Preparing Myself for What is Next to Come

Although my next essay is not due until the 9th, I need to start working on that asap.  With the upcoming trip to Virginia for the doctoral residency I am required to attend, I need to get working on the essay that is required for that too.  I am extremely nervous about all of these requirements, not to mention a little annoyed to have to travel for this and work at a full time job.

LDR/711A

Week Seven: Leadership and Emotions
	Details	Due	Points
Readings	Review Part III of the Avolio text. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation	Participate in class discussion.	3  days out of 7 days	2
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.	DQ 1 Due Day 3 01/05/12 ********** DQ 2 Due Day 5 01/07/12	2
Individual Reflective Leadership Plan	Resources: University Library, Internet Optional Resources: It may be beneficial to review the letter of intent you provided during the enrollment process and your responses to SEM/700R reflection questions. These sources may provide a crucial baseline for defining your leadership style and aspirations. Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you translate your course learning into a reflective personal leadership development plan. Your plan should define a strategy for maximizing your leadership effectiveness and include the following components: ·         Discuss the leadership theory or theories supporting your plan. ·         Explain your leadership strengths and weaknesses and what you will do to capitalize on your strengths and modify your weaknesses. ·         Address gaps between the leader you are now and the leader you would like to become. ·         Suggest action items you will realistically implement to close gaps between the leader you are now and the leader you would like to become. ·         Provide a realistic implementation timeline for each action item on your plan. ·         Discuss how you will actually use your plan to impact your leadership, your followers, and your organization. ·         Discuss how you will assess and modify your plan to ensure it is on track. ·         Consider your plan, not just a paper to satisfy course requirements, but a living, working document. ·         Provide assessment scores and references to course readings and appropriate peer-reviewed literature to support your judgments, assertions, and development goals. ·         Because self-reflection is a critical component of your leadership plan, first-person is appropriate for writing this assignment. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.	11:59 pm Phoenix Time Day 7 01/09/12	25
Individual Weekly Reflection	Each week in this course, you will engage your thoughts and abilities as a scholar, a practitioner, and a leader to advance your knowledge and personal academic agenda. These weekly reflections help you position yourself as a reflexive thinking scholar, practitioner, and leader. Consider saving these weekly statements, which serve as a critical reflection upon your growth as a scholar, practitioner, and leader throughout the program. Create a reflective and applied statement describing how the week’s learning has affected your thought processes, development, and professional disposition. This statement should reflect your personal learning process—challenges, moments of discovery, life experiences, and interactions. You may also include questions for the course facilitator regarding material that may still be unclear in your reflection. Ideally, you will use these reflections throughout the course and the program to document your development as a scholar, practitioner, and leader, and to reflect critically on the changes that occur during this process. Format any citations and references in your reflective statement consistent with APA guidelines. Reply to the thread designated for Weekly Reflections, and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment.	11:59 pm Phoenix Time Day 7 01/09/12	3

Luckily for me, I've recording almost everything from SEM700R in this blog for this assignment.

Doctoral Residency Information

Learner Residency View ( Dates & Times )

Northern Virginia Campus (Reston) - 1/19/2012-1/23/2012

PHL/700R 1/19/2012-1/23/2012

Class Date	Start Time	End Time
1/19/2012	8:00AM	5:00PM
1/20/2012	8:00AM	5:00PM
1/21/2012	8:00AM	5:00PM
1/22/2012	8:00AM	5:00PM
1/23/2012	8:00AM	4:00PM

Campus Information 

Northern Virginia Campus (Reston)
11730 Plaza America Drive
Suite 200
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 376-6100

Residency Checklist

• Please complete and submit Residency Confirmation/RSVP Form 11/19/2011.

• Complete your pre-residency assignment prior to the start of the residency.

• Pre-residency assignment information is located within rEsource.

• Contact Doctoral Technical Support if you encounter any difficulties locating rEsource.

• Detailed residency schedule information will be available from your SASWeb page on Friday, prior to your residency start.

• Ensure that your laptop is within the guidelines of the Hardware Software agreement.

Hardware/Software Requirements

• Configure your laptop to meet the hardware and software configuration requirements.

Residency Protocol

• There will be daily AM and PM breaks. Beverages and snacks will be provided during break.
• A complementary buffet style lunch will also be provided by the University.
• Only Learners may participate in residency activities.

Security of Faculty and Learners Personal Property

The University of Phoenix is not responsible or liable for any lost, damaged or stolen personal items left unsecured or unattended during the residency.

Residency Class Attendance Requirement

To be in attendance during the classroom portion of the residency, learners must be physically present according to classroom times specified within schedule. Tardiness, failure to attend any portion of the class, or early departure for any reason, will result in reduction of 1 point for every 15 minutes lost (4 points per hour). Attendance sheets will be collected daily at 9am.

Academic Requirement

You must have successfully completed all previous Doctoral coursework with a grade of B- or better to be eligible to attend Residency. Please contact your Academic Counselor if you have received a C+ or lower in any class. Your Academic Counselor can assist you in scheduling your residency and any other course.

Dress Code

Students are required to wear business casual attire when in the classroom.
• Business casual consists of collared shirts, polo shirts, blouses, slacks, khakis and knee length to ankle length skirts.
• Tennis/athletic shoes, flip-flops, tank tops and spaghetti strap shirts are unacceptable.
• Business suits, ties and stockings are not required.

Student Code of Conduct

As prescribed in the Student Code of Conduct, learners are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times while attending the residency. Learners are expected to demonstrate respect and consideration to all faculty, University of Phoenix staff and other learners at all times.

Disability Service Office (OnlineADA@phoenix.edu)

The University of Phoenix Campus Disability Services Office is available to help students with classroom accommodations. In order for the University of Phoenix to provide disabled students with reasonable accommodations, it is required that an official request for services be submitted.

• Disability Services Advisor

PHL/700R CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

Start Date: 01/19/2012

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Course Description
This course challenges the learner to become a creative leader or problem-solver and to begin the process of personal transformation by questioning assumptions and conventional patterns of thinking. Throughout the course, students demonstrate characteristics of creative and critical thinking in individual and collaborative situations.

Course Competencies

• Actualize theory and practice to cultivate personal and group learning.
• Integrate critical and creative processes to initiate lifelong leadership development.
• Develop a scholar-practitioner-leader voice to communicate across boundaries.
• Review and apply models of ethical, inclusive, and compassionate behavior within the doctoral learning community.
• Apply research-based reflective processes to understand individual and shared epistemological and ontological positions.

SAS Workshop 1 - Topic 1: Critical Reflection

Materials

• The texts used in this course are:
• EBOOK COLLECTION: Mezirow, J. (1990). Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: A guide to transformative and emancipatory learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• EBOOK COLLECTION: Wellington, J., Bathmaker, A., Hunt, C., McCulloch, G., & Sikes, P. (2005). Succeeding with your doctorate. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
• Supplemental materials:
• University of Phoenix Material: Dissertation Criteria and Rating Scale Overview
• Dissertation Criteria and Rating Scale
• University of Phoenix Material: Research Reading List
• The reading assignments for Workshop One are:
• Mezirow (1990) – Ch. 1, 5, & 11
• Wellington (2005) – Part I: Embarking on a Doctorate and the “Ways of Knowing” section in Part 3: Thinking About Methodologies
• ARTICLE: Electronic Reserve Readings

