Dr. Morgan Chitiyo, who is originally from Zimbabwe, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and assistant professor of special education at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Africa University in Zimbabwe. While in Zimbabwe he taught high school before moving to the United States to pursue graduate studies. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with both an MBA and a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior and Learning. He completed his Ph.D. under the tutelage of Dr. John J. Wheeler, who exposed him to many research projects involving the application of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and its applied behavior analytic principles to children with disabilities; including autism, emotional behavioral disorders, and ADHD among others. This exposure gave him the opportunity to work extensively with schools in the United States providing consultation and technical assistance in the area of PBS. As a result, he developed keen interest in the utility and application of PBS across populations and cultures.
Dr. Chitiyo’s research interests are in the development, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral interventions for children who display challenging behavior in both school and non-school settings. He is interested in the identification of efficient and cost-effective models to transmit best and effective practices in applied behavior analysis across populations and settings. He is also interested in promoting the adoption of applied behavior analysis principles in developing countries. Dr. Chitiyo believes that PBS, with its applied behavior analytic principles, can transform education systems around the world – particularly Africa – by equipping schools with the capacity to engage all students via positive learning environments capable of promoting active engagement of all learners regardless of disabilities.
As a result, Dr. Chitiyo endeavors to develop cost-effective education programs which focus on training parents and schoolteachers to implement behavioral interventions and evaluate their efficacy. In this regard, he would like to explore how to utilize technology to facilitate consultation and technical assistance which can promote the adoption and utilization of evidence-based practices internationally.