Argosy University, Chicago

COURSE SYLLABUS-DRAFT

PP7080

Personal and Professional Development Group

Fall 2011-Spring 2012

Faculty Information

Faculty Name: Penelope Asay, Ph.D.

Campus: Chicago

Contact Information:

Office phone number: 312-777-7713

E-mail: (best contact)

Office: # 1339

Office Hours: TBA

Group Co-Leaders: Ali Wood & Hayley VanSerke

Short Faculty Bio: Penelope Asay, Ph.D. received her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and she has extensive experience working in university settings in a variety of capacities. Dr. Asay’s interests include LGBT issues, multicultural issues, women’s issues, social justice, career issues, and group psychotherapy. She maintains a small private practice in downtown Chicago

Course Catalogue Description:

This course offers a group experience which focuses on increasing knowledge, enhancing skills, and examining attitudes and values involved in interpersonal and group interaction. In this experiential approach, students are facilitated to increase self-awareness and empathic understanding of others, to practice more effective listening and communication skills, and to work on developing greater interpersonal competency in order to guide their development as clinicians and professional psychologists.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Required Textbook:

Yalom, I. & Leszcz, M. (2005) The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (5th edition).

New York: IUP. ISBN: 0-465-092845

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course Length: 30 weeks and Retreat

Contact Hours: 30 hours and Retreat

Credit Value: 2.0

Course Objectives:

Course Objective / Program Goal / Method of Assessment
To evaluate the interpersonal skills, attitudes and values involved in interpersonal and group interactions. / Goal 2 - Intervention
/ ·  Reaction and End of semester papers
·  Attendance at Retreat
To develop self awareness and the empathic understanding of others, to practice more effective listening and communication skills. / Goal 2 - Intervention
Goal 3 – Diversity / ·  Reaction and End of semester papers
·  Attendance at Retreat
To developing greater interpersonal competency in order to guide students development as clinicians and professional psychologists. / Goal 2 - Intervention / ·  Final
Examine the influence culture, ethnicity, class, and gender may have in influencing the research process and evaluate research findings in the context of such factors To recognize the range, meaning and impact of difference, similiarity, diversity and multi-cultural influences on the individual, interpersonal and group processes. / Goal 2 - Intervention
Goal 3 – Diversity / ·  Reaction and end of semester papers
·  Final
·  Attendance at Retreat

Instructional Contact Hours/Credit

Students can expect 15 hours of instructional engagement for every 1 semester credit hour of a course. Instructional engagement activities include lectures, presentations, discussions, group-work, and other activities that would normally occur during class time. Instructional engagement activities may occur in a face-to-face meeting, or in the eclassroom.

In addition to instructional engagement, students can expect to complete 30 hours of outside work for every 1 semester credit hour of a course. Outside work includes preparing for and completing readings and assignments. Such outside work includes, but is not limited to, all research associated with completing assignments, work with others to complete a group project, participation in tutorials, labs, simulations and other electronic activities that are not a part of the instructional engagement, as well as any activities related to preparation for instructional engagement.

At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph above shall be applied for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Format:

1 1/2 hour meetings Fall and Spring terms;Spring Weekend in Lake Geneva, WI. The group will be facilitated by Penny Asay and the two student co-leaders, Hayley VanSerke and Ali Wood.

The Community Retreat Weekend is at the George Williams Conference Center, Williams Bay, Wisconsin, MAY 18-20. Here the students will have opportunity for larger group experiences, structured and unstructured group activities and also have the opportunity to meet on numerous occasions with their group/class from the year.

Class Time: Mondays 3:30-5:00

Course Assessment: Grades

Group process is affected by each student’s presence. Therefore, attendance at all meetings is required. There will be a short paper at the beginning of the course and a paper due after the group weekend. Readings will be required as the course begins in September. Readings will focus on group process and related concepts to the group experience. Each week students will write reactions/reflections with respect to the group session. Students are asked not to discuss the group process with one another outside of the group meeting itself. Students are expected to be active participants in the group. However, except for poor attendance, behavior in sessions will not have an effect on the students’ grades. Hence, attendance and the papers will be the only factors influencing the student’s grade.

Assignments

Initial Paper: Due Monday, September 19

Students are required to write a brief paper addressing any initial expectations, hopes, and/or fears they have for their P&PD experience. Students should feel free to include reflections on any previous experiences with groups of any type.

2-3 pages; due at the beginning of class.

