Fall 2005
____________________________________________________________________
The Place Where We Are Right
From the place where we are right
Flowers
will never grow in the Spring
The
place where we are right
But
doubts and loves dig up the world
Like
a mole, a plow
And
a whisper will be heard
In
the place
Where
the ruined house once stood.
- by Jehuda Amichai
____________________________________________________________________
Instructor: Kay Lovelace, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
437 HHP Building
Office Hours:
Tuesdays 10:45am-12:00 noon;
Thursdays 8:30 am – 9:30 am; or by appointment
Phone: 336.334.3246
Email: klovelace@uncg.edu
Course Purpose / Catalogue Description:
Theory
and practice in the skills needed for effective facilitation of group
problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
Course Goals / Objectives:
Conflict is ubiquitous in family, organizational and
community life. Health and human service
professionals must deal with conflict because they often bridge the boundaries
between individuals, work groups, and organizations, as well as between the community
and the organization. Unfortunately,
conflict in organizations and communities is often covered up, ignored, or
badly handled. This can lead to
disrupted relationships, careers, and organizations. But conflict holds promise as well. Conflict situations can become opportunities
to skillfully explore different ideas, needs, perceptions, and values which, in
turn, can strengthen working relationships and organizational problem solving
and innovation.
In this class, we will work with a model for dealing
with interpersonal conflict and develop skills at understanding others’
perspectives and negotiating win/win outcomes.
We will also address skills for facilitating effective group problem solving
and decision making. To develop their skills, students will analyze case studies,
problem solve with each other using case studies and examples from their own
experience, receive and give feedback, and practice self-reflection to
understand, and perhaps modify, their own reactions to conflict.
Objectives: As a result of this course, students
will be able to apply the following skills to health and human service
organizations and projects:
1. Reflect thoughtfully on
their typical reactions, strengths and weaknesses in conflict situations.
2. Listen attentively to
discover mutual interests and common ground among community members.
3. Understand the dynamics of
conflict escalation and interrupt the cycle of escalation effectively.
4. Facilitate a nine-step group
problem solving process.
5. Receive and give effective
feedback.
Learning strategies: We will primarily use mini-lectures, class
discussion, group work, experiential exercises, case studies, and written
assignments. I look forward to
facilitating your learning!
Required texts:
Stone,
D., Patton, B., and Heen, S. (2000).
Difficult Conversations: How to
Discuss what Matters Most.
Kaner,
S., Lind, L., Toldi, C., Fisk, S., and Berger, D. (2001). Facilitator’s
Guide to Participatory Decision-Making.
Reserved
readings as assigned.
Course outline:
The
success of this course depends on how much you, your classmates, and I put into
our work together. This syllabus is the
beginning of a learning contract we will share.
The outline of topics to be covered and readings to be done – as well as
course objectives – lay out part of my commitment to you in what learning I
will facilitate. The course requirements
and the assignments listed below lay out part of my commitment to you and to
your classmates to what learning you will undertake and I will facilitate. The dates below may change to fit class
learning goals and instructional needs.
Week
1: Introduction
Aug
16/18 Praise Poems
Positive Intentions
Week
2: Conflict
1: Attitudes about conflict
Aug
23/25
Stone, Patton, and Heen,
Chapter 1
Week
3: Conflict
2: Listening with power
Aug
30
Sep
1
Week
4: Conflict 3:
Listening with power 2
Sep
6/8
Stone, Patton, and Heen,
Chapters 2, 3, and 4
Out of class assignment previous weekend / No class meeting on
September 6
Week
5: Conflict
4: Emotions and conflict
Sep
13/15 Stone, Patton, and Heen,
Chapters 5 & 6
September 13: Paper due
Week
6: Conflict
5: Asserting with skill
Sep
20/22
Week 7: Conflict
6: Dealing with defensiveness
Sep 27/29 Stone, Patton, and Heen Chapters 7 and
8
First
test: September 29
Week 8 Conflict 6 continued: Dealing with defensiveness
Conflict
7: Putting it all together
Stone, Patton, and Heen, Chapters 9, 10, 11,
12
Week 9 Fall break Oct 11
Oct 13 Conflict 7
continued: Putting it all together
Week 10 Facilitation
1: Basics of group problem solving and
decision making
Oct 18/20 Flipcharting
Kaner, pp 3-96
Week 11: Facilitation
2: Problem identification and setting
Oct 25/27 Kaner, pp 139-168
Week 12: Facilitation
3: Tools for divergent thinking
Nov 1/3 Kaner,
pp 97-122
Week 13: Second
test: November 8
Nov 8/10 Facilitation
4: Tools for establishing common ground
Kaner, pp 169-183
Week 14: Facilitation
4 continued: Tools for establishing common ground
Nov 15/16 Kaner, pp 169-183
Week 15 Facilitation
5: Tools for convergent thinking
Nov 22 Kaner, pp 183-208
Week 16: Facilitation
6: Tools for obtaining closure on sustainable agreements
Nov 29 Kaner, pp 209-245.
Dec 1
Thur Dec 8 Final test
8-11 am
EXPECTATIONS
Respect: In this class, the expectation is that we
will treat each other with respect. This
includes taking seriously each person in the classroom and showing him or her
the consideration we’d want for ourselves.
Examples include:
·
Assuming positive intent
·
Listening when others talk.
·
Giving the person who is talking your full attention rather than talking
or engaging in side conversations with your neighbors.
