EDLD 590-593 Leadership Internship Instructor: George E. Reed, Ph.D. Semester: Spring 2010 Room: MRH 275L (Leadership Studies Conference Room) Course Dates: February 5, 2010, 5:30 – 8:20 p.m. March 5, 2010, 5:30 – 8:20 p.m. April 9, 2010, 5:30 – 8:20 p.m. May 7, 2010, 5:30 – 8:20 p.m. Contact information: Email: (george.reed@sandiego.edu) Phone: 619-260-7444 Office hours: Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. Course Description and Purpose The internship serves as an integration of theory and practice; an opportunity for participants to take what they have learned in their courses and to use this knowledge in more practical ways. It is an opportunity for students to obtain experience in an organizational setting that is of interest to them. Students should select a site that gives them the opportunity to be challenged, and to learn as much as possible about their particular field of interest. This is a time to enhance skills, experiment with a variety of authority relationships, and in some instances work with others to achieve a common organizational goal. A minimum of 150 documented hours at the selected site is required. Course Objectives 1) Learn how to learn on the job as a form of reflective practice. Effective leaders and managers understand how to actively engage in their own learning. We often do not take the time, nor do many people have the requisite skills to recognize learning opportunities as they occur in our work place on a daily basis. Thus, one of the goals of the internship is to help interns “learn” how to learn from the work experiences that they encounter. This is a difficult skill to develop. During the seminar the university supervisor will provide opportunities for the interns to engage in reflective practice by providing structured opportunities to reflect on their actions, behaviors and outcomes of the decisions they make. This reflective process continues throughout the course of the semester. 2) Learn how to integrate classroom learning (theory) with professional practice (in the field) 1
One of the biggest challenges encountered by students and the faculty working with them is to integrate the theoretical components of an academic program with the practical aspects of an organizational setting. This has serious implications for students preparing for leadership and management positions. Most want to develop the skills, abilities and relevant competencies to be successful in a life often removed from academic settings. In our program we recognize the tension that exists between theory and practice, and we strive to create opportunities for students to learn how to connect classroom learning with real-world experience. The internship is an opportunity for students to learn to connect what they learn in the classroom, to an organizational setting that is of interest to them. 3) Understand and learn from the complexities inherent in all organizations Working as an intern often gives students an interesting vantage point to examine a wide range of organizational dynamics. Oftentimes, interns have opportunities to “shadow” high level administrators, or work on projects with employees from different areas of the organization. And since the role of the “intern” is one of learning, people in the organization are less threatened by questions about their role, responsibilities, and other work related inquiries. If these opportunities for dialogue present themselves, it gives the intern another avenue of great learning. Additionally, interns engage with peers in class around challenges and other issues that arise during the internship, and this is another source of learning about a variety of organizational dynamics. 4) Develop technical skills in an organization that is aligned with ones’ career aspirations Doing an internship is an excellent way for students to learn and develop the technical skills and competencies necessary for working in a specific organization. For example, an intern assigned to work in a student services area at a community college might learn how to utilize the student intake database, how best to communicate to students and faculty within the college, or how to collaborate with others outside of the college, to name a few. Interns might also gain valuable experience with written and oral communication; presentation and facilitation skills, depending on the placement. 5) Explore aspects of interpersonal behaviors that influence ones’ effectiveness In the course EDLD 550/600: Leadership Theory, students gain valuable insights about working with groups, how to understand authority relationships, and the differences between adaptive and technical challenges. The internship is another opportunity to build upon the learning in this course and others. During the seminar course that coincides with the internship, students work closely with their peers and the university supervisor to critically examine and analyze a “critical incidence” that the intern brings to the seminar. Using a variety of instructional strategies in class, peers act as critical friends to help the intern view their incident from various perspectives. The intern may not agree with the 2
various “consultations” she/he receives from the group, but many interns find that the feedback from others is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities made available to them.
