EXCC Group

Catalog description

This course focuses on group coaching, methods and techniques, including principles of group dynamics, group process components, stages of group leading, ethical factors of group work, group leadership styles, facilitator positionality and awareness. Through the uses of sociodrama, evaluation of client needs and coaching effectiveness occur. Theories of community building within the relational constructivist model in keeping with community psychology, which considers the individual's perception of community and their relationship to it within multi-faceted, diverse experiences are emphasized. Basic tenets of community building/group interaction, owing to locus, sharing common interests, joint action, social ties leading to healthy cohesion and diversity due to social complexity are studied. In this course, community-based learning (CBL), a hands-on interactive facilitation approach intertwined with a novel Expressive Arts component is developed in the classroom via personal interaction, which in turn becomes a learned technique for professional know-how, bringing people together to create mutuality through healthy educational opportunities, forming collaborative environments to elevate group members in community enhancement. CBL involves shared learning via connecting people for service learning, project-based learning and/or experiential learning. Particular attention is on the impact of various arts as tools for community building such as Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed methods and EXA that can assist in 1) group processes for various populations and settings and 2) potential modifications needed through community building facilitation due to multi-level ability and engagement. Priority Registration to EXCC students.