Thursday, January 6, 2011

Course offering on Facilitating Intergroup Dialogues

Spring 2011 Course: open to Masters students as well...

EDCP489L (PermReq) Applied Contextual Leadership: Facilitating Intergroup Dialogues;
(3 credits) Grade Method: REG/P-F/AUD.

0101 (22305) D. Kivlighan and S. Chang
W......... 1:00pm- 4:00pm (EDU 0202)

Teaching and facilitation are often very different forms of instruction (with the former relying on direct, didactic information delivery and the latter relying on experiential and dialogic communication to construct knowledge). Thus, this course explicitly seeks to prepare students to facilitate peers in conversations related to issues involving diversity, social justice, identity, oppression, critical thinking, and progressive action. This scholarly and experiential course will (re)weave theory and practice together by exploring the social, historical, and cultural context in which facilitation takes place (and the models of facilitation that are typically used for these kinds of conversations) while having students engage in critical, contemporary conversations they will, in turn, lead in the classroom and elsewhere. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1) understand and articulate what they see as an appropriate role for a facilitator of dialogue,

2) balance the competing interests of group cohesion and individual expression,

3) negotiate unexpected or difficult interactions among dialogue participants,

4) reflect on their own narratives in relation to the topic being discussed, and

5) support the varied levels of development of all of their dialogue participants.

Upon completion of this course, you would be eligible (though not obligated) to facilitate intergroup dialogues in Fall 2011 and other semesters.

If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie H. Chang at chang@umd.edu.