Weekly reflection papers: Due at beginning of each class, beginning Sept 26

Students are required to hand in papers that reflect on their experience in the group each week. Students should focus on their thoughts, feelings, and observations about whatever seems most relevant, pressing, or important for them. It is most helpful if these reflection papers are completed as soon as possible after the class. It may also be helpful to think of these as weekly journals.

Minimum 1/2 page each week; due at the beginning of class

End-of-semester paper: Fall

A brief (3-5) page paper which ties the class readings with the students’ group reflections will be due the last class of the fall. More information about this paper will be provided in class.

Final paper: Spring

In the spring, a longer final paper (6-8 pages) will be due after the weekend retreat in May. More information about this paper will be provided in class

Confidentiality

All material discussed within the time boundaries of the group is to be regarded as confidential by co-leaders, faculty and students. If, however, any member of the group shares information within the group that indicates a risk of harm to self or another or that suggests evidence of child or elderly abuse, this material would not be held to the same rules of confidentiality. Additionally, as this is a course in and educational setting, group progress or group issues may be discussed with other PPD faculty. Such discussion would not include an individual’s performance unless there is a specified problem that would always, as with any course, be addressed first with the student.

As members of this group, it is required that you do not, at any time, share information about any member with any people outside of the group. Failure to perform this requirement will be construed as a lack of academic honesty. Laptops are not allowed in the group during class time. All cell phones, pagers, Palm Pilot alarms, and anything else that could potentially beep are to be turned OFF during group.

Assignment Table:

Fall 2011

Week / Topic / Readings / Assignment
1
Sep 12 / Introductions
Syllabus Review
Overview of Course
2
Sep 19 / Lecture/Discussion: Interpersonal Process Groups / CH. 1 The Therapeutic Factors
CH. 2 Interpersonal Learning
CH. 11 In the Beginning / Initial Paper Due
3
Sep 26 / Here-and-Now /
CH. 3 Group Cohesiveness
CH. 4 The Therapeutic Factors: An Integration
CH. 12 The Advanced Group / Weekly Reflection Paper
4
Oct 3 / Here-and-Now / CH. 5 The Therapist: Basic Tasks / Weekly Reflection Paper
5
Oct 10 / Here-and-Now / CH. 6 The Therapist: Working in the Here-and-Now / Weekly Reflection Paper
6
Oct 17 / Here-and-Now / CH. 7 The Therapist: Transference and Transparency / Weekly Reflection Paper
7
Oct 24 / Here-and-Now / CH. 8 The Selection of Clients / Weekly Reflection Paper
8
Oct 31 / Here-and-Now / CH. 9 The Composition of Therapy Groups / Weekly Reflection Paper
9
Nov 7 / Here-and-Now / CH. 10 Creation of the Group: Place, Time, Size, Preparation / Weekly Reflection Paper
10
Nov 14 / Here-and-Now / Weekly Reflection Paper
11
Nov 21 / Review-There and Then / FINAL PAPER
12
Dec 6 / NO CLASS
13
Dec 13 / NO CLASS

Spring 2012 (tent)

Week / Topic / Assignment
1
Jan 9 / NO CLASS
2
Jan 16 / NO CLASS-Martin Luther King, Jr. HOLIDAY
3 - 12
Jan 23 – Mar 26 / Here-and-Now / Weekly Reflection Papers
13
Apr 2 / End of Semester Review and Discussion

**RETREAT WEEKEND: MAY 18-20

Library Resources

Argosy University’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at www.auchicagolib.org. User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of Argosy University 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, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.

The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity

Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.


If it is Not Group Therapy, What is it?

The Task, Role, and Boundaries of Personal and Professional Development:

The Personal and Professional Development (P&PD) course is a unique feature in the clinical psychology curriculum. Although there are readings and explanation of theory and practice as there are in other didactic courses, P&PD is primarily an experiential learning endeavor. Whereas a lecture format focuses on acquisition of a fund of knowledge through explanation, P&PD focuses on the exploration or discovery of knowledge by doing and experiencing.

As this is done in a group format, oftentimes the question of how P&PD is or is not like a group therapy experience is asked. Whereas there is a wide of breadth of potential learnings in the personal and professional domains that may occur, therapeutic outcomes are not a course task in a formal or informal sense. P&PD groups are experiential Learning Groups. Since an experiential group does have logistical and theoretical overlap with Encounter Groups, Training Groups, or Psychotherapy Groups, it is possible for a student to have a therapeutic experience as a by-product of their primary task when learning about the intersection or conflicts of person-in-role as they take up the clinician role. However, something like this may also occur in a Management and Leadership course in say a business administration program. A visual may help at this point: