This course applies leadership, adult development, action research and collaborative theory to the practice of collaborative consultation in school, home, agency, and other professional settings. Participants will engage in personal reflection, journal techniques, case study and applied approaches to understand and apply research-based skills in collaborative consultation, including interactive communication, group process, conflict resolution, and facilitation and team building. These collaborative skills and attributes will be analyzed at the personal level as well as at the team and organizational levels. Throughout, we will also consider the ways in which language, culture and implicit bias may influence collaborative interactions among school and other professionals and the peers, family and community members with whom they interact. Additionally, we explore the ways in which collaborative process may be optimized to enhance outcomes for children and youth with and without disabilities, their families, and other constituents within schools and other organizational contexts.

This is a highly interactive class. Students will work individually as well as in small groups to discuss readings, engage in discussions, and complete course requirements. Students are expected to use Blackboard as the course management site.

Collaborative Skills Journal: Reflective journal based on personal goals, shared with instructor Team Analysis Project: Structured paper requiring analysis of a team outside of class Applied Project: Self-designed individual project occurring in student’s professional setting Case study presentation: Asynchronous presentation of a challenge involving collaborative processes