HONORS FORUM: IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS
SPRING 2006
Instructors:
Dr. Christy Preis
Dr. Rebecca Baird
1600 S. College Street
Mountain Home, AR 72653
E-mails: cpreis@asumh.edu/rbaird@asumh.edu
ASUMH
Mission
Arkansas State University Mountain
Home is a public, open-access, two-year operationally separate campus of Arkansas State University, primarily serving students
in North Central Arkansas. ASUMH provides affordable, lifelong learning and excellent teaching, enabling students of all ages
to explore ethical values, develop technological and critical thinking skills, and communicate logically and effectively in
order to enhance their quality of life. Furthermore, ASUMH is committed to creating a progressive community of enlightened
and productive global citizens. To help students achieve educational, personal, and career goals, ASUMH offers certificates,
associate degrees,
continuing and workforce education,
and adult basic education.
General Education Philosophy
Arkansas State University offers
a comprehensive general education core that challenges students to acquire skills and knowledge that allow them to flourish
in their professional and personal lives. The general education curriculum is designed to give students the ability to
1. Master basic skills in English/communications,
mathematics, science, fine arts/humanities, and social science.
2. Communicate accurately and effectively
in written and verbal forms.
3. Explore ethical values by applying
logic and perspective.
4. Gain and apply critical thinking
skills in order to analyze complex material.
5. Be aware of global multicultural
viewpoints.
6. Use technology to research, evaluate,
and incorporate knowledge for academic and personal purposes.
Textbook(s) and Materials
Materials will be provided either
as handouts, through the Blackboard site, and/or on reserve in the library.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Honors Forum:
In Search of Solutions (HON 2203) examines different views of global leadership, investigates conflict management, teaches
goal setting and ethical reasoning as tools in defining personal leadership styles, and focuses on service leadership through
team building activities. Additionally, students will acquire basic understandings of the concept of leadership while developing
personal philosophies of leadership through an exploration of the classics. The course also will provide opportunities to
develop essential leadership skills through study, observation and application.
COURSE GOALS:
Upon successful completion of Honors
Forum: In Search of Solutions (HON 2203),
Students will
o
Develop a fundamental understanding of leadership and the skills manifest in effective
o
leaders.
o
Identify their personal leadership assumptions and philosophy, and enhance self-awareness.
o
Demonstrate effective techniques and strategies for articulating a vision.
o
Understand the steps involved in setting goals.
o
Discuss the complexities inherent in ethical leadership.
o
Articulate their personal leadership values.
o
Employ the processes involved in effective decision-making.
o
Recognize the different types of conflict and appreciate the role a leader can play in managing conflict.
o
Learn team-building strategies and engage in team-building activities.
o
Comprehend the concept of empowerment and the techniques of effective leaders to empower others.
o
Express the methods leaders can use to initiate change and help others adjust to change.
o
Expand their awareness of leadership to include the concept of servant leadership.
o
Improve their leadership abilities.
Technology Statement
The course is backgrounded in a Blackboard
site through asumh.edu. Students must have an email account that they check frequently and that is accessible both on and
off campus.
Writing Statement
Honors Forum: History of Great Ideas
incorporates writing in research opportunities. Additional information will be
provided outlining the required elements of the researched projects. The special service project is part of the Veterans History
Project. You may view existing accounts in the project at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.
Academic Integrity
Dishonesty in any form, including
but not limited to plagiarism, submitting assignments prepared by others, unauthorized possession of exams, or using unauthorized
materials during exams, may result in the student being suspended from the University. For further information, refer to the
ASUMH Catalog and Student Handbook, 2005-2006. Students who attempt to pass another’s work off as their own will fail
the class.
Students with Disabilities
It is the policy of ASUMH to accommodate
students with disabilities. The director of student services is responsible for making arrangements to accommodate students
according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any student with a disability
who needs accommodation, for example in seating placement or in arrangements for examinations, should inform the instructor
at the beginning of the course.