Required Readings (Assigned Textbook) Coghlan, D. & Brannick, T. (2005). Doing Action Research in Your Own Organization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Course Requirements and Evaluation Requirements: Log of hours Interns must maintain a log of activities experienced during the internship(s). Each log notation should include the date and time (beginning and end), as well as a brief description of what transpired. A lengthy narrative of an activity is not required; brief sentences or bullets are sufficient. (An excel form is available on the website). Your log needs to be turned into me before the end of the semester. It can be included in the final portfolio, or sent to me electronically. The log serves a threefold purpose of: (1) keeping your internship time “on track,” (2) offering your university supervisor an overview of what you’ve experienced, and probably more importantly, (3) acting as a jumping-off point for conversations /reflections with your supervisor and/or more in-depth entries in reflection papers. Interns who do not turn in a log of hours will receive a grade of “incomplete.” A triad meeting with you, field supervisor, and university supervisor You will be required to set up a triad meeting with you, your field supervisor, and the university supervisor, at the site of your internship. The meeting should be scheduled in June. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Leadership Activity Plan (described below). Completion of assessment forms Interns must ensure that the following forms get completed: 1) Internship Assessment form – to be completed by the field supervisor 3
2) Students Internship Evaluation Form – to be completed by the student 3) Evaluation of the university supervisor – to be completed by the student Forms can be downloaded from this link on the Leadership Studies Website: http://www.sandiego.edu/academics/soles/acadprog/leadstudies/internship/forms.php
Evaluation: Seminar attendance and participation
15%
Students are required to attend all seminars, complete any readings or assignments in advance of class, and come prepared to discuss their internship experience with peers. Leadership Activity plan (Draft due at First Triad Meeting)
25%
Part I. (15%) Developing the Leadership Activity Plan is the goal setting part of the internship. The objectives of the Leadership Activity plan are unique to the interns’ area of specialization, the specific learning goals of the intern, and the organizational context in which the intern will be working. It is very important that the intern create the plan in consultation with the Field Supervisor to ensure that the objectives outlined are consistent with the goals of the organization. Interns should focus on aspects they want to learn about at their site, and on skills that they have not yet developed. It is not a good use of anyone’s time to work on skills or competencies that the intern already possesses. Instead, the intern should plan to develop areas that he/she considers to be areas of growth, or those areas that he/she has little exposure or experience with. This will help create a stimulating and beneficial experience for the intern and the organization where the intern will be working. The Leadership Activity Plan (LAP) should include the following: Specific learning outcomes (measurable objectives) in each of the following areas: 1) Technical skills or competencies specific to the interns’ organization 2) Interpersonal skills (ex: communication, working with groups, management style) It is likely that that some of the objectives overlap categories. It is up to the intern to describe the activity, and then to identify “how” the objective will be 1) accomplished and 2) measured (i.e.: how will the intern know if she/he accomplished each objective. The intern will need to be very clear about the objectives they hope to accomplish during the internship. This clarity will aid the
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intern, the field supervisor and the university supervisor in keeping the intern focused on his/her specific goals for the internship experience. Generally, interns have 5-7 learning outcomes in the first category of technical skills, and 3-5 learning outcomes in the second category of general interpersonal skills. The Leadership Activity Planning (LAP) Instrument should be used to complete the plan. Interns should bring their draft plan to the triad meeting and the first seminar class meeting. It is the intern’s responsibility to bring a draft Leadership Activity Plan to the first triad meeting, with copies ready for the university supervisor and the field supervisor. These draft objectives and activities serve as the focus of discussion as all concerned decide upon the activities best suited for the intern. At subsequent triad meetings the objectives and activities are discussed, updated and sometimes altered as the mentor and intern learn more about each other and the internship. Part II. (15%) Part of your work at the completion of your internship will be to identify which objectives were accomplished, and those areas where you might need additional training or experience. This will require you to review your journal entries, reflect on your experience, and perhaps have a conversation with your field supervisor. The LAP should be completed and included in the final portfolio. In addition, a final narrative description of the internship (goals and objectives accomplished and areas still needing improvement) should be completed and included in the final portfolio. This is an opportunity for you to reflect and expand upon the specific objectives outlined in the Leadership Activity plan. The narrative should expand on your selection of objectives for the internship experience, and discuss the specific learning outcomes as a result of accomplishing the objectives. In some cases, you may not have accomplished a particular goal, and the learning gained from this experience is also important to include in the description. You are encouraged to write candidly about lessons learned, challenges, strengths, and areas of improvement that remain. (3-5 pages) Reflective Journal
20%
Journal entries are due to the instructor electronically twice during the summer. Journals are due on the course meeting dates. The number and length of the journal entries are up to the discretion of the intern. The class will discuss prompts that might be helpful in framing the reflective journals. 5
