The "Reflective Practitioner" Seminar is a 3 credit course cross-listed with Community Development and Applied Economics, Education, and Public Administration. It can be taken for either Graduate and Undergraduate credit.
SEMINAR PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
      

People who work in non-profit organizations, social service agencies, government offices and schools are likely to enter into their chosen field because they feel the work that they are doing is meaningful. Likewise, people who choose to become Volunteers in Service to America (VISTAs) do so out of some commitment to a higher ideal: helping others, social change, education and learning, public policy work, etc.

The Academic Learning Integrated with Volunteer Experience (ALIVE) Program was designed for VISTAs looking to gain a better appreciation for the VISTA experience as an invaluable learning opportunity, to develop their future career and education goals, and to get a jump start on the next phase of their formal education.

The primary purpose of the seminar is to allow VISTAs the opportunity to explore their core professional values and to promote sustainability of those values across their lifetime. One of the many struggles most professionals experience is how to blend their theoretical and philosophical ideals with the realities of their work place. The goal and aim of this seminar is to provide some of the tools to work towards one's chosen ideals, as well as develop the means to sustain them. The course will provide time for the discussion of professional issues as they are experienced daily in the VISTA service site.

SEMINAR DESIGN
      

Each VISTA "volunteer scholar" will have the support of a committee. The committee will include a faculty advisor from an academic discipline of interest to the VISTA, a community advisor, and one of the seminar instructors. This committee will serve as a resource-base for the VISTA as she/he engages in her/his course of study. Committee members will be asked to attend certain segments of the seminar and read over the series of reflection essays that the VISTA will produce over the course of the seminar. Each volunteer scholar will work with a seminar instructor to identify appropriate faculty and community advisors. The full committee will be expected to meet with one another at least twice over the course of the seminar.

The format of the seminar encompasses a residency weekend, four evening seminars and a closing colloquium. Volunteer scholars will be encouraged to set additional meeting times each month to informally share their work and offer each other support in the learning process. Guest speakers/facilitators will periodically join the seminar to provide some insight and background on a given topic. The guests will include UVM faculty members and community leaders.

In keeping with the goals of the course to meet the needs of the volunteer scholar the final products are varied and their design will be determined by the committee. The papers are designed to promote discussion and to encourage each scholar to take the time to reflect upon the readings and experiences.

SEMINAR REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION
      

Participation-- All scholars will be expected to attend and participate fully in evening seminars, the entire residency weekend, and the concluding colloquium.

Readings-Completion of all reading assignment is expected.

Writing--4 reflection papers due once a month in Nov., Dec., Jan., and Feb. Ranging in lengths of 5-7 pages each, typed double space, each paper should demonstrate reflection on some aspect of the readings, seminar discussions, and experience at the VISTA site.

Final projects- Each volunteer scholar will come up with a final project/product to share during the closing colloquium. This final project can take many forms and will take shape through the volunteer scholar's interactions with members of her/his committee. We envision that this project will encompass a small, but manageable research study and will either serve as a capstone to the seminar experience or as an introduction to an independent study to be completed during the spring.

Self evaluation-Each volunteer scholar is expected to complete a self evaluation at the end of the class. The faculty advisor, community advisor and seminar instructor(s) will also complete one. The seminar instructor and the scholar will meet to discuss evaluations and assign a final grade.

SEMINAR SCHEDULE
Orientation: (2 hours)
      Seminar overview.    
    Basics of program

Readings for residency weekend assigned.

Discussion about the selection of a community and faculty advisor.

Complete Kolb's Learning styles inventory.

 
Residency Weekend:   (18 hours)
[Note: the purpose of the opening weekend is to set the context for our extended discussions about
the interconnection between professional practice, reflection and modes of inquiry.]
      Themes to be covered
    Reflection

Introduction to "professionalism"

Life histories

Learning styles

  
      Readings:
    Laurent A. Parks Daloz, Cheryl H. Keen, et al., (1996)Common Fire Chapter 1&2, pp. 3-54

John McKnight Chapters, (1995)The Careless Society 1 pp. 3-52

  
1st Monthly Seminar  (3 hours)
      Themes to be covered
    Values, moral and ethical considerations  
      Readings:
    Lawrence-Lightfoot, S. (2000). Respect: An Exploration. Introduction, Chapters 1 & 5 (pp. 3-54 and pp. 155-194).

Nash, R.J. (2002). "Real World" Ethics: Frameworks for Educators and Human Service Professionals. Chapters 3 & 4 (pp. 35-105).

 
      Assigments Due:
    1st Reflective Paper

Bring in a short synopsis (1 paragraph) of an ethical dilemma from ones own experience either work or personal, change names if necessary.

  
2nd Monthly Seminar  (3 hours)
      Themes to be covered
    Career vs. Vocation

Adult/Lifelong learning theory

Introduction to disciplinary thinking: Modes of inquiry

 
      Readings:
    Belenky, M.F., Clinchy, B.M., Goldberger, N.R., & Tarule, J.M. (1997). Women's Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind. Introduction, Chapters 2, 3, 6 & 7 (pp. 3-15, 35-75, and 100-152).

