Cultural Contexts in Leadership (3 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

At the moment, the schedule of topics are as follows:
Class 1: What is leadership? What is culture? What is reflection?
Class 2: Dimensions of cultural variability
Class 3: Multicultural groupwork and implict bias and microinequities
Class 4: Observation vs. Evaluation
Class 5: Conflict Resolution and Ethics
Class 6: Team presentations


Topics may be expanded or revised, depending on time.

Objective

At the end of this course, you should have a better idea of the role that culture plays in contemporary business and leadership. You will understand the nature of culture, how it is expressed, how language and knowledge management are impacted, and how unconscious biases are within us all. And, more importantly, what you can do to improve in all these areas.

Content

Through this very focused course, you will be introduced to and experience aspects of culture such as its nature, the dimensions of cultural variability, language and meta-communcation, that knowledge is not neutral, implicit bias, and the role of theory and experience in developing your understanding of and growing competence in intercultural interaction, both within your home culture and in other cultures. All these are components of intercultural leadership that recognizes the uniqueness of individuals even within larger, similar groups.

Materials

All the material and literature in this course is either provided by the instructor or gathered by the students, and typically involve peer-reviewed journal articles or course content in the form of PowerPoints.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods in this class involve both lecture and first-person experience and reflection. Through engaging both theory and practice--and enhanced by reflection--you can gain insights into how multiple personal, cultural, and contextual aspects impact both the leader and the leadership applications.

Employer connections

The intention of this course is offer student insights into how cultural elements bring implications for not only their personal learning but also more formal learning contexts, such as internships. Ultimately, the course material can positively impact one's future working life, particularly in leadership positions.

Exam schedules

There are no exams in this course. The assessment process involves daily short reflections based on the day's topic of learning (60%), and a team presentation (40%).

Student workload

Students will meet every-other-day for 6 sessions. The intention by the course is for students to engage the knowledge they each bring with day's course topic and their peer learners. The out-of-class assignments involve reflecting on a topic-related in a short essay (estimating 10 minutes or so to complete) for the six classes and then preparing for the team presentation that involves reading peer-reviewed literature and team planning. A possible in-class written assignment is being considered.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

This course is based on 100 points earned for the entire course and translated to Jamk's 0-5 scale. Incomplete assignments will earn a zero for that assignment, thus impacting the final grade.

To earn a 1, you must earn between 45 and 54 points. This reflects someone who has a general sense of the nature of culture and its implications but isn't capable of significant reflection on the implications of this knowledge or inability to apply it. Or it could represent someone who doesn't turn assignments.

You will earn a 2, thus 55-64 points, if you are able to understand the contents of the course conceptually and maybe even see the application of the knowledge. However, your self-reflection or understanding of how to interpret information for different contexts isn't strong. Or it could be that someone has difficulty completing assignments.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

To earn a 3 (65-74 points), you will need to demonstrate a good grasp of the concepts as well as some insightful reflection on how the information is applicable to your life, to leadership, to business.

A grade of 4 (75-84 points) is awarded if you can demonstrate a good grasp of the concepts, but also demonstrate engagement with the concepts in terms of teamwork, insightful reflection, and engagement with the content of class.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

You earn a grade of 5 (85+ points) if you can demonstrate a mastery of the concepts--both theoretically and in application--and provide reflections which are deep and insightful. You are actively engaged in the class content and with your peers in discussions--and see beyond the immediate practicalities of the class. In other words, you as a person demonstrate a transformation in your thougths and perceptions that will inform your leadership practices and business acumen in the future.

Qualifications

As an overview course, no prerequites are needed except a basic curiosity about humans and groups form and perform and how new knowledge can be applied in multiple contexts and situations.

Further information

Avoin amk 5
EduFutura 5