Food and Drink, Tobacco Use
No food or drink is allowed in the
classrooms including lecture halls, laboratories, computer centers, or the library. ASUMH is proud to be a smoke-free campus.
Smoking and the use of smokeless
products will be confined to the parking lots across the street from the inner campus and at the adjacent picnic table areas.
Course Format
The course is a combination of discussion/lecture
and student-led investigation. Presentations are a major component of the course. This is an interactive course
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Regular Attendance is required. It is discourteous to speakers to skip the days they present; therefore, missing
a presentation day will result in a ten point penalty off the total class points.
2. Weekly Journal Reactions. (Point Value—100 points)
Each week you are required to prepare
a three hundred to five hundred word reaction to the course--further instructions are below. Each paper is worth 10 points
for a total of 100 points (You will complete 10 reactions). Late reaction papers are not accepted. You are responsible for
reading the materials and participating in the exercises in each unit. However, you do not have to react to each class meeting
and/or reading or activity. React to the class elements that gave you insight into leadership. This may be different for each
student in the class.
a)
Paper must be typed and double-spaced.
b)
No larger than 12 point font.
c)
No larger than 1 inch margins
d)
Each week after completing the readings assigned and participating in class activities, in three hundred to five hundred
words discuss how the readings and class activities have influence your personal vision of what leadership is. Do not summarize
the readings. Use the readings and class activities to explain what important ideas you learned about leadership.
3. Leadership Activity Report: (Point Value—200 points)
Select an activity on campus or in the
community. Organize and co-ordinate all aspects of the activity, including publicity, contacting participants, arranging for
physical needs (meeting place, technology needs, setup and tear down).
Keep a journal of the activity, recording
all elements of actions involved in the activity. Include a detailed outline of hours spent on each specific activity.
Prepare bi-weekly updates for the instructors
in the form of a progress and/or status report on the activity.
Prepare an assessment tool for activity
participants.
Conduct the activity.
Write a self-analysis of the activity and
your role in the activity.
Establish guidelines that would make the
activity more effective if attempted again.
Examine your own leadership philosophy
as evidenced by how you conducted the organization and co-ordination of the activity and how you conducted the event itself.
4. Veteran’s History Project: (Point Value—100 points)
Completion of a Veteran’s History
Project interview and
Submission of a four-six (4-6) page
typed paper summarizing your participation in the Veteran’s History Project.
Veteran’s Project: Leadership
in Action
a)
Paper must be typed and double-spaced.
b)
No larger than 12 point font.
c)
No larger than 1 inch margins
d)
Should be 4-6 pages in length
e)
Include a cover page
f)
Choose a veteran to interview who was involved in World War II, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam War. As the World War II veterans are the most at risk population, make an effort to interview someone from
that war. Dr. Baird has a folder of possible veterans to interview; these people
indicated an interest in participating in the project.
g)
Contact them early and make a plan to interview this person early in the semester.
h)
Use the interview guidelines in the Veteran’s Project materials in devising questions for the person and in collecting
physical sources (photographs, journals et al).
i)
Interview the person. Use the honors program webcam and laptop computer or other methods to record the session. You
will need to make sure this person is comfortable with this.
j)
Page 1 of your paper is to briefly introduce the person you interview and explain your experience.
k)
Page 2 to 3 is to discuss the person’s answers to the questions. You would not want to repeat this word for word,
just summarize.
l)
Page 4 is to discuss what you learned about war and leadership under duress from
interviewing this person.
5. Speaker Reviews: (Point Value—100 points to be divided between the speakers in the semester)
After a speaker presents in class
or at a special event, write a summary report of the following elements
His/her philosophy of leadership
His/her vision for the organization
How he/she resolves conflict
How he/she builds trust
How he/she empowers others
6. Final Discussion: (Point Value—20 points)
What is your personal leadership
philosophy is after taking this course ( Write a 300-500 word philosophy and attach your personal list of leadership ideas).
Total points possible= 520
