Authentic Engagement 2020

Instructor

Rev. Dr. Tom Barlow; email tbarlow@iliff.edu

Course Synopsis

Effective organizations need leaders who can develop and nurture cultures in which people of diverse backgrounds feel valued, are deeply connected to one other, and are aligned with a shared mission. This kind of engaged leader is able to recognize those who have the potential to be highly motivated and engaged individuals, and who can contribute significantly to the organization and the world.

In this course, we will examine the theological and psychosocial foundations of authentic leadership as they are grounded in self-reflection and the embodiment of core values. Awareness of our own Otherness and exploration of traditional approaches to diversity will help us develop interconnected, inclusive relationships of trust. Finally, we will learn how to leverage differences and create cultures where people individually and collectively flourish.

Course Resources

Course Overview

Effective organizations need leaders who can develop and nurture cultures in which people of diverse backgrounds feel valued, are deeply connected to one other, and are aligned with a shared mission. This kind of engaged leader is able to recognize those who have the potential to be highly motivated and engaged individuals, and who can contribute significantly to the organization and the world. 

In this course, we will examine the theological and psychosocial foundations of authentic leadership as they are grounded in self-reflection and the embodiment of core values. Awareness of our own Otherness and exploration of traditional approaches to diversity will help us develop interconnected, inclusive relationships of trust. Finally, we will learn how to leverage differences and create cultures where people individually and collectively flourish.

Course Objectives

In this course students will:

Our Method

This course is deeply reflective, and that reflection needs to take place in a safe, collaborative environment; we will, indeed, be practicing Authentic Engagement even as we learn about the concepts. We will facilitate the learning process through readings, discussions, personal assessments, guided reflections, and case studies. 

How do we accomplish this in an online environment? Very carefully, and very intentionally. Please read about Learning In The Online Environment, and, from this point onward into your career, be sure to familiarize yourself with Professional Confidentiality & Mandatory Reporting.

 

There is one required text for this course, and it is both inexpensive and short:

Appreciative Moments: Stories and Practices for Living and Working Appreciatively, by Edward A. Jacobsen. 2008, Tenacity Press, ISBN 978-0595429110

All other readings will be provided on the Canvas site. 

In terms of workload, this course will be somewhat lighter than others, although there are weekly lectures which are required. Deep reflection and engagement with the material, and with each other, is critical if you are going to get anything out of it (and, of course, your engagement impacts everyone else, too). 

If you plan to take this course Pass/Fail, please let Tom know by the end of Week 1. 

Online Participation - 40%

In online courses, you "attend" online, and your attendance and interaction with others comprises the bulk of your "participation." Being thoughtfully engaged in both large and small group discussions will help foster a meaningful and enriching learning community. During the first weeks of the course, Tom will provide grading comments on your posts each week (even if the comments are simple "great work" or something like that). As we get further into the quarter, Tom will still grade, but only provide comments when necessary. Please note: this course depends on collaborative reflection discussions, so: if you miss two weeks (or more) of the discussion, you will be dropped from the course. 

Life Values Inventory – 10%

Students will complete the free online Life Values Inventory to identify and prioritize core values (see specific instructions on Canvas). Please do share the results in your Reflective Discussion Groups, but also submit them in the appropriate assignment to receive the credit.

Financial Values Assessment - 10%

Students will complete the free online Smart About Money Life Values Quiz (see specific instructions on Canvas). Please do share the results in your Reflective Discussion Groups, but also submit them in the appropriate assignment to receive the credit.

Personal/Organizational Compass – 10%

Students will develop a personal/organizational compass for their ministry or service context, and submit it online.

Final Reflection and Personal Action Plan – 30%

Students will demonstrate integration of course materials by completing a personal reflection around the Self, Other, and Whole aspects of AE, as well as the financial module; completing assessment tools related to course modules; and developing a personal action plan using these self-assessments.  This Reflection and Action Plan is due at the end of Week 9. 

