The Challenge of Puzzling Minds

Abstract

To understand b u s i n e s s lev, s t u d e n t s f a c e a tvo-step l e a r n i n g process.The f i r s t s t e p is an awareness of an abundance of new terminology which a p p e a r s i n each s u b s t a n t i v e a r e a of t h e course.If the s t u d e n t does n o t adequately prepare, he a l l too soon f i n d s himself "bogged down i n t h e memorization of terms."l The second s t e p , however, r e q u i r e s t h a t s t u d e n t s l e a r n t o use t h e s e terms and p r i n c i p l e s so t h a t s t u d e n t s a c q u i r e a working knowledge of t h e m a t e r i a l .So i t seems that ve as educators must s t i m u l a t e our s t u d e n t s n o t only t o l e a r n t h e vocabulary, but a l s o t o l e a r n t o work comfortably with t h e i r newly-acquired language and concepts.Innovative teaching techniques spur s t u d e n t s i n t o l e a r n i n g a most u s e f u l s u b j e c t , b u s i n e s s law.To h e l p with t h i s process I s e l e c t e d a method t o supplement l e c t u r e s which most s t u d e n t s seem t o enjoy, t h e u s e of crossword puzzles.Puzzles can be used a t many d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s i n o r d e r t o s t i m u l a t e l e a r n i n g t h e t e c h n i c a l materiel. Another type of puzzle a t t h e end o f . t h e u n i t , a review puzzle, w i l l r e f r e s h key terminology and provide feedback t o determine how w e l l s t u d e n t s understood t h e material. I n f a c t a crossword puzzle exam can provide an i n t e r e s t i n g way t o make t h e o l d t e x t form a new and i n t e r e s t i n g challenge. Puzzles can vary in t h e degree of d i f f i c u l t y to s u i t an i n t r o d u c t o r y , required business law c l a s s o r a more d i f f i c u l t advanced business law elective.Clues can even be w r i t t e n i n t h e form of b r i e f f a c t s i t u a t i o n questions.3 T h i s method combines 'the best of both worlds"-terminology and l e a r n i n g how t o use i t through p r a c t i c a l reasoning.To create a crossword puzzle € o r the t e x t you are using: (1) write o u t s l i s t of the key terms used on your t e x t o r system, (2) s e t up a g r i d , (3) map t h e terms onto the g r i d , overlapping common letters whenever p o s s i b l e , (4) f i l l i n t h e remainder of t h e g r i d with blanks and f i l l words, (5) go back and number each square t h a t begins a word, and ( 6 ) write c l u e s f o r each word i n t h e p~z z l e .~ To s i m p l i f y t h i s method I use software and a microcomputer.Steps one, four and s i x a r e a l l t h a t a r e r e q u i r e d with t h e a i d of a computer. 52