in the book is an “electronic caf” at the end of each chapter. The new feature has exercises to teach students various topics through technology.
Through the caf, students can access a Web site to obtain information for the activity, learn how to use the WebTutor program and get information from a CD included in the textbook package.
One electronic caf deals with instant messaging and demonstrates how effective it can be through WebTutor, a program that works like the MSU supported WebCT.
Besides the e-caf, the book features many more technological features such as narrated Power Point presentations, Jeopardy games, crossword games, electronic study aids and interactive quizzes.
“There is research that students will study more with technology, so we are trying to help students learn through these features,” Lehman said.
“The book teaches critical thinking as well as the information,” DuFrene said. “Students need to know how to locate the information to be successful.”
Lehman and DuFrene said they feel the textbook works because they work well together.
“We enjoy working together and have become close friends,” DuFrene said. “We are able to compensate for each other, and I think that is what makes us work well together.”
Lehman is not the only professor that has written a textbook for school use. The university Web site lists 57 faculty authors and is not complete.
The Union Bookstore, located in the Colvard Union, carries many of these books.
“We have many professors who write their own course notes, but we have somewhere between five and 10 textbooks on hand that were written by professors,” said bookstore manager Tim Vann.