When the investigation of the home was completed, students compiled the evidence they found to prepare for the next step of the exercise. Then, the students organized their findings and met with student actors who portrayed the parents in the case. The intent of the mock interviews was to provide the students with experience completing formal investigations and making a determination in child abuse cases.

Dr. Angel Knoverek, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) Coordinator, serves as the instructor of Forensic Investigations of Child Maltreatment and led the simulation. Knoverek said, 鈥淐hild abuse case simulations using problem-based learning are an interactive way to engage and prepare students for real-world situations in the various human services fields.鈥�

A walk-through of the simulation was available to faculty and staff to better understand the experiential learning in progress through the duration of the simulation.

The CAST minor curriculum at C-SC prepares students with real-world experiences in a classroom setting. The purpose is to develop professionals who will be best equipped to work on multi-disciplinary teams to benefit children, such as nursing, education, and psychology among others.

While all the students in the course are CAST minors, they represent several different academic programs, such as nursing, criminal justice and psychology.