Assessment

• Pre-Residency Assignment
• Part One
  
  • Submit a personal reflection and purpose statement of a maximum of 1,000 words prior to attending the residency. The assignment must include, at a minimum, the following key elements.
  • Include the factors that led you to pursue this degree and your purpose for engaging this level of scholarship. Include the academic influences that shape your thinking regarding your field of study. These influences must include, primarily, books, scholars, and well-known professionals. Personal references, such as family or religious inspiration, are often too individualized for the purposes of this assignment and course; however, if these influences play a significant role in your practice and in your continuing engagement with doctoral studies, they are appropriate for inclusion. Exercise judgment in your choices for this assignment.
  • Include your current level of preparedness and your sense of your current position in the field.
    • How do you see your studies affecting your current practice in the field?
    • What professional and personal contexts do you bring to the course of study?
    • How might these contexts assist you in learning? How might they limit you?
    • How have your professional and personal contexts shaped your identity? 
  • Include the outcomes you anticipate from completing this degree program
  • What are your aspirations for the program?
  • What areas would you like to refine?
  • How might enhanced scholarship, practice, and leadership capacities augment your personal and professional life and the lives of others your work affects?
  • How do your goals align with the School of Advanced Studies mission? To locate the School of Advanced Studies mission statement, go to http://doctoral.phoenix.edu to access the School of Advanced Studies site and select About the School. The mission statement is located at the bottom of the page.
  • Include how your life beyond the program might be affected
  • How might this program shape your future?
  • How might you use your learning to contribute to your existing communities?
  • What new communities might you join?
  • What might you lose as a result of this degree? What might you gain?
  • Format your statement consistent with APA guidelines.
  • Submit Part One prior to the start of Workshop One.
  Part Two
  
  • Prepare a 5- to 7-minute presentation based on the written portion of this assignment. Your presentation must cover the aforementioned main themes. This portion of the assignment does not need to take the form of a standard, professional presentation. Alternative presentations may include visual and artistic components, as long as these components support a critical and cogent response to the assignment.
  • Select alternative modes of presentation based on their appropriateness for representing the content of the reflection.
  • Prepare to present on the first day of the workshop.
• Reflective Journal Template
• Please refer to your syllabus for assignment information.

SAS Workshop 2 - Topic 1: Critical Reading

Materials

• The reading assignments for Workshop Two are:
• Mezirow (1990) – Ch. 9
• Wellington (2005) – Ch. 8
• ARTICLE: Electronic Reserve Readings

Assessment

• Please refer to your syllabus for assignment information.

SAS Workshop 3 - Topic 1: Developing a Scholarly Community

Materials

• The reading assignments for Workshop Three are:
• ARTICLE: Electronic Reserve Readings

Assessment

• Please refer to your syllabus for assignment information.

SAS Workshop 4 - Topic 1: Engaging in Praxis

Materials

• There are no reading assignments for this week.

Assessment

• Please refer to your syllabus for assignment information.

SAS Workshop 5 - Topic 1: Leadership and Voice

Materials

• The reading assignments for Workshop Five are:
• Mezirow (1990) – Ch. 2, 4, 6, 17, & 18
• Wellington (2005) – Ch. 5
• ARTICLE: Electronic Reserve Readings

Assessment

• Please refer to your syllabus for assignment information.

Grades for module 1

I received my grades for module 1 out of 6 for this course.

For the case assignment, I got a B+.  My professor's comments were:

Alexandria,

Your paper demonstrates that you read the two papers under consideration very thoroughly. I wish you had used the criteria of quality research that are provided in the reading to assess these two studies. These criteria also could have been used to structure your paper.

As you write your next papers, please take the approach of using the assignment papers to demonstrate that you have a good understanding of the assigned background readings. The knowledge base in this class is very cumulative.

Your paper is well-written and you use paragraphs well. Please use headings within your paper to organize your thoughts and guide the reader.

Overall, you have done a good job on this assignment.  Please keep working hard.

Dr. Hanson

For the SLP, I got another B+.  My professor's comments on that were:

Alexandria,

You description of the situation at Gabriels is engaging. You have identified many issues that will make for a good research study. I wish you would have been more direct in tying what you have written to the questions posed in the assignment. Which of these issues (variables) have you identified as your dependent variable; which will be your independent variables?

Overall, your writing is good. I noticed that you sometimes write “employee’s” (the possessive when you mean employees (the plural).

Keep up the good work!

Dr. Hanson

I'm waiting on the discussion forum grade.

I'm glad I got a B+ on both of the assignments and consider it a fair grade.  Obviously I would have liked to get an A, but I think that this grade is actually pretty generous.

I have not started on my module assignments yet.  [sigh]  I gotta get on it.  I think I'm going to change what I originally scheduled around since it's very difficult for me to study during the week.

So... my new idea is to to the following for module 2:

Sunday [5/1]: 

• Discussion Forum,
• SLP, 
• Some research on case assignment, and
• Respond to someone's discussion post.

Sunday [5/8]: 

• Finish research on case assignment, and
• Finish case assignment.

Tonight I have a full code push*... when will it ever end.

* For those of you who do not know what a "full code push" is, it is basically when all the code from one website (normally a testing environment or beta site) is published to the official website (aka production or live website).  This process takes anywhere from 2 hours and on depending on how many servers or problems there are.  For our organization, because the client likes to have it done during low traffic times, we do it at night time.  So I either work from 8pm to 10pm (give or take) or from midnight to 2am (give or take).  The longest that a full code push has ever lasted was 5 hours.

BUS504: Module 2 out of 6 begins.

I figured I should break up my assignments a little better so I don't spend my entire weekend doing homework again... so unless I am too tired, I should try to stay on schedule.  However, not doing any homework today since I need a break.

Discussion forum question [I will answer this sometime either Tuesday or Wednesday during lunch.]
Research questions and hypothesis-testing In the readings, a distinction is made between the general "research questions" that shape a study and the specific hypotheses it purports to test. So here's the question -- are there meaningful research questions (emphasis on "meaningful") that cannot be assessed through the process of operationalizing and testing hypotheses? If you believe that there are such questions, what might be an example of one (or more)? If you believe that there aren't, why not?

Dive in on this one -- you aren't being assessed on the degree to which you agree with my position on this question (which you don't actually know), but on the degree to which you can make an informed critical statement about it - and engage the statements of your colleagues. Maybe consensus will emerge, maybe not. It will be entertaining to see.

As usual, creative tearing into each other -- all in a spirit of good collegial fun, of course -- is encouraged strongly.



Case Assignment

Part One: [I will read during the week at lunch time]

In this module we'll continue to practice learning research by looking into actual research projects. Both Module 2 and Module 3 will make extensive use of this recent article:

Bacharach, S. & Bamberger, P. (2007). 9/11 and New York City firefighters' post hoc  unit support and control climates:  A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work-related events. The Academy of Management Journal, 50 (4): 849-868.

It's a study of New York City firemen in the aftermath of the events of 9/11.  It's interesting and important in its own right, and also provides excellent examples of variable operationalization and hypothesis formulation.  You should read the article down to the "Results" section, where the statistical analysis begins.  Then, skip to "Discussion," and read the article to the end.  You may need to do this several times.

Tip:  As you read, try to translate the academic jargon into ordinary English.  Example:  "Hypothesis 1.The association between the intensity of employees' involvement in a work-related critical incident and their post-event negative emotional states (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress) varies significantly over work units."  Translation:  People involved in disasters tend to suffer emotional injury.  Those who are more closely involved with the disaster suffer greater injury.  But the extent of the injury caused by a particular level of involvement depends on the characteristics of the work unit they're in. It helps to keep the context --i.e., the 9/11 attacks -- in mind as you read.

Required Readings

Bacharach, S. & Bamberger, P. (2007). 9/11 and New York City firefighters' post hoc  unit support and control climates:  A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work-related events. The Academy of Management Journal, 50 (4): 849-868. Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com.lb-proxy6.touro.edu/ehost/viewarticle?dat a=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie46bFOsqi1Srak63nn5Kx95uXxjL6rrUq0pbBIr q%2beSbimtVKzrp5oy5zyit%2fk8Xnh6ueH7N%2fiVaunsk2zqK9Lr6%2b1PurX7H%2b72% 2bw%2b4ti7evLepIzf3btZzJzfhruotEq1r69Qrpzkh%2fDj34y75uJ%2bxOvqhNLb9owA& hid=105  

Figley, C. (2008).  Impact of Event Scale Revised.  Retrieved on Feb 20, 2009 from http://www.atft.org/research/Impact%20of%20Event%20Scale%20-%20Revised.htm 

University of New South Wales (UNSW)  (n.d. a)  Overview of the DASS and its uses.  Retrieved on 25 Feb 2008 from http://www2.psy.unsw.edu.au/groups/dass//over.htm

