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C6438 Group Theory and Practice

Argosy University-Tampa

Syllabus

Summer, Term 1, 2007 (5/8/07 – 6/27/07)

Course Requirements

Attendance and Participation:

Attendance and participation are required through online participation and at each on ground class session.

Online participation requirement:

A student must make 2 online contacts at least five times a week for each week that the class is in session. If a student misses 2 contacts in a week it will result in loss of one letter grade for the week’s participation grade. If the student misses 5 contacts in a week it will result in an automatic F for the one line participation grade that week. The instructor of this course is the official moderator of the online Course Website Discussion Board and daily screens the text of the responses which students submit. The Instructor also decides upon the content of the discussion questions as well as other online activities.

On ground participation requirement:

Any excessive amount of class time missed will negatively impact upon your grade. Accumulative absences of four or more hours will result in automatic loss of one full letter grade for the course. Accumulative absences of eight or more hours missed will result in automatic failure of the course. If you have emergencies that prevent you from attending class you will be encouraged to withdraw from the class. Please notify your instructor and the program office concerning any anticipated absences. Consult your Argosy Catalog and Program Handbook for information concerning withdrawal policies. It is expected that students will arrive ON TIME for on ground classes and with all assignments. Points will be deducted for students arriving late to class.  Cell phones are turned off when entering the classroom.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

It is the policy of the Argosy University/Tampa to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  If a student with disabilities needs accommodations to complete the instructor’s course requirements, the student must notify the Dean of Student Activities.  Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodation will be provided to students upon request.

Student Assessment Procedure:

A variety of assessment procedures, including evaluating completed assignments on the following, (a) adherence to assignment guidelines, (b) quality of ideas, (c) content and organization, and (d) technical aspects of writing will be used to determine student achievement of the course objectives. Grades will be based on both the accumulated points received on the items listed under Course Requirements and the quality of class participation. All required assignments listed under Course Requirements will be given a specific grade. Grades will be computed using the following scale:

Grading Criteria

In addition to the timely completion of your written assignments, students are expected to complete all required readings before coming to class meetings, and participate in class discussions and activities both online and in the on ground classes. Your failure to complete these obligations will result in a drop in your final letter grade.

Grading of Written Work:

All documents are to be typed, spell-checked and grammar checked, submitted double-spaced, and prepared in the proper APA format. The attached “Standards for Written Assignments” will be used to evaluate and weight the scoring of papers.

Grading of Oral Presentations:

All classroom presentations made by students must be accompanied with PowerPoint Slide Programs which are to be spell-checked and grammar checked, and prepared in the proper APA format. The attached “Standards for Oral Presentations” will be used to evaluate and weight the scoring of all student classroom presentations.

Late assignments:

Assignments are late if not submitted by the time designated on the due date.  No credit will be given for late work.  If you are late with an assignment, the assignment will be graded “0”.

Behavior:

It is expected that each student will conduct him/her self in a professional manner and in accordance with expectations of graduate students and Argosy University (please refer to the Student Handbook for additional information). Please refrain from conduct unbecoming a professional counselor. 

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism:

You are expected to abide by standards set and expected for academic honesty. Please review the section on Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism that appears under the heading of Student Rights & Responsibilities in the Argosy University Academic Catalog. The work that you submit should be your original work. Information about the exams, papers or assignments that may have the potential of enhancing another student’s grade, should not be shared with other students under any circumstances. Should such information be shared, or should one student ask another student for such information, either or both students may be charged with academic dishonesty and be brought in front of the Student Conduct Committee or other disciplinary bodies.

Instructional Strategies:

This course will include a combination of online activities, classroom lecture, discussion, videos, role-play activities and participation in small group experiences.  This class is a “hands-on” class with lots of activities geared towards professional counselors. The timeline for instruction, particularly during residence, are estimates. Our schedules will be adjusted as we progress through the semester.

Assignments

1. Reading Reactions with Seven Weeks of Online Contact: (35 points) at 5 points a week for seven weeks Due by Friday Noon.  Each week you are to prepare a reaction to the readings in Theory & Practice of Group Counseling for the week assigned. The Reading Reaction is due by noon on every Friday of the week during the length of the online portion of the course. The weekly reading reaction posts on the Discussion Platform must be a minimum of 500 words and each reaction must include the following three points:

1. Brief overview of chapters read
2. Information which was new for me or surprised me
3. Information which I must retain as a Professional Counselor to assist me in my preparing myself to lead groups within a counseling setting

 2. Analysis of Group Counseling Sessions on Groups in Action DVD: (35 points) at 5 points a week for seven weeks Due by Saturday Noon. 

Beginning the first week of class you are to post on the Discussion Board a grid in which you analyze groups sessions contained on the Groups in Action DVD. Each grid must contain a minimum of 500 words of analysis. Once the class has posted the video analyzes you are then expected to respond to each other with reactions to what you have said on your grids.   The Grid on which you fill in your response and post on Discussion Board is below: 

Groups in Action Group Session Analysis

Session being analyzed in this Grid: _____

3.  Personal Analysis of in-class Experiential Group Process: (30 points) at 5 points a week for six weeks Due by Thursday Noon beginning week 2 of class.

In week one of this class your class will form an “in class” group which will run for weeks 2-7 of the class. Some of the participants will be provided a role to play that evening and others will be reacting to the group with their own imagined role. Self-disclosure is not a required part of this experiential group, however you are invited to expand the character you are “role playing” based on your own personal experiences at your discretion. By Thursday after the experiential group has been conducted each student will be expected to provide an online analysis of a minimum of 500 words of the specific group utilizing the following grid:

Analysis of in Class Experiential Group Session #

Grading Grid:

Grading Criteria

C6438 Course Calendar:  Summer 1 May  8-June 27, 2007

Standards for Written Assignments

Content/Development 70%

Organization 10%

Style/Mechanics 20%

General Comments on Assignment

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