Week 4 Milestone: The Religious Approach    to Social Issues

As you have    read, all religious traditions share three basic characteristics from which    we may analyze the religion and compare it to other religions. For your    Final Project, you will focus on a single pillar of analysis from which you    will engage in a deeper study of a religious tradition. 

For this worksheet    activity, you will consider a contemporary social issue from the perspective    of your selected religious tradition within the context of your selected    pillar of analysis. Some suggested social issues for you to consider are    listed here. However, feel free to select a social issue that is of interest    to you even if it is not shown in the list. 

Suggested social issues:

• Climate change
• Unequal         distribution of wealth
• Capital         punishment

In the writing    space below, identify the social issue you chose to explore. Then, write a 100-    to 150-word paragraph in which you analyze your selected religious    traditions worldview as it relates to your chosen social issue. Be sure to    explore the following ideas:

• Why is this         social issue of particular importance to adherents of your chosen         religious tradition?
• What actions         have adherents of your religious tradition taken to effect change         related to the social issue?
• In what ways         have these actions affected people both within and outside the selected         religions sacred canopy?

My chosen social  issue is: 

Submit your 100-   to 150-word paragraph here. Be sure to include at least two references to an   academically relevant source, either from our classroom, the Walden Library,   or Google Scholar, that supports your exploration of this social issue.

PLEASE USE ATTACHED RESOURCES WHEN DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT NO EXCEPTIONS

Local Organization is:  Counseling and Resource Center of Dearborn

As your required text suggests, research is not only for those in academia. It is often a crucial consideration in leadership positions throughout organizations.

In this discussion, consider the organization you currently work for, or desire to work for, and imagine you are a leader in this organization. Consider scenarios that could potentially arise where utilizing research could be beneficial. Examples might be excessive tardiness, reduced production, low morale, and significant loss of customer base. You may use any example with the exception of those listed above.

For your initial post,

• Identify an organization in your location that complements the knowledge and skills you have developed during your program. (May be hypothetical.)
• Identify a leadership role that you would enjoy having within this organization. If you are not interested in a career, identify something that you think would be rewarding if you were advancing your career.
• Identify the following in association with this organization and position:
  • Research question: What is happening in the organization that could be researched?
    • Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question (Links to an external site.)
  • Hypothesis: State why you believe it is happening.
  • What dependent variables/factors do you believe may be affecting your chosen scenario (i.e., age, workload, work shift, ineffective communications)?
    • What type of factor did you identify (i.e., nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio)?
  • Are there any potential extraneous variables? Why or why not. If so please list two to three.
  • Method: What method would best reflect an accurate analysis of the situation (e.g., quasi-experimental or phenomenology, etc.)? Include your rationale.
• Lastly, discuss how an understanding of the basics of research and statistics can help a person in decision making, whether in an organization, or even in a social situation.

Discussion posts should equate to approximately 350 to 400 words.

• Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design
  For this discussion, compare and contrast the characteristics of quantitative and qualitative research, addressing the philosophical assumptions of both. Based on your review of the assigned readings, identify and describe what you believe to be meaningful about the qualitative research design and methodology.
  
  • Define and describe the context in which qualitative research is applicable.
  • Discuss the reasons for choosing a qualitative methodology.
  • List some subjects in which qualitative analysis is the methodology of choice.
• http://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/HS8106/mixedmethodAnimation/HS8106_wrapper.asp
• 400 words

References 

• Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Stringer, E. T. (2014). Action research (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Assignment Description:  In a document NO MORE THAN TWO PAGES LONG (not counting cover page and reference list), students must describe a real-world problem that addresses the weekly topic, and discuss a solution based on evidence.

Watch this video on Job Analysis:   https://goo.gl/h6L1oW

Read this article on Performance Reviews:  

getting_rid_of_performance_ratings_genius_or_folly_a_debate.pdf     

(Note: This article is NOT a research article. You may cite it if you like, but it would not count as one of your required “research” articles. Its reference list may have some useful articles that you could read and use.)

Weekly Topic: Analyzing Jobs and Assessing Job Performance.

Scenario: Students need to create a work-related problem based on current or past experience.

Goal: Students will learn to use evidence-based methods to effectively Analyze a Job OR Assess Job Performance in a real-world scenario.

Action Plan: An action plan should address the problem using a clearly defined approach that is supported with evidence from the text and peer-reviewed research.

* This document is brief, but must be written with high quality.  No quotes or paraphrasing, but consistently use evidence to support your claims.  This will help you improve your writing style and prepare you for your dissertation.

EXAMPLE PAPER:  Organizational Psychology Scenario Paper.docx

Due Sunday January 12, 2020   by 6pm Central Time

Intervention/Treatment Plan Veterans Resilience Project

According to the Council on Social Work Education, Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice:

Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge. Social workers understand that evidence that informs practice derives from multi-disciplinary sources and multiple ways of knowing. They also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice.

Critically evaluate evidence based and best practice treatment interventions.

Compose clinical intervention plans that are grounded research-based