University of New South Wales (UNSW) (n.d. b).  DASS21 survey form.  Retrieved on 25 Feb 2008 from http://www2.psy.unsw.edu.au/groups/dass//Down_W6_US/dass21.doc

Optional Readings

Dallal, G. (2004) Units of Analysis. The Little Handbook of Statistical Practice.  Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www.jerrydallal.com/LHSP/units.htm

Dereshiwsky, M.  (1998) Understanding Variables. Introduction to Research. Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~mid/edr610/class/variables/variables/lesson3-1-1.html

Eveland, JD (2003) Some observations on data, variables, and relationships.  PowerPoint presentation.  Available here.

Trochim, W. (n.d.). Measurement. Social Research Methods Database. Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/measure.htm

Part Two: [I will complete on Sunday]

You are to develop a brief critique of the Bacharach et al. study, in accordance with the following outline:

1. In one or two paragraphs, summarize the study, its findings, and its implications for management practice. [If you'd like a little more structure to this part of the exercise, click here.]
   
2. Identify the variables in the study.  Characterize them as DVs, IVs, MVs, or EVs.  State the level of analysis of each; either individual level, or group level.  Summarize your analysis in the form of a table assigning a code to each variable, including the type of the variable (see Introduction), the level of analysis (either I for individual, or G for group), and the full description of the variable. Here's such a table, with two lines filled in:
   

Code	Type	Level	Authors' label
Str	DV	I	Stress
Icv	IV	I	Intensity of critical incident involvement
(etc.)

3. Next, summarize each hypothesis using the variable codes.  One of these would be (from Figure 1):
   
Icv is positively correlated with Str.
Some of the hypotheses involve either moderation or mediation.  In that event, use the formula:
X is (positively / negatively) correlated with Y, (moderated / mediated) by Z
[What's the point? Is this just busy work? Absolutely not.  Both scientists and managers, when they are reading and studying a paper that they absolutely MUST master, do exactly this sort of thing.  Reading a research report is a labor-intensive activity!]
4. 
   
   Once you've completed your description of the variables and the listing of the hypotheses, conclude with your best estimate of the overall quality of this study as research, on the basis of what you know now.  Trust your judgment.  Be sure to explain the reasoning behind your assessment.

SLP [I will do the following Sunday]
For the Module 2 component of the Project, please review the feedback you received on Module 1, and make necessary revisions.  Then add the following.

• Characterize your variables in terms of (1) level of measurement (2) level of analysis, and (3) whether each of them is a DV, IV, MV, of EV.  Don't worry about operationalizing the variables at this point.  That's a topic for Module 3.
  
• State your research questions in terms of testable hypotheses.  As mentioned above, the preferred format is as follows:  "(DV) is (positively / negatively) correlated with (IV)."  There must be a separate hypothesis for each combination of DV and IV.  JUSTIFY each hypothesis, on the basis of what you've read and/or observed, either in this or in some other organization.
  

The second bullet above deserves additional explanation, and an extended example.  Suppose the DVs are job satisfaction and intention to quit, while the IVs are job tenure (time on the job) and pay.  You think that tenure and pay are predictors of satisfaction, but only tenure is a predictor of intention to quit.  Further, you think that higher pay and longer tenure are related to higher levels of job satisfaction, and that longer tenure is related to a decreased intention to quit.  Your hypotheses would then be:

• H1:  Pay is positively correlated with job satisfaction.
• H2:  Tenure is positively correlated with job satisfaction.
• H3:  Tenure is negatively correlated with intention to quit.

Be sure to provide precise and detailed arguments in support of each of your hypotheses.  Avoid statements such as, "it is commonly known that" or "it is obvious that."  Few things are commonly known, and even fewer things are obvious.  Whenever possible, cite concrete examples supporting your hypothesis.  Example:  If Outward Bound training increased productivity in companies A, B, and C, it is reasonable to hypothesize that it will have the same effect in your company (assuming that A, B, C, and your company are all reasonably similar in terms of structure, culture, and other key variables.)