·
Letting one person talk at a time.
·
Limiting interruptions. This means:
·
Turning off your cell phone when you come to class.
·
Entering quietly if you are unavoidably late
Because
we are all different, we will have differences in opinion. You may not always
agree with the opinions others express in class, but as a professional it will
be important to understand the thoughts of those whose opinions differ from
yours. Part of the content of this
course will be developing ways to express differing opinions in ways that
communicate respect and to learn from those with whom you differ.
Best effort: In this class, the expectation is that
everyone is putting forth their best effort:
Ways in
which the instructor puts forth best effort:
Ways in
which students put forth best effort:
ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
In
addition to in-class work, we’ll use the following strategies to facilitate and
evaluate your learning.
Tests. There will be 3 non-cumulative tests. In the tests, you will be responsible for
demonstrating, in writing, your comprehension of conflict resolution and
facilitation skills. You will also be
responsible for understanding and accurately applying the content of the
readings and class discussions.
Homework/Short Papers/Quizzes/Feedback. There will often be short homework assignments, in
addition to the readings, so that you can prepare for in-class work. Homework will be graded 1/0 (1=meets
expectations; 0=does not meet expectations or is absent). Homework is due on
Blackboard by the time assigned (usually an hour prior to class). This allows me to understand your needs and
customize the class. Although, we will not always use it, please bring 1 copy of
your homework to class for discussion.
Because of the size of the class and because I use the homework to adapt
the class, it does not make sense for me to see late homework.
Short
papers will give you the opportunity to apply what you’re learning to a
specific issue or problem or dilemma.
For example, you will learn listening skills, be asked to practice them
outside of class, and write a short reflection on what you learned. Quizzes will be used to assess your
understanding of the readings and give you practice for the exams. You will also be asked to give each other
feedback on a periodic basis.
This
course presents you with the opportunity to practice professional writing. It is likely that your future job performance
will be partly measured by the quality of your writing. Your written work needs to be organized so
the flow of information makes sense and to be standardized with correct
spelling, grammar, and punctuation to demonstrate professional standards of
quality. Contact The Writing Center @ x43125
to get help with your writing — it’s a service that most of us should use!
All
short papers, homework assignments, and feedback should be word processed unless you are notified
otherwise. If in doubt, assume word
processed. All homework, short papers,
quizzes, feedback are due at the date and time assigned and may not be made up.
Meeting Facilitation. In the second half of the class, each student
will be asked to work in a pair to facilitate one or two aspects of a specific decision
making process. This facilitation will
involve research, preparation, practice and implementation.
Preparation/participation. All required readings are
due on the date they are noted on the syllabus.
Please bring your books and your notes on the readings to class! Participation is key to what we will
accomplish in the class and means trying to do your best when asked. I ask that
you be thoughtful and honest in all course communication. It is only in this way that you can test your
thoughts with others and get feedback that is helpful to being effective in
addressing conflict. Factors involved in
the evaluation of preparation participation include classroom participation,
quality of verbal responses in class, and demonstration of commitment to a
positive learning climate. It will be to
your advantage to be actively involved in each class meeting, practicing your
skills, testing your ideas on the rest of us or challenging us to critically
examine our skills and beliefs.
Attendance and Timeliness: Because attendance is important to our work (we will
be actively working on conflict resolution and facilitation skills each class),
each person’s presence and contribution is important. Most classes, you will be
randomly assigned to work with someone in the class. If you are not in class, your partner will
not have someone to work with. You will start the semester with
10 participation points. Each absence
will cost you two of those points. If
you miss more than 5 classes you may receive a W or WF depending upon the last
day to drop a course according to the University calendar. If you make it through the semester without
any absences, you will receive 2 bonus points.
If you miss class, you are responsible for coming to the next class prepared,
having updated yourself on what happened in your absence. If you are late to class (or leave early from
class) more than 3 times, you will start accumulating absences.
Evaluation Strategies: Students will be evaluated as follows:
Exams (15, 20, 15 points each) 50%
Homework/Paper/Quizzes/Feedback 20% Meeting
Facilitation 10%
Participation/preparation 10%
Attendance 10%
OTHER INFORMATION:
Academic Integrity Policy.
Academic integrity is important to success at UNCG
and in later life. Academic integrity is
based on five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and
responsibility. If you are to fully
benefit from this class and be properly evaluated for your contributions, we
must work together in an environment that affirms these values. Work that violates these values is
incompatible with the goals of this class and will not be tolerated. Every member of the class is expected to
foster the spirit of academic honesty at all times and to encourage that spirit
among others.
Members of this class are encouraged to review the
University’s Academic Integrity Policy on-line at http://saf.dept.unc.gedu/studisp/Honor.html or in the UNCG Student
Calendar/Handbook. I encourage you to
discuss the meaning of academic integrity with one another and with me. If any work or assignment appears unclear or
presents questions related to academic integrity, I urge you to talk with me to
obtain further clarification.
I invite you, as a student in this class to join me
in supporting the Academic Integrity Policy.
Including and signing the Academic Integrity Pledge below for all major
work submitted in this class will signal a clear indication of your support.
Academic Integrity Pledge. I have abided by the Academic Integrity Policy on
this assignment.
_______________________________________________ ______________
signature date
Blackboard. We will use Blackboard, a web-based course technology, in the course. It allows me to post course announcements in
an efficient way and for us to have a variety of email groups – one for the
class and one for each team. Please
check course announcements and course email on a periodic basis.