Description
Week 6: Action, Reflection, and Social Change
Take a moment to look back at your work up to this point. You have worked through a social issue from the “ground up” and progressed through many of the steps that anyone interested in social change would take to find solutions that meet the needs of society. During this week, all of these efforts come together as you and your colleagues share insights and potential solutions to various social issues.
This is also a time for you to reflect on what social responsibility means to you and how your perspectives on social change may have evolved through this course.
This week, you discuss and evaluate different perspectives on social change. You also reflect on your own personal experience in this course.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Evaluate a diversity of perspectives on social change
- Analyze the importance and feasibility of working toward social change
- Evaluate evolving personal perspectives on positive social change
Required Readings
Loeb, P. R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction in challenging times (rev. ed.). New York, NY: St. Martin’s Griffin.
- Chapter 11, “Coping With Burnout” (pp. 287–315)
- Chapter 12, “The Fullness of Time” (pp. 316–353)
Document: Course Project Overview and Guidelines (Word document)
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015f). Action, reflection, and social change [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
HOMEWORK.
1.Discussion: Feedback and Reflection
In Week 5, you developed a Final Presentation that represents a culmination of your research and work throughout this course. In this presentation, you summarized your social issue, evaluated potential solutions, and addressed possible actions you could take toward achieving resolution. With the value of collective contributions in mind, you and your colleagues consider one another’s presentations and provide mindful, research-supported evaluations and observations.
For this week’s Discussion, you review and post feedback to at least two of your colleagues’ Final Presentations, as well as respond to the feedback that you receive on your Final Presentation.
By Day 1
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Consider the fact that you have worked through a social issue from the “ground up” and progressed through the steps that anyone interested in social change would take to find solutions that meet the needs of society. Does having followed these steps empower you not only to advocate for your own issue but also to provide a constructive response to others?
- Read the Discussion Spark topic, question, or comment posted by your Instructor in the Discussion thread.
By Day 2
Post by Day 2 a response to the Discussion Spark post. Your response should contain at least two significant paragraphs. Read the Discussion Rubric, as it will inform your writing. Important Note: The Discussion Spark and the weekly Discussion topic below will be graded together. You will see one score in your My Grades area.
By Day 4
Post feedback to at least two colleagues’ Final Presentations in the Final Project Presentation Forum in one or more of the following ways:
- Recommend additional actions and objectives that your colleagues might consider as they continue to pursue their identified social issue.
- Respectfully disagree with the analysis and/or resulting stance presented by your colleagues by discussing and supporting a different perspective.
- Suggest any additional counter perspectives or problems related to proposed solutions that your colleagues did not identify.
- Recommend additional steps that your colleagues should consider for implementing a solution to the described social issue or problem.
Support your assertions by making at least two references, in proper APA format, to your course readings.
2. Assignment: Reflection Essay: Positive Social Change—An Evolving Perspective
As demonstrated in the first week of this course, there is no one single definition for terms such as social responsibility and social change. These are complex concepts determined by multiple factors. You may now recognize some of the key contributing factors that lead to social responsibility in action. Has your initial understanding of social responsibility and social change evolved through your work in this course? Have the shared comments of colleagues as well as the Learning Resources provided further insight into the value of working collectively to achieve social change?
In this Reflection Essay, you reflect on how this course has influenced your overall understanding and approach to positive social change.
To prepare for this Assignment:
- Review Walden University’s General Education Learning Outcome “Change” in the Course Project Overview and Guidelines document in this week’s resources. Consider how the General Education DEEP-C Model contributed to your ability to discover and evaluate ideas from different perspectives, and is instrumental in your progress toward achieving personal goals and effecting positive social change.
- Revisit definitions of social responsibility shared in the Week 1 Discussion in light of all the information you have considered throughout this course.
- Read Chapters 11 and 12 in the Loeb course text.
By Day 7
Write a 3- or 4-paragraph essay in which you briefly analyze the importance and feasibility of working toward social change. Address the following:
- Describe how your perspective has evolved or changed through this course and how you believe it will continue to evolve after the course.
- Explain how this experience has influenced your ability to create positive social change beyond the term of this course.
- If you choose to engage in the social issue you researched in this course, address how you will prevent burnout and engage others in your cause.
Provide at least three references using proper APA format.
In order to receive full credit, all Assignments are due on time. Should you encounter an unanticipated and uncontrollable life event that may prevent you from meeting an assignment deadline, contact the Instructor immediately to request an extension. Your Instructor’s contact information is in the Contact the Instructor area in the left navigation bar. For a full description of the late policy, please refer to the “Policies on Late Assignments” section of your Syllabus.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Project for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Project using the naming convention “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Weeks 1 and 6 Assignments Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Project.
