Syllabus for CCR-610

CONFLICT, CHANGE & RESOLUTION

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This graduate-level course examines change, conflict, and resolution in both historic and contemporary contexts and invites students to apply these concepts to personal and professional lives while reflecting on their local, national, and global significance. Through assigned texts and readings, class discussions, and independent research in interdisciplinary subject areas, students will develop an understanding of change, conflict, and resolution as they relate to diverse cultures and eras, including the civil rights movement, women's rights, civil disobedience, working within the system, and revolution. The course will provide students with practical insights culled from a deep understanding of global change and will empower them with tools to steer and manage change in their lives and communities.

COURSE TOPICS

Change, culture, and conflict
Levels of change
Cultural trend and social themes
Successful approaches
Impact of time and context
Families, communities, and other settings
Political and economic impact
Changes and transformations
Change and its components
Models of change
Explanation of change
Social situations
Definition of movement
Origins and development factors
Major reform movements
Major social changes
Revolution and reform movements
Theories of revolution and change
Revolution and violence
Revolution and permanent change
Human behavior issues
Social process theories

Change and group theory
Comparisons of theories
Nature of resolution process
Resolution models
Disciplines and setting
Research models and processes
Types of conflict
Resolution model in education
Advantages and disadvantages
Application to youth culture
Globalization, development, and modernization
Potential and real conflict
Global movements
Application on a global scale
Theories of change
Dependency theory
Patriarchy
New demographics
Societal issues
Environmentalism as a movement
Industrialization v. environmentalism
New issues and solutions

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

Analyze the origin and emergence of social change, conflict, and conflict resolution throughout the world with emphasis on the United States.
Compare and contrast the influence which social, historical, economic, cultural, and political forces have on change and conflict.
Demonstrate an understanding of the various social movements and the forces which caused their growth, development, or demise.
Assess the emergence of future change and conflict developing from technology, ecological concerns, and growing globalization.
Formulate a practical approach to addressing conflict and realistic steps to resolve conflict at various levels of human relations.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbooks

Schellenberg, James A. 1996. Conflict Resolution: Theory, Research, and Practice. State University of New York Press.
ISBN-10: 0791431029
Harper, Charles l. and Leicht, Kevin T. 2011. Exploring Social Change: America and the World. Prentice Hall.
ISBN-10: 0205748082

COURSE STRUCTURE

Conflict, Change & Resolution is a three-credit online course, consisting of eleven modules. Modules include topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

PART 1: Introduction and Theoretical Orientation

Module 1: Introduction and Theoretical Orientation
Course objective covered in this module: 1

Module 2: The Context of Social Change
Course objective covered in this module: 1

PART 2: Social Change and Social Conflict: Macro-level Concerns

Module 3: Causes of Change and Change Theory
Course objectives covered in this module: 2, 3
Module 4: Social and Reform Movements
Course objectives covered in this module: 2, 3
Module 5: Change and Conflict
Course objectives covered in this module: 2, 3
Module 6: Conflict Resolution
Course objectives covered in this module: 2, 3

PART 3: Change, Conflict and Resolution: Micro-level Concerns

Module 7: Roots of Conflict and Conflict Analysis: Social and Academic
Course objectives covered in this module: 3, 5
Module 8: Conflict Resolution in the Schools, Workplace and Technology
Course objectives covered in this module: 3, 5
Module 9: Change and Conflict on a Global Scale
Course objectives covered in this module: 3, 5

PART 4: Social Change and Conflict in the Information Age

Module 10: Individuals, Gender, and Family
Course objectives covered in this module: 4
Module 11: Conflict Over the Environment and World Future and Prospects
Course objectives covered in this module:

Consult the course Calendar for assignment due dates.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete a midterm assignment, and complete a final paper. See below for more details.

Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

You are required to participate in eleven graded discussion forums. Discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the courses modules. The discussion forums will serve as an indication that students are keeping up with the class. A missed response will be the equivalent of an absence in the classroom. Students are expected not only to post responses to the discussion questions but also to comment on the responses of others.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussion assignments.

For posting guidelines and help with discussion forums, please see the Student Handbook located within the General Information page of the course Web site.

Written Assignments

Short Papers

You are required to complete three short papers. The short papers are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Each paper will be 5 to 7 pages in length.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site is the short paper rubric used to aid in the grading of all research exercises within this course.

For help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the Student Handbook located within the General Information page of the course Web site.

Final Paper

Every student in the course should identify a topic relevant to the material covered in this course and if possible his/her individual occupation. This topic should be approved by your mentor by the end of Week 6. The final paper should be 15-20 pages, not including bibliography. The paper will be graded on the correctness of your analysis of your selected topic; grammar and syntax; and overall seriousness and professionalism shown toward the work (see the final project rubric located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site).

Please go to the Final Paper area of the course Web site for more details.

For help regarding preparing and submitting assignments, see the Student Handbook located within the General Information page of the course Web site.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Online discussions (11)—22 percent
Written assignments (3)—45 percent
Final paper—33 percent

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A	=	93–100	B	=	83–87
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–82
B+	=	88–89	F	=	Below 73

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., assignments, discussion postings, projects, etc.). Graduate students must maintain a B average overall to remain in good academic standing.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.

Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the Course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.
Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see: