Facilitating Effective Meetings (11:607:388)

Course Description

1.5 Credits. Ineffective meetings translate into lost time and opportunity which can result in reduced motivation and erode the leader's credibility. Through effective facilitation skills, leaders establish a sense of common purpose, enhance collegiality and move the agenda forward. This course will cover the key concepts of meeting management and effective facilitation skills for presenting content, dealing with challenging participants and unpopular topics. This is an online course using Canvas.

Textbook

Great Meetings! Great Results! Dee Kelsey, Pan Plumb, Hanson Park Press, 2004 (fifth printing 2011)

Required Readings

Each week will have required readings. These readings will be the basis for the course assignments, so it is essential that you complete all readings.

Course Learning Objectives

As a result of this course, you will:

• Structure the appropriate communications & learning environment for an effective meeting.
• Apply appropriate group management and facilitation skills as meeting leader.
• Hone communication skills for developing dialogue, presenting information, maintaining balanced participation and facilitating consensus.

Basis for Grading

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

1. Threaded Discussions, 200 points (50 points per discussion)
2. Week 4 Assignment, 300 points
3. Week 6 Assignment, 300 points
4. Quizzes, 200 points (50 points per quiz)

Each assignment has assigned point values. Accumulation of points will result in the following grade ranges for this course:

A= 900–1000 points
B+ = 875–899 points
B = 800–874 points
C+ = 775–799 points
C = 700–774 points
D = 600–699 points
F = 599 and below

The rubric used for grading discussions is below:

Online Discussion Rubric

Criteria	Ratings		Pts
	Full Marks	No Marks
Student comments add significantly to the discussion by sharing other resources, personal experiences, examples, etc.	12.5 pts.	0.0 pts.	12.5 pts.
Student substantiates comments with reasoning and source citation from teh course textbook or other relevant resources.	12.5 pts.	0.0 pts.	12.5 pts.
Discussion comments thoroughly address the question and are written in an insightful and analytical manner.	12.5 pts.	0.0 pts.	12.5 pts.
Student includes own resoponse, as well as reply to at least two peers.	12.5 pts.	0.0 pts.	12.5 pts.
Total Points: 50.0

Note

Quizzes will be administered online and will be available to take from 8 a.m. on Fridays to 11 p.m. on Sundays. Students will have 10 minutes to complete the quizzes which consist of multiple choice and true/false questions.

Course Outline

Week 1: Tuesday, 1/16 - Sunday, 1/21
The Key to a Great Meeting & Knowing Your Group

1. Read Chapters 1 & 2
2. View Powerpoint
3. Threaded Discussion #1 - Introductions
4. Practice Quiz

Week 2: Monday, 1/22 - Sunday, 1/28
Getting a Good Start

1. Read Chapter 3
2. Threaded Discussion 2a: Describe positive meeting experiences
3. Threaded Discussion 2b: Describe negative meeting experiences
4. Online Quiz # 1, Chapters 1–3

Week 3: Monday, 1/29 - Sunday, 2/4
Designing a Great Meeting & Understanding Process

1. Read Chapters 4&5
2. View Week 3 PowerPoint
3. Threaded Discussion #3
4. Online Quiz #2, Chapters 4&5

Week 4: Monday, 2/5 - Sunday, 2/11
Choosing the Right Tool & Maximizing Your Group's Potential

1. Read Chapters 6&7
2. Week 4 Assignment - Video project

Week 5: Monday, 2/12 - Sunday, 2/18
Promoting Positive Communication

1. Read Chapter 8
2. View Week 5 PowerPoint
3. Online Quiz #3, Chapter 8
4. Week 4 Assignment due

Week 6: Monday, 2/19 - Sunday, 2/25
Managing Conflict in Groups and Interventions

1. Read Chapters 9&10
2. Week 6 Assignment - Conflict Paper
3. Quiz #4

Week 7: Monday, 2/26 - Tuesday, 3/6
Integrating Graphics

1. Read Chapter 11
2. Participate in Threaded Discussion #4

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Please follow the procedures outlined at ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered. Full policies and procedures are at Office of Disability Services website.

Academic Integrity

The university's policy on Academic Integrity is available at policies on academic integrity.

The principles of academic integrity require that a student:

• properly acknowledge and cite all use of the ideas, results, or words of others.
• properly acknowledge all contributors to a given piece of work.
• make sure that all work submitted as his or her own in a course or other academic activity is produced without the aid of impermissible materials or impermissible collaboration.
• obtain all data or results by ethical means and report them accurately without suppressing any results inconsistent with his or her interpretation or conclusions.
• treat all other students in an ethical manner, respecting their integrity and right to pursue their educational goals without interference. This requires that a student neither facilitate academic dishonesty by others nor obstruct their academic progress.
• uphold the canons of the ethical or professional code of the profession for which he or she is preparing.

Adherence to these principles is necessary in order to ensure that:

• everyone is given proper credit for his or her ideas, words, results, and other scholarly accomplishments.
• all student work is fairly evaluated and no student has an inappropriate advantage over others.
• the academic and ethical development of all students is fostered.
• the reputation of the University for integrity in its teaching, research, and scholarship is maintained and enhanced.

NOTE: Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Resubmitting your own work that has previously been evaluated in this class or any other class.
• Copying text directly from websites and other sources without attributing the original source(s).
• Copying the work of students in other sections (past or present) of this course.

Failure to uphold these principles of academic integrity threatens both the reputation of the University and the value of the degrees awarded to its students. Every member of the University community therefore bears a responsibility for ensuring that the highest standards of academic integrity are upheld.

NOTE: To help protect you, and future students, from plagiarism, all essay assignments will be submitted through Turnitin.com.

Attendance and Participation Policy

Students are expected to actively participate in all of the online activities for the course. Attendance in the online sessions is determined by thorough, thoughtful, relevant and on time contributions made in the weekly assignments including threaded discussions, reaction papers and quizzes. The course proceeds with the assumption that students have thoughtfully read and reviewed the assigned materials.

Students are responsible for completion of all assigned readings, materials discussed and assignments on or before the assigned due date.

Student Wellness Services

Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services (CAPS)

848-932-7884 | 17 Senior Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

CAPS is a University mental health support service that includes counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric services staffed by a team of professional within Rutgers Health services to support students' efforts to succeed at Rutgers University. CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual therapy, group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to specialists in the community and consultation and collaboration with campus partners.

Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance (VPVA)

848-932-1181 | 3 Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance provides confidential crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students, staff and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the university is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call 848-932-1181.

Disability Services

848-445-6800 | Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145, Livingston Campus, 54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854

Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation.

If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website.

Scarlet Listeners

732-247-5555 | scarlet.listeners@gmail.com

Free and confidential peer counseling and referral hotline, providing a comforting and supportive safe space.