- Click the Week 6 Assignment link.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Action, Reflection, and Social Change
Program Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
STEVEN DANVER: Over this entire course, you concentrated on what you see
as an important social change issue. You studied the history of your issue and of
social change movements as a whole. You examined the literature, both for and
against your issue, and incorporated those lessons into your view. You’ve
thought about how you might best reach people with the message of your social
change movement. Finally, last week you submit your final project. Where you
drew all of your work together. Now it’s time, both for you to get your colleagues
reactions to your work and to constructively discuss your colleagues’ projects.
Opening up your work to the views of others is a very important part of both
creating scholarship and building a viable social change movement. This
process, called peer review, allows you to take your ideas out for a test drive.
Hearing what others have to say about what you’ve created. This is a vital step
because you have perspectives that many of your classmates may not have
considered. And they, in turn, can open your eyes to viewpoints that may not
have occurred to you.
This process makes everyone’s work stronger by showing us all ways that we
can communicate with others more effectively. You may or may not agree with
your classmates ideas of what constitutes positive social change, but that’s not
really the point. Rather, by looking at their presentations and getting their
feedback on yours, you can each suggest to one another aspects of your
projects that might not have been considered. Ways that you can incorporate
counter perspectives into your analysis and ideas that might help you reach a
broader audience with your message.
As we discussed early in the course, there is no single model or definition of what
social change is or is not. Different people in different social, economic, racial,
and religious context, might have vastly different opinions about what types of
social change they considered to be possible. So, as you conclude the class by
looking at one another’s work, by reflecting on what you might do going forward,
it’s a good time to revisit your opinions on social change.
What have you learned through this course that’s impacted your views? What
have your classmates taught you about the breadth of what might be considered
positive social change? By taking one another’s views on social change
seriously, we engage in a healthy dialogue that can only benefit society by
creating greater understanding between people with different backgrounds.
Perhaps you were inspired by some of your fellow students’ posts. Perhaps
someone else’s final presentation helped you realize some ways that you can
expand on the work you’ve done.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
1
Action, Reflection, and Social Change
Societies are constantly changing and evolving. Some ideas that might have
once been considered acceptable are now taboo. And vice versa. Change occurs
no matter what people do, and whether or not they agree with it. But the most
important idea to take from this course is that the only way to ensure that the
social change that occurs is positive, is for you personally to make an effort to
influence it’s course. I hope this point is one that will impact what you do with the
work you’ve done here. Allowing you to share the gift of your scholarship with
others in a positive way.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
2
SOCI 4080: Social Responsibility
Course Project Overview and Guidelines
The overarching goal of this course is for students to develop awareness and
skills to sustain and advance the communities in which they live. To that end,
over the 6 weeks of the course, you will develop a socially responsible approach
to addressing a specific social issue of interest and concern. Through a series of
project assignments, you will analyze current research and perspectives,
determine potential solutions to the social issue, develop a publicity campaign
proposal, reflect on personal learning, and develop a Final Presentation on
actions that might be taken to carry out your vision of social change regarding
this issue.
General Education Learning Outcomes
The assignments in this course integrate the following General Education
Learning Outcomes.
Discovery: Students will locate and identify appropriate sources of
information using multiple sources and methods, including bibliographic,
textual, experiential, and experimental research.
Evaluation: Students will critically assess texts and arguments in multiple
forms and contexts using quantitative and qualitative logic, the scientific
method, ethics, and pragmatics.
Expression: Students will effectively and ethically communicate
information and opinions verbally and nonverbally using written, oral,
behavioral, and visual methods adapted for diverse audiences and
purposes.
Perspective: Students will be able to articulate the consistency and
flexibility of knowledge as it is experienced across time, space, and
culture.
Change: Students will articulate how their ability to discover, evaluate,
and express ideas from different perspectives is instrumental in their
progress toward achieving personal goals and effecting positive social
change.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 1 of 5
The following assignments compose the Course Project:
Week 2: Topic Exploration and Analysis
As the first step of your Course Project, you select and analyze a social issue.
You develop a problem statement, address the “heart” or “root” of the issue,
describe the situation as it looks today, and explain why this social issue is
important to investigate.
The Assignment
In a 2- to 3-page paper (not including the cover page and references), address
the following:
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The problem statement you have developed (e.g., “The problem I will
address in this study is…”)
What are the “symptoms” of the social issue? What does it “look like”?
