EDLD 512: Beyond Collaboration Faculty: Liz Shear, MA, organizational development consultant Lizshear@sbcglobal.net, 619-222-9472 Schedule: 6-9 p.m. on 1/4, 1/6, 1/11, 1/13 and 1/20– Mother Rosalie Hill Hall, room 201
Course description: This course intends to prepare students to develop appropriate sustaining and effective inter-organizational relationships that assist in fulfilling their organizational mission and to become facilitative leaders. Topics include life systems theory; facilitative leadership, definitions and distinctions among the many ways organizations can work together (competition, coordination, co-opetition, strategic alliances, networking, coalition building, partnership and collaboration.) We will also address the various factors involved in the development, structuring and evaluation of in successful collaboration building. Course objectives: By course end, students will have • • • • • • • • • •
Developed a personal philosophy of collaboration and beyond Identified, explored and refined their leadership type and style Understood the purpose, rationale, functions, structures and roles of collaborative efforts in the voluntary sector. Gained a clear working knowledge of inter-organizational relationships Defined the types of inter-organizational relationships that are possible and described their stages of development. Discriminated among the types of formal inter-organizational arrangements and have understood which types work best for which efforts. Read texts and demonstrated their understanding through class participation and assignments Completed a project demonstrating their competency in at least one aspect of collaborative leadership and/or inter-organizational relationships. Shared their unique learning and perspectives through their class presentations Contributed to the increased knowledge of their classmates and their organization.
Assignments: •
Meet course objectives.
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Stay abreast of all reading. session summaries below.
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Develop a personal philosophy of collaboration for January 6th and a revision based on lessons learned for January 20th. These papers may be of any length. They are part of your grade for the course, but will not receive individual grades.
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Complete a project on collaboration that demonstrates your values, theories, and practice and models in use. You may work solo or as a team. Your project needs to extend and demonstrate your learning. It is due on January 20th. Your paper should be about 10 pages long. It should include a bibliography and a personal reflection about what you have learned, how you feel about your learning and how you intend to use it. Some examples of projects are: 1. A description, review and analysis of your home organization's interorganizational relationships 2. A design and plan for a new collaboration or other cooperative relationship 3. An exploration of leadership in the 21st century 4. An exploration of new methodologies 5. Assessment, analysis and recommendations of home organization’s need for inter-organizational relationships 6. A case study of a local collaboration such as Balboa Park Cultural Partnership or NTC Foundation Collaborative.
Specific reading assignments follow class
The project proposal will be drafted by the third class session, January 11th. If the project is "hands-on," both the executive director of the participant’s home organization and I must approve the project before it is started. The organization will also need to agree to provide you and me with written feedback on the quality and usefulness of your project upon its' receipt of the final product. Feedback is due by January 25th;so make arrangements to meet early in the course. The written feedback can be e-mailed to me. The project must include a written rationale, goals and objectives, the actual design/content, a self-evaluation (learning and reflections), a bibliography and recommendations for future development. Participants will present their work as a report to the executive during the last class session, January 20th. Presentations must be substantive and educational for the rest of the class. The class will discuss the project and give the participant feedback. Copies of transferable materials will be provided for each class member. •
Individual or team consultation is available regarding course project by appointment.
Texts:
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Winer, Michael and Karen Ray, Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining and Enjoying the Journey; Amhearst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul Minnesota, 1994. EDLD Beyond Collaboration Reader (Available at the USD Bookstore) Briskin, Erickson, Ott and Callanan, The Power of Collective Wisdom and the Trap of Collective Folly;Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, 2009.
Class Summary: January 4, 2010 We will overview the course and syllabus, and build our class team. We will discuss life systems and definitions of inter-organizational relations. We will also assess our individual leadership and learning styles. Homework: Write your personal philosophy of collaboration for January 6th. Familiarize yourself with the readings and your text. Read section 1 of your reader and pages ix through 65. January 6, 2010 We will learn from real life examples of collaboration. David Lang, Director of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, Paige Simpson, Director of Balboa Park Learning Institute and staff will share the wisdom gained in orchestrating a long-term collaboration with cultural organizations in the park. Homework: Bring your project idea to the next class. Optional: Dr. Mary McDonald will be conducting a collaboration seminar, titled “From Nuts to Soup” at the USD annual governance symposium, January 9 at 10:15 and 1:15. January 11 and 13, 2010 We will examine the continuum of inter-organizational relationships, and their elements and stages We will look at success factors, how to decide which type of inter-organizational relationship will work and how to build collaboration. Homework: Read section 2 and 3 of your reader and complete your text including the appendices. January 14, 2010 We will discuss alternative methods of coming together such as the World Café and Peer Spirit circles. We will discuss tools you can use to support collaborative efforts. Our own Dr. Mary McDonald will join us to talk about her extensive exerience with collaboration. Homework: Your project, reflection paper and reprise of philosophy are due next class. January 20, 2010 Today, we hear from you. We will also summarize the course with final thoughts on philosophy, leadership and new methods. You will evaluate me for the University.
Homework: Pick up your papers/projects from the office on or after January 21st, incorporate the feedback, and have your organization e-mail me their response by January 25th, so I can submit your grades.
Grading Policy: A. Exceptionally good performance demonstrating a superior understanding of the subject matter, a foundation of extensive knowledge, and a skillful use of concepts and/or materials. B. Good performance demonstrating capacity to use the appropriate concepts, a good understanding of the subject matter, and an ability to handle the problems and materials encountered in the subject. C. Minimally acceptable performance for graduate work, demonstrating partial familiarity with the subject matter and some capacity to deal with relatively simple problems, but also demonstrating deficiencies serious enough to make it inadvisable to proceed further in the field without additional work. Grading is based on: •
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Class participation Participation means coming to class on time, prepared and interested in contributing to the class as a whole through conversation and through listening Reading Reading means keeping up with assignments, being able to use key concepts in conversation and attribute them to author and citing authors in written work Assignment 1a and b Assignment 2 Class presentation All students will use form provided by me to evaluate each other. This form should be helpful in organizing your presentation
Criteria for grading assignments: • Rigor • Depth and breadth • Integration of values, theory and practice • Clarity of thought, organization, analysis grammar, originality, writing skills • Demonstration of meeting personal and course learning objectives • Demonstration of research and linking class reading requirements to assignments Certificate students will receive a pass/fail grade. Incompletes must be negotiated with faculty in advance and are given only in emergency situations.
Attendance is mandatory. Please arrange your schedule so that you can complete this course on time. In emergency situations, I will not penalize absence or late assignments. Otherwise, your grade will be adjusted downward. Teaching Philosophy and Methodology: As people tend to have different values, learning styles and much wisdom and experience, we will use a variety of approaches: assessment, presentation, conversation, inquiry, reflection, simulation, case study and action research.