Course Description
This capstone course is designed to deepen understanding and application of knowledge and skills introduced throughout the previous semesters. Students will have the opportunity to explore personal and professional leadership opportunities and challenges available in education and human service practice contexts.
Course Content
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Self-awareness regarding one’s personal style, values, effect on others, skills, and learning from experiences are essential prerequisites for skilled leadership.
- An underpinning knowledge of leadership models and styles helps emerging leaders identify preferred personal leadership pathways.
- Technical skill is necessary but insufficient in itself for competent practice. Technical proficiency must be balanced with a caring attitude, acceptance of a wide range of behaviour and cultures, and respect for the rights of others including the rights of others.
- Effective group leaders demonstrate sound judgement when determining how, when and why a given skill is used.
- Leaders follow trends and developments in their fields including reading scholarly research.
Learning Activities
Face-to-Face:
- Lecture
- Group work
- Student presentations
- Guest speakers
- Audio-visual presentations
Hybrid and Online:
- Mini lectures
- Group work
- Collaborative discussions, e.g. Discussion Forums, Blogs
- Student presentations
- Guest speakers
- Audio-visual presentations
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.
- Portfolio
- Research paper
- Group presentations
- Self and peer assessment
- Other
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Evaluate one’s leadership qualities and develop goals for future educational, work and community experiences
- Using a variety of tools, examine personal, school and work experiences to identify style, strengths and needs and effect on others and how they relate to personal leadership style and aspiration
- Demonstrate strategies for managing personal and professional boundary challenges
- Create a portfolio that emphasizes personal, education and work achievements to-date
- Investigate a variety of employment settings and education programs
- Evaluate the fit between self and future potential work and educational opportunities
- Create a personal and professional development plan
- Examine leadership types, styles and abilities across a variety of contexts
- Investigate several leadership models
- Describe leadership styles and skills in informal groups, entrepreneur/fee-for-service situations, multi-disciplinary teams, not-for-profit business, community organizations, and international contexts
- Consider catalysts and challenges to leadership initiatives
- Apply critical thinking strategies to leadership dilemmas
- Participate in a variety of leadership activities and reflect on process and outcomes
- Analyze leadership opportunities and challenges in CCS fields of practice through thoughtful inquiry
- Analyze historical influences on current and future practice
- Investigate cultures of inquiry and major research traditions
- Critically evaluate field related readings and research articles and consider their influence on practice
- Consider Classroom and Community Support program evaluation