The Journey
Guidelines for Quality--Process
Criteria: Writing the RLT
Guidelines for Quality--Product
Criteria: Group Project
Syllabus: Knowledge,
Attitude and Skill Benchmarks, Points for Assignments
It is my hope that this web course will provide you with an exciting and useful journey to learning. I will be your guide through a process of integrating curriculum with your continued professional growth. This integration process is based on five important components: 1) reflective experience, 2) context, 3) developmental learning concepts, 4) collaboration, and 5) synthesis to your role as a future counseling professional.
These components will be presented throughout this course in the form of problem scenarios and a series of Reflective Learning Tasks (RLTs). Each task will require you to link your understanding of the required reading (chapters) to both a family scenario (Wardmans) and a performance activity. You will e-mail your reactions/responses to the instructor at the end of each of week. Each RLT will be completed on-line representing a new style of learning through a virtual environment.
There will also be an opportunity for peer collaboration. Learning teams, established during the early part of the course, will be required to post a team project aimed at creating and applying developmental theory to a specific age group. In-class seminars will be held weekly to provide a context for orientation, shared learning, and collaboration in synthesizing developmental principles to role of counseling in school and community settings. The course's final exam will be presented and completed on-line as well.
It is important that you take the time to read all of the instructions carefully and refer to this page frequently. Equally important, the materials and information contained within this web course are to be viewed as a supplement to your text (Berk, 2007). Successful completion of this course will depend on your ability and resourcefulness in synthesizing the Wardman's developmental issues to both your conceptual and reflective experiences. Course participants may do this in a variety of ways...and that is as it should be.
Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have question, comment, need guidance, or just want to chat. I will have virtual office hours in a graphic chat room established specifically for this course. It’s my hope that you will see this as an opportunity and engage fully in this new experience.
Guidelines for Quality
Process Criteria
Reflective Learning
Tasks (RLTs)
A Reflective Learning Task, or RLT, is a process whereby students address the developmental issues/dynamics inherent in the case scenarios while synthesizing them with the text, additional readings, and reflective performance activities. Due to the brevity of this summer session, RLTs are due each week, and must be submitted no later than Saturday, midnight. (see Class Schedule). Successful completion of each RLT is demonstrated by the student's quality of reflective synthesis.
Reflective Synthesis:
1. on the chapter readings in response to the following issues:
- developmental tasks
- blocks to the developmental process
- facilitative factors for developmental growth
- impact on the counseling role (What issue will need to be addressed and how?)
2. in relation to yourself to
developmental theory
3. of the application of this synthesis to a case scenario
4. on your experience to a variety Reflective Learning Tasks including:
- a developmental interview with an individual/family from the assigned age group
- an observational exercise of individuals from the assigned age group
- watching and monitoring your reaction to a film with regard to the portrayal of the assigned age group
- conducting a professional interview with a counselor who is currently working with the assigned age group
- shadowing a counseling or educational professional in his/her work with the assigned age group
5. to your reaction in dialogue
with a peer, colleague, counseling professional, and/or faculty member or
mentor.
Virtual In-Class
Seminars
A seminar is "a meeting for an exchange of ideas" (American Heritage Dictionary, 1992) for advanced learners regarding the integration of theory to professional practice. Meeting once a week, these virtual seminars will take place using Virtual Chat and will assist in a) orienting you to the course and web-based instruction, b) discussing questions and sharing ideas relevant to the course and your own learning, and c) constructing knowledge through linking your insights from the Reflective Learning Tasks within a community of fellow learners. Given the constraints on number of persons in a Virtual Chat room, I will post separate seminar times for each team. Students will be expected to be prepared to both facilitate and participate in this shared experience.
Team Project
Students will be randomly assigned to work together as a team. As members of a team, students will participate in a dialogue with other team members about synthesizing a developmental model for working with an agreed upon age group in a counseling setting. Each team will create a web page presenting its model. Other teams and class members are strongly encouraged to review other teams' models and provide feedback on Blackboard, as well as during the course seminars. Thoughtful feedback can stimulate further growth, depth, and quality to the team project.
Evaluative Criteria will be based on the Scoring Guide utilized by the student(s) and the
instructor.
|
Experience has shown that presenting your team's synthesis in the form of a metaphor, simile, or practical example is easier to follow and interpret on-line. |
Final Exam
Students will demonstrate their knowledge regarding developmental dynamics by completing a final on-line exam. This exam will consist of multiple choice and essay questions and will be posted during the last week of class. The course's text and other reference materials can be used to fully answer exam questions.
In this course quality workmanship exhibits reflective processes, integrative problem solving, contextual relevance, professional leadership, and peer collaboration. Synthesis is encouraged throughout a student's progress in completing the Reflective Learning Tasks and its relevance to both the team project and final exam. Furthermore, each graded submission must adhere to APA standards and the written quality required for graduate study. Grading rubric for written assignments is:
- A - Exceeds (with excellence) the criteria described in the performance tasks by supporting assertions from the professional literature (5 or more: texts, books, journal articles, etc.). Writing contains nearly no errors in mechanics, grammar, and spelling. Writing is logical and content (including review, integration, and synthesis) is accurate and presents compelling reasons to the reader for assertions made regarding human development. Consistency of thought and relevance of content are exemplary, well organized
- B - Meets criteria described in the performance tasks. Citations made from course text and two additional sources. Few errors in mechanics, grammar, and spelling. The student provides a logical presentation of ideas and is able to integrate and synthesize thought. Student presents adequate reasons for assertions made regarding human development. Manuscript is adequately organized.
- C - Meets minimal criteria to accomplish performance tasks. Writing is adequate with some errors in mechanics, grammar, and spelling. Text is only citation. Presentation of ideas follows text concretely, with little or no creative applications. Student is able to present adequate reasons for assertions made regarding human development. Manuscript is adequately organized.
- D - Does not meet minimal criteria to accomplish performance tasks. Writing shows several errors in mechanics, grammar, spelling, etc., inconsistent logic and thought, little relevance of content and references to profession of counseling, poor ability to integrate, and synthesize ideas, weak rationale for assertions made regarding human development. Manuscript lacks organization.
- Incomplete - Work in progress.
- In accordance with
Plagiarism.
A “zero” or whatever is the equivalent of
the lowest failing
grade possible shall be assigned
for that piece of
work to any student plagiarizing on
a non-final piece
of work. In the case of a student plagiarizing
on a final research
paper or project, an “F”
shall also be
assigned as the course grade.
Repeated Cheating or Plagiarism. For twice-repeated
or aggravated off
ences of cheating or plagiarism,
additional action,
including dismissal from the University,
may be taken
pursuant to the Student Handbook
procedures related
to the University Judicial
System and the
disciplinary sanctions for violation of University regulations.
If submitted RLTs do not meet quality requirements, the instructor will provide corrective feedback and suggestions for resubmission. Furthermore, if students wish to improve their grade by one letter-grade, revised RLTs can be resubmitted prior to the end of the term, however the instructor reserves the right to determine whether a grade changed is merited.
This course is founded on the premise that learning is inclusive, contextual and most of all, meaningful. It presupposes that adult learners are resourceful, and attempts to provide an atmosphere for generating creative solutions to a virtual developmental dilemma. This course also encourages professional reflection in developing conceptual complexity in approaching the practice of counseling and the role of being a professional leader. It is my hope that this course will leave you with more questions than answers, and encourage you to boldly address the challenge of not changing individuals/families, but providing environments in which clients thrive, reason, and change themselves.
Dr.
Colin C. Ward
© Copyright 1999
All rights reserved