How can you be successful in taking an online class? It can be more than a little challenging - after all, in a face-to-face class, you meet once or twice a week, and, in that time, the instructor can make sure you are on-track in terms of course progress and your understanding of the material. Online, though, is different in some key ways, and your success in the course hinges on understanding those differences.

Communication

You can't participate if you don't know what's going on! In your Canvas Profile (which you can access using the Profile link at the top right of every page), you can specify how you should be contacted. Make sure that your preferred email address is properly set on that page.

From that page, you also have the ability to change your notifications (that is an option on the left menu on that page). Make sure that your notification settings are set so that you are kept reasonably informed of events related to the class. 

As each week progresses, you need to pay attention to class-related activities! Keep an eye on whatever notifications you have chosen to receive. If you choose to ignore them, you can quickly find yourself way behind (and, remember, after two weeks of non-involvement, you may be removed from the class).

Finally, if you have a personal emergency (i.e. family crisis, illness, or even the burdens of life just getting in the way of completing the assignments) please (please please please) contact Tom immediately. The final week of the class is not the right time to initiate a conversation with your instructor about incomplete assignments from earlier in the course! 

Collaboration

Online classes are, by their very nature, highly collaborative in terms of learning. That means that the majority of your learning will take place as you engage other students regarding the material that everyone is reading. 

Collaborative learning is a common approach at Iliff, both in online and face-to-face classes. The discussions and other activities that you participate in here are similar to in-class discussions in the face-to-face session. It is a little harder to "hide" in the online classes than it is in the face-to-face, but, otherwise, the approach is the same. And yes, the readings are the same in the the online and face-to-face classes - the load is no heavier in the online class, although the 2.0(ish) hours of "face time" in the face-to-face class is replaced by reading, thinking about what other students have said and responding online.

Commitment

As with any class, your commitment to learning will greatly impact your success (both in terms of grades and in terms of actually mastering new information). In this class, we don't all meet online at the same time, so it is up to you to set up a schedule that allows you to engage other students about the material. 

There is a significant difference in terms of commitment in an online class, though, and it is this: Since the learning process is highly collaborative (and since different students will be reading material in different ways), your failure to participate will reduce the effectiveness of the class for other students as well. Taking an online class really does require commitment, and a special kind of discipline, in order for everyone to be successful.

All students must agree to abide by professional confidentiality in all matters, which means that they will preserve anonymity by disguising the identity of cases when seeking consultation and case reporting.  Student disclosures to one another and to the professor will remain confidential, unless the law requires otherwise.  In all cases, students must be aware of the mandatory reporting laws of the state in which they provide professional caregiving. If they are designated spiritual caregivers within their religious tradition, they need to also be aware of what their religious organization requires.  If students have reason to suspect or have first-hand knowledge of recent, current, or ongoing child abuse or neglect perpetrated on a child currently under the age of 18 years, elder abuse, sexual and domestic violence, or threats of homicide or suicide in any of the pastoral situations they use for fulfilling the requirements of this course they need to seek immediate consultation with supervisors, denominational leaders, and the professor of this course so that proper reporting procedures can be ascertained. We will work together to establish an appropriate pastoral relationship with all parties facing these crises. 

State laws on mandatory reporting are available at State Laws on Mandatory Clergy Reporting  Colorado mandatory reporting requirements may be found at Colorado Revised Statutes 19-3-304, 1a, 2(aa, II, III); 13-90-107c. 

Degree Learning Goals: Please take some time to look over the Professional Degree Learning Goals (MDiv, MASC, MAPSC) and the Academic Degree Learning Goals (MTS, MA).

Incompletes:  If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.

Pass/Fail:  Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the end of the day on the first Friday of the term.

Academic Integrity and Community Covenant:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. 

Writing Lab:  Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. 

Inclusive Language:  It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. 

This page includes some of the additional readings and resources mentioned throughout the course, which are not required.

