Leadership in Organizations
LSTD 3613 705
March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1, 2007
Tuesday 5:30 – 9:30 pm
Rose State College – Midwest City
Tom Steed Center, Room 203
Faculty Name and Contact Information
Dr. Amelia Adams
amadams@ou.edu
Assistant Dean, OU Graduate College
(405) 325-3932
Course Description
This course introduces students to the major issues, theories, and concepts related to both the study and application of leadership. We will examine leadership at both the individual and organizational levels. Learning methods include lectures and discussions, experiential analysis and self-assessments, individual and team projects.
Course Objectives
By the end of this class, students should
Pre-Class Preparation
You will need to complete the following tasks prior to the first day of class
Instructional Methods
This course will use a combination of lecture and class discussion to explore the subject. Students are expected to be prepared for class discussions by reading all required materials prior to class time. A significant amount of the processing of the course’s material will occur during class, therefore, class attendance is a critical instructional component.
Speaking and Thinking
Capstone Project
Units of Study
This is a tentative course agenda. While the topics will remain the same, the actual presentation order may change
Course Requirements
Leadership is . . .
For these assignments, you will write four one-page papers responding to specific questions on the nature of leadership. In these papers, you will reflect upon your personal understanding and experience of leadership, incorporating the material you have learned in this course. By the end of the course you will have a record documenting your personal growth and understanding of leadership. Each paper is worth 25 points and is due on the date specified in the chart below. Specific instructions for each paper will be provided at least one week before the assignment is due. Instructions for the first paper are included below (see Pre-Class Preparation).
Class Participation
Each class session will include a lecture and discussion session, as well as an in-class activity. The goal of these discussions and activities is a)to ensure that you fully understand the material – both its scholarly relevance and practical application; and b) to consider how others interpret this material and whether or not these interpretations have implications for your interpretation of the material. These discussions are also an opportunity for you to associate current material with topics we have previously studied and with your personal experience. Your experience, knowledge and interpretations of the material covered in this course are a valuable part of the overall learning experience each of us will gain from this course. Thus, part of your final grade (100 points) is based on the contributions you provide throughout the course.
You will be evaluated on the quality of your contributions rather than the quantity. The quality of your comments will be evaluated based on how well you present your ideas, your ability to support your ideas with relevant facts and observations, and your ability to provide productive comments throughout the class. Productive contributions are thoughtful or probing; they synthesize material or inform others of relevant facts and ideas; they demonstrate your intellectual growth in the subject matter. Unproductive contributions are those that are unrelated to the conversation topic, monopolize the conversation, or disparage the contributions of others. There are many areas in which you will disagree with your classmates or the instructor. Disagreement is welcome, as long as we remember to respect these differences in opinion during our discussions.
In-Class Assessment
At the end of each class session we will have a short “ten minute” quiz. These quizzes will cover material presented in the current session, in any previous class sessions, and in the reading material. Quizzes will range in value from ten to fifteen points. The purpose of these assignments is to a)remind you of the important facts, and b)measure your ability to retain these facts.
Oral Presentation
Each student will facilitate a ten to fiftenn-minute discussion over select topics from the Maxwell book. This facilitation process will include a brief presentation over the topic, questions to stimulate class discussion, and responding to audience questions. A sign-up sheet of the selected topics and presentation dates will be available on the first day of class, as will more detailed instructions and guidelines for the presentation. The purpose of this assignment is to a)provide you with an opportunity to practice your public-speaking and communication skills and b)to enable you to incorporate Maxwell’s ideas into your understanding of leadership.
Capstone Project
Prior to class, select and watch one of the movies listed below. Throughout the course, you will prepare 3 assignments based on this movie: a summary, a theme list, and a final paper. The purpose of this assignment is to apply the leadership concepts and theories from the course to an analysis of one of the key characters in the movie. Your final paper will be evaluated based on the depth of your analysis, critical thought, and application of leadership principles learned in this course. Specific instructions for these three assignments will be provided on the first day of class.
Recommended Movies for the assignment include: Apollo 13, 12 Angry Men, Iron Jawed Angels, Crimson Tide, or Silkwood. In addition, documentaries, plays, or other movies not listed above may be used with approval from the instructor.
Completion Policy
The College of Liberal Studies expects students to complete all assignments to earn a grade in a given course.
Incomplete (“I”) Policy
For sufficiently extenuating circumstances a student may receive a grade of “I” and receive an extension to complete. To receive a grade of “I” the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of one-half of the course work, have a legitimate reason for not being able to complete the work during the normal time frame, request from the instructor a desire to receive an Incomplete grade via submitting a request for an “I” and a plan to the instructor about how and when the work will be completed. If the student receives a grade of “I” the instructor will indicate to the student, and to the Office of Academic Records via the official OU grade sheet, what must be done to complete the course and set a time limit appropriate to the circumstances, however, the time allowed may not exceed one calendar year. If the course has an associated Web site and the Web site has changed before the student starts work on the Incomplete, the student will contact the faculty member and the faculty member will develop comparable assignments based on the current Web site. If books have changed in the course, the faculty member should be willing to develop assignments based on the books that the student has so the student will not have to buy new books. If by the end of the year, no change in grade has been submitted, the grade of “I” will become permanent on the student’s record. If the student wants to re-enroll in the course they may, and they will need to pay full tuition and fees for the enrollment. History tells us that the longer an Incomplete goes unfinished the less likely it will ever be completed at all. The College recommends that the student remedy their incomplete grade before the start of the next semester.
If you have submitted no work, or less than half of the course assignments, you should not expect to receive a grade of “I” You will receive either an “AW” or a failing grade. Students will make arrangements with the instructor to complete coursework. Work submitted within four weeks of the final course date will be accepted without negative consequences to the grade; work submitted to remove the “I” after four weeks will have consequences to be determined by the professor. Grades of “I” must be completed within one academic year.
The University of Oklahoma Student Academic Integrity
http://www.ou.edu/provost/pronew/content/integritymenu.html
1.1 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY
Honesty is a fundamental precept in all academic activities, and those privileged to be members of a university community have a special obligation to observe the highest standards of honesty and a right to expect the same standards of all others. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the university and therefore is unacceptable and rigorously proscribed.
1.2 DEFINITIONS
1.2.1 Academic Misconduct. Any act that improperly affects the evaluation of a student's academic performance or achievement. The following terms illustrate but do not delimit or define academic misconduct.
Accommodation for Special Needs
The College of Liberal Studies is committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. The college and the university provide a range of special services for those with disabilities. Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent her or him from fully demonstrating her or his abilities should contact Frank Rodriquez , Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and to facilitate this educational opportunity.
Liberal Studies General Policy
Liberal Studies’ policy is to order books in paperback, if available. Courses, dates and instructors are subject to change. Please check with the office. Students should retain a copy of any assignments that are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to the instructor or the office for the course. The Disability Resource Center can also be found online at http://drc.ou.edu/.
Copyright Statement
Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on this Web site are copyright by the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. Visit OU Public Affairs for more information and for the complete Terms of Use.
About the Instructor
I have served as Assistant Dean of the University of Oklahoma Graduate College since October 1998. I completed my undergraduate studies at Smith College in 1987, receiving a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma in 1993, and a PhD in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oklahoma in December 2005. In my role as Assistant Dean, I work with academic departments regarding academic program issues and the resolution of student concerns. I work with the Graduate Dean to establish annual college goals and objectives, and am involved in all aspects of graduate education; including recruiting, admissions, retention, graduation, fellowship programs, funding allocations, academic program development and modification, as well as issues related to graduate assistants and research grants.
Last updated: Apr. 9, 2007