The journal can also be part of the final portfolio that you turn in at the end of the internship experience. Although most students tend to journal about things that have happened in their internship sites, there is also much value in trying to connect the incidents in internships to theories and discussions gained from coursework, and to the wealth of personal and professional experiences gained from your own positions. In your journal you could include the various activities that you did in relation to your work / project, the steps you took to accomplish an objective, or specific learning you gained from an experience. More importantly however, journaling is a reflective experience; an opportunity for you to think deeper and more critically about how you handled a situation, what you learned from the experience, or what you might do differently the next time. Journal writing can be an important part of the internship because of its value as a tool for learning and maximizing your personal and professional growth experiences. Some of the experiences you might have described in your journal can also be used during the on-campus seminars for discussion and feedback. Leadership Challenge Paper 10% At every class meeting, we will discuss challenges that occurred at each internship site. For this assignment, students turn in a 3-5 page paper with a description of an incident or challenge, the challenges it presented, outcomes, and reflections (that might be based on input received from peers). Students are also encouraged to view the challenge first, from an individual perspective: looking at one’s own actions and behaviors; then from a systems perspective: trying to use a framework that is useful to them, to view the challenge “objectively.” This is often difficult, but doing this work will make the challenge less “personal,” and more focused on what might be going on at the organizational level. This will also help with getting to a deeper analysis of the situation(s). It is also recommended that you take time to discuss your leadership challenge with your supervisor to learn about his/her analysis of a situation, what worked (or didn’t work) and why. Below are a series of questions that may be useful when reflecting on critical incidents/leadership challenges. It is not intended that you will answer each question. Instead, certain questions may be particularly applicable to the incident you have described. These questions may be used in a variety of ways: (1) when you are writing in your journal; (2) when you are having a discussion session with your field supervisor; (4) when you are having a Triad meeting; (5) when you are meeting with your university supervisor; and/or (6) when you have a reflection seminar on campus. Some questions to consider: 6
1. What do you remember about the situation? 2. What do you recall were your thoughts at the time? 3. What issue particularly struck you in this situation? 4. What alternatives did you consider? 5. Why did you select the action that you did? 6. How did you know that this was the right choice? 7. What was inappropriate about the other alternatives in this situation? 8. What might have happened if you had chosen another alternative? Take one alternative and describe specifically what you anticipate may have happened. 9. How did you know this might happen? 10. What knowledge did you use in making this decision? Final portfolio of internship experience (Due end of semester: 10 December) 30% All interns will create a culminating portfolio of the internship experience. The portfolio will include artifacts and other work experiences that document the interns’ potential as a manager and leader in their chosen field. We encourage (not require) interns to create an electronic portfolio that could be used by the intern in future leadership positions, or when the intern seeks prospective employment opportunities later. The final portfolio should, at a minimum, include most of the following elements. Other artifacts chosen by the intern can also be included in the portfolio. (The intern needs to communicate with the university supervisor to make changes/additions to what is included in the portfolio). •
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Updated resume Interns should have an updated resume that includes the internship experience that is ready to give to potential employers. The vitae should be done professionally, and all edits made prior to including it in the portfolio. Statement of philosophy about the leadership position examined It is not uncommon for an intern to change the way he/she views a leadership position after the experience is over. This statement should reflect the interns previous views of the position, and any new insights gained from the internship experience. This is generally a 1-2 page summary statement. Copy of the Leadership Activity plan: The Leadership Activity Plan should be included in the portfolio as a reminder to the intern of his/her accomplishments. Journals: Any reflective journals completed during the semester 7
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Leadership Challenge: including a description of the incident, your responses, and anything learned as a result of feedback from peers during the course.
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Narrative description of the internship (goals and objectives accomplished or not accomplished): This is an opportunity for the intern to reflect on the specific objectives outlined in the Leadership Activity plan. The narrative should expand on the interns’ selection of objectives for the internship experience, and discuss the specific learning outcomes as a result of accomplishing the objectives. In some cases, the intern may not have accomplished a particular goal, and the learning gained from this experience is also important to include in the description. (2-3 pages) Artifacts from the internship: The intern must decide on the artifacts to include in this section. (These might include presentations, projects, research completed, email exchanges, copies of flyers or memo’s, to name a few). Sample written correspondence: Employers are often interested in written communication skills. Interns can demonstrate competence in this area by providing examples of correspondence that was written by them. Log of hours (if not turned in electronically) Other samples of work completed: It is likely that there are other artifacts that have not been mentioned that the intern might want to include in the portfolio, or that the university supervisor asks the intern to include. Some examples: video’s, photographs, journals, PowerPoint presentations.
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Important notes: Those who fail to fulfill the requirements of this course will receive an “incomplete.” The requirements must be met by the end of the tenth week of the next regular semester; otherwise, the “I” grade will be counted as an “F.” Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in the class are encouraged to contact Disability Services in Serra 300 (tel. 260-4655) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
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