What are the conflicts that exist regarding this issue? What are the
interests, rights, and values of all parties involved with the social issue?
What are some potential ethical dilemmas involved with the social issue?
How has the social issue developed? What are some possible causes?
Why is the social issue important to investigate?
Note: Support your statements with APA Style in-text citations using the articles
you gathered from the Walden Library.
Week 3: Literature Review
The Literature Review is a synopsis of your research in which you examine
multiple perspectives regarding potential solutions to the social issue you
selected in Week 2.
Note: In writing a literature review, your goal is to present information about a
topic that already exists in the scholarly literature – not to share personal
opinions. You will be expected to use evidence to support your statements by
citing resources from the Walden Library.
The Assignment:
Write a 2- to 3-page synopsis (not including the cover page or reference page) of
your resource findings. Address the following in your review of the scholarly
literature and be sure to use evidence to support your statements for each
component:
•
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Describe at least two potential solutions to the social issue. What are the
key steps involved with each potential solution?
Are the potential solutions feasible? Explain.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 2 of 5
•
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Are there any conflicts among the various perspectives regarding potential
solutions to the social issue? What are the conflicts that exist? If you do
not believe there are any conflicts, explain how you arrived at this
conclusion.
What are the interests, rights, and values of all parties (stakeholders)
involved with the potential solutions to the social issue?
Are there ethical dilemmas involved with the potential solutions the social
issue? Explain. If you do not believe there are any ethical dilemmas,
explain how you arrived at this conclusion.
Be sure to include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference page,
using APA format to cite each of your sources in the body of your paper.
Week 4: Publicity Campaign Proposal
Social change movements require strong and effective leadership, but they also
need committed involvement by many others. In this campaign proposal, you
determine methods and messages designed to motivate involvement in your
cause.
The Assignment
In a 2- to 3-page paper, describe your proposed overall approach and process
for publicizing your social issue. Address the following, making sure to support
your statements with references to this week’s required readings:
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Briefly describe the social issue and what you would like to achieve
through this publicity campaign.
To whom would you reach out? Why? (Note: Think creatively about the
support you would most like to have and most need.)
How would you reach out? What methods would you use to inform and
inspire? Why?
Are there any groups or individuals with whom you would most like to
connect? Why?
What messages would you incorporate into your campaign? Why do you
think this messaging would resonate with potential interested individuals
or groups? (Note: Messaging can be different for different intended
audiences.)
In launching this campaign, what would be the first step you would take
and why?
In a conclusion to this essay, explain why you believe that this approach
will be successful. Be sure to align your rationale to the social issue.
Note: Be sure to include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference
page, using APA format to cite each of your sources in the body of your paper.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 3 of 5
Week 5: Final Presentation
Your Final Presentation is an opportunity to synthesize what you have learned
about your social change issue and share that information, along with proposed
solutions, with your colleagues.
The Assignment
Through a PowerPoint presentation (a minimum of 10 slides, not including title
page or references) or essay (3–5 pages, not including cover page or
references), address key aspects of your social issue. Your Final Presentation
must include the following elements:
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Introduction
Summary of the problem
Potential solutions
Key actions that you as an individual can take
Objectives/desired outcomes of each action
Expected objectives for the immediate future and 5–10 years from now
Conclusion
The following should be evident in the Final Presentation:
• Research (using sources to formulate the presentation)
• Explanation (articulating the issue or problem to be addressed)
• Analysis (looking at the connections between the facts and assumptions
when discussing your issue)
• Stance (taking a definitive perspective and calling for specific goals)
• Understanding (acknowledging any counter perspectives or problems
related to proposed solutions)
• Implementation (listing concrete steps—both personal and involving
others—that might taken to solve the problem)
For both the PowerPoint presentation and essay format, be sure to support your
statements with APA Style in-text citations.
To prepare to share your Final Project:
Upload your Final Presentation by Day 7 to the Final Project Presentation
Forum by clicking on the Post to Final Presentation Forum link. Also, save
your PowerPoint Presentation as a PDF file and submit it or your essay to the
Project – Week 5 Turnitin by Day 7.
In order to receive full credit, all Assignments are due on time. Should you
encounter an unanticipated and uncontrollable life event that may prevent you
from meeting an assignment deadline, contact the Instructor immediately to
request an extension. Your Instructor’s contact information is in the Contact the
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 4 of 5
Instructor area in the left navigation bar. For a full description of the late policy,
please refer to the “Policies on Late Assignments” section of your Syllabus.
© 2016 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 5 of 5
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