Week 1 - Engagement

Weekly Readings: 

Week 2 - Authentic Engagement

Weekly Readings: 

Additional Resources:

Week 3 - Self, Part 1

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources:

One optional video for this week:

Week 4 - Self, Part 2

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Week 5 - Finances

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

https://youtu.be/IPF21UvvKkQ

Week 6 - The Other

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Week 7 - From the Other to the Whole

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Week 8 - The Whole

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Week 9 - Wrap-Up

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Week 10 - Propelling Ourselves Into the World

Weekly Readings:

Additional Resources: 

Quarter-Long Discussions

Introduce Yourself

Coffee Shop

Fun Stuff

DateDayDetails
Mar 27, 2020Fri0.1 Join a Reflective Discussion Groupdue by 05:59AM
Mar 27, 2020Fri1.2 Readings, Lectures, and Contentdue by 05:59AM
Mar 27, 2020Fri0.3 Introduce Yourselfdue by 05:59AM
Mar 28, 2020Sat1.3 Friday Discussion Postingdue by 05:59AM
Mar 28, 2020Sat0.2 Request Pass/Fail Gradingdue by 05:59AM
Mar 31, 2020Tue1.4 Getting Started with Authentic Engagementdue by 05:59AM
Apr 03, 2020Fri2.1 Readings, Lecture, and Contentdue by 05:59AM
Apr 04, 2020Sat2.2 Friday Discussion Postingdue by 05:59AM
Apr 07, 2020Tue2.3 Engagement around Self as Leaderdue by 05:59AM
Apr 09, 2020Thu3.4 Life Values Inventorydue by 05:59AM
Apr 10, 2020Fri3.1 Readings, Lecture, and Contentdue by 05:59AM
Apr 11, 2020Sat3.2 Friday Discussion Postingdue by 05:59AM
Apr 14, 2020Tue3.3 Self-Reflective Leadership (The Self, Week 1)due by 05:59AM
Apr 17, 2020Fri4.1 Readings, Lecture, and Contentdue by 05:59AM
Apr 18, 2020Sat4.2 Friday Discussion Postingdue by 05:59AM
Apr 21, 2020Tue4.4 SELF Assessment Tooldue by 05:59AM
Apr 21, 2020Tue4.3 The Self - Thinking About Authenticity and Moral Stressdue by 05:59AM
Apr 21, 2020Tue4.5 Reflection Writing on the Selfdue by 05:59AM
Apr 24, 2020Fri5.1 Readings and Videos "Due"due by 05:59AM
Apr 25, 2020Sat5.2 First Posting Duedue by 05:59AM
Apr 25, 2020Sat5.2a Financial Values Self-Quizdue by 05:59AM
Apr 28, 2020Tue5.3 Financesdue by 05:59AM
May 01, 2020Fri6.1 Reimagining Otherness (Readings & Videos "Due")due by 05:59AM
May 02, 2020Sat6.2 First Posting Duedue by 05:59AM
May 05, 2020Tue6.3 Othernessdue by 05:59AM
May 08, 2020Fri7.1 Human Flourishing (Readings and Videos "Due")due by 05:59AM
May 09, 2020Sat7.2 First Posting Duedue by 05:59AM
May 12, 2020Tue7.3 Flourishing: From the Other to the Wholedue by 05:59AM
May 12, 2020Tue7.4 Reflection Writing on the Other & Financesdue by 05:59AM
May 15, 2020Fri8.1 Transformational Values (Readings and Videos "Due")due by 05:59AM
May 16, 2020Sat8.2 First Posting Duedue by 05:59AM
May 19, 2020Tue8.3: The Wholedue by 05:59AM
May 19, 2020Tue8.4 Reflection Writing on the Wholedue by 05:59AM
May 22, 2020Fri9.1 Transformational Leadershipdue by 05:59AM
May 23, 2020Sat9.2 First Posting Duedue by 05:59AM
May 26, 2020Tue9.3: Recap and Summary; What's Next?!?due by 05:59AM
May 27, 2020WedPersonal and Organizational Compassdue by 05:59AM
May 27, 2020WedFinal Assignment: Reflection and Action Plandue by 05:59AM
May 29, 2020Fri10.1 Catching Updue by 05:59AM
May 29, 2020Fri10.3 Propelling Ourselves in the Worlddue by 11:00PM