Action Lab: Problems/Opportunities of Practice

Catalog description

Unlike other modules in this program, this course is the equivalent of three modules. It will take place over three points in time during the spring and summer semesters. This program is based on the premise that it will help develop knowledgeable, skills leaders to effect change in their higher education contexts. To that end, this capstone course will allow students to frame a problem of practice through an Action Lab, which is a highly engaging, problem-based, and solution-orientated, course. To say higher education has problems is a gross understatement. (We also have a lot of opportunities too, not all negative, thank you very much….) Reading the news headlines from around the world, or even holding a simple conversation with a faculty member, administrator, trustee, alumnus or student will yield a list of challenges the need to be addressed or opportunities of which to take advantage. Challenges and opportunities know no country boundaries as we have all learned in this program. This course does not attempt to address everything, but rather to work with each student or teams of students to identify, frame, articulate, understand, and contextualize a meaningful problem of practice and propose a well-grounded strategy to make positive progress. This work can be done alone or in pairs. The assignment expectations outlined below will be adjusted for those working together.