Neuman, L.W. (2000). Social Research Methods. Chapter 4 (pp. 63-87).

Parks Daloz, L.A., Keen, C.H., Keen, J.P., & Daloz Parks, S. (1996). Common Fire. Chapters 4 & 5 (pp. 102-152).

 
      Assigments Due:
    2nd Reflective Paper  
3rd Monthly Seminar 3  (3 hours)
      Themes to be covered
    Facilitative Leadership

Critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making

 
      Readings:
    Senge, P. M. (1990). The 5th Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization Chapter 1&2, pp3-26

Rosenbach, W.E. & Taylor R.L. (2001). Contemporary Issues in Leadership Chapter 3, pp.43-64

Nies, J. (2002). Nine Women: Portraits from the American Radical Tradition Mother Jones, pp. 95-123 Fanny Lou Hammer, pp. 203-236

Fuller, T. (2000). Leading and Leadership Lao-tzu, pp. 18-22 Alexis de Tocqueville pp. 120-125 Soren Kierkegaard pp. 126-134

Helgesen, S. (1995). The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership Chapter 2, pp. 43-60

 
      Assigments Due:
    3rd Reflective Paper

Questions and concerns about final project.

  
4th Monthly Seminar   (3 hours)
      Themes to be covered
    Synthesizing values and actions

Perspective-taking

 
      Readings:
    Cultural Genogram  
      Assigments Due:
    4th Reflective Paper

Questions and concerns about final project.

  
Final Colloquium  (5 hours)
      Themes to be covered
    Professional Roles  
      Assignments Due:    
    Final Project Presentations  
SUGGESTED READINGS:  
  • Belenky, M.F., Clinchy, B.M., Goldberger, N.R., & Tarule, J.M. (1997). Women's Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind. New York: Basic Books.
  • Fuller, T. (2000). Leading and Leadership. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
  • Helgesen, S. (1995). The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership. New York: Doubleday.
  • Lawrence-Lightfoot, Sara. (1999). Respect: An Exploration. Reading, Mass.: Perseus Books.
  • McKnight, John. (1995). The Careless Society: Community and its Counterfeits. New York: Basic Books. New York: Basic Books.
  • Nash, Robert J. (1996). "Real World" Ethics Frameworks for Educators and Human Service Professionals. New York: Teachers College.
  • Nies, J. (2002). Nine Women: Portraits from the American Radical Tradition. New York: Viking Press.
  • Neuman, W.L. (2000). Social Research Methods. 5th Ed..
    • Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
  • Parks Daloz, Laurent A., Keen, Cheryl H., Keen, James P., & Daloz Parks, Sharon.(Eds.). (1996). Common Fire: Lives of Commitment in a Complex World. Boston: Beacon Press.
  • Rosenbach, W.E. & Taylor R.L. (2001). Contemporary Issues in Leadership. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
  • Senge, P. M. (1990). The 5th Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS  
  • Active learning is represented by active involvement in the learning process.
  • Modes of inquiry are confirmed by the ability to frame questions, collect data and understand how knowledge is constructed.
  • Reflection is demonstrated by the ability to connect past, present and future experiences to fields of knowledge.
  • Perspective taking is represented by an appreciation of diversity and understanding of differences, cross-cultural awareness and global perspective taking.
  • Value, moral and ethical considerations are embodied by the ability to articulate the values, morals and ethics important to him or her.
  • Critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making is demonstrated by the ability to recognize and structure social problems, analyze the root causes of the problem, and render decisions in an effort to provide solutions to those problems.
  • Connecting values to actions is embodied in the volunteer scholar's career and educational planning efforts. These principles are represented as consistent themes of this course and will be integrated into assignments and self-evaluations. Volunteer scholars are given a great deal of autonomy in interpreting and representing these principles in the work that they do.
FINAL PROJECT POSSIBILITIES
You will be asked to conduct a culminating project for the Reflective Practitioner Seminar. This project can take many forms. A rule of thumb is that it should account for a 15 page + paper. With this said, this final project can take many forms. Some ideas are listed below. We will brainstorm others during the retreat.
  • An Interview Project
    In which you interview a handful of people who are professionals in a field that interests you.
  • A Life History Project
    In which you select one person to interview indepth about her/his life and their history as a "reflective practitioner."
  • A Workshop Design or Professional Development Project
    In which you design a professional development workshop for fellow VISTAs or constituencies you work with. The theme of the workshop being related to the themes raised in/by this seminar.
  • A Traditional Term Paper
    In which you explore a theme raised in the seminar in more depth. This topic could cover such topics as: ethics in the professions; the history of a given profession; exploration of leadership theories relating to reflective practice; etc.
  • An Action Research Project
    In which you conduct a limited applied research project on a subject of relevance to your VISTA work that is related to the themes covered in the seminar.
  • Others...