Conflict Management Practicum (11:607:382) Syllabus

Course Description

3 Credits. As society evolves, so does the complexity of its challenges. Today's environmental and other social concerns cannot be resolved through research alone. Ranging from local to global in nature, they require conflict management skills in creating a multidimensional approach to problem solving. Students in this on-line course will learn crucial conflict management skills including consensus building, negotiation, and mediation through academic readings, analysis, on-line threaded discussions and papers.

Instructor

Marily Johnston
757-619-0018 (mobile)
marily@njaes.rutgers.edu

Course Goals

• Explore conflict theory as a precursor to understanding and enhancing individual conflict management styles.
• Obtain a richer understanding of the many facets of conflict.
• Apply concepts to practice so to develop appropriate conflict management skills and mechanisms in a wide range of life domains.
• Master the communication and conflict management skills necessary to navigate interpersonal, workplace and societal challenges including wide scale environmental issues.

Textbook

Mayer, Bernard. (2012). The Dynamics of Conflict, 2nd Edition, Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-470-61353-5, Available at the RU Barnes & Noble Book Store and through various online vendors and eBooks. A copy is also on reserve at Chang Library.

Weekly Objectives

• Week 1 - Get to know one another and get familiar with the online process;
• Week 2 - Dissect conflict's multi-dimensional nature and perceive it as an opportunity for growth;
• Week 3 - Understand how we respond to conflict and how our reactions are influenced by values, power imbalances and other variables;
• Week 4 - Increase our own sense of self-awareness as to why we respond the way we do to conflict;
• Week 5 - Master mutual respect and communication techniques which will help in overcoming potential cultural barriers and assist in building upon our multitude of cross cultural similarities;
• Week 6 & 7 - Explore how we balance our own emotional and cognitive dimensions of conflict resolution;
• Week 8 - Identify our communication strengths and challenges and explore conflict management processes we use daily such as facilitation, negotiation and consensus-building;
• Week 9 - Perfect our skills as negotiators within personal and business contexts;
• Week 10 - Learn how to overcome impasse within negotiations, particularly in our roles as managers or community leaders;
• Week 11 - Study the mediation process as both a formal and informal tool in managing conflict;
• Week 12 - Learn about the role of mediation as a conflict management process used within businesses, government, academia, judicial, community, family and international contexts;
• Week 13 - Explore how we can apply conflict management theories, skills, and modalities in addressing large scale conflicts. Integrate all we have learned about the multiple dimensions of conflict management into real life situations—specifically in facilitating productive dialogue and consensus building in multi-dimensional disputes, taking a preventative approach, or intervening to minimize potential escalation or consequences;
• Week 14 - Distinguish the fine line between empowering others and imposing our own values in working towards the constructive management of conflict in our communities and workplaces.

Student Assessment and Grading

Students will be assessed on their application of course content in threaded discussions, quiz, analysis, and papers. All assignments are described in detail within course shell; a separate informational sheet describing the Conflict Immersion Experience and Report is found in the course shell under COURSE.

Breakdown of course grade is as follows:

Each student will be assessed according to the following criteria: quality and effort of work, timeliness in completing assignments, and class participation.

1. Introduction (10 points)
2. Quiz (40 points)
3. Participation/Contribution in Online Threaded Discussions (325 points)
4. Reaction Papers (4 Assignments - 200 points total)
5. Movie Analysis Paper (80 points)
6. Case Study Self Video (110 points)
7. Self Mediation Video (110 points)
8. Conflict Immersion Pre-Approval (10 points)
9. Conflict Immersion Exercise Final Report (115 points)

Grades scale:

• A: 90–100
• B+: 87.5–89.9
• B: 80–87
• C+: 77.5–79.9
• C: 70–77
• D: 60–69
• F:59 and below

Grades including a percentage of .5 and above are usually averaged up whereas below .5 are usually averaged down. However, for purposes of illustration, a student with 79.5 should not assume a grade of 80 or B. There are times when those grades are averaged downward based on overall class performance and /or consistency and punctuality as to attendance and assignments. Late assignments will usually not be accepted and, if so, will receive a significant grade reduction unless a documented emergency necessitates other arrangements. If that is the situation, the student must reach out to me so we can ascertain an appropriate course of action.

It is imperative that you ensure you will be able to consistently access a computer to submit online assignments on time. Usually smart phones are not reliable for this purpose. Also your participation in class is important. This is a living, evolving course that requires ongoing nurturing. Your active engagement is very much appreciated. Submission of all other assignments, without substantive participation in online discussions, is not sufficient to attain a passing grade. Much of what we learn is from each other. Also please remember that respecting the confidentiality of fellow classmates is critical in all of our interactions.

I will be available for phone conferences as needed. In-person appointments may also be scheduled at a mutually convenient time. Email inquiries should be sent to: marily@njaes.rutgers.edu. My cell phone number is: 757-619-0018.

Course Outline of Classes

Classes run from Sundays to Saturdays. Please note that timeliness of all assignments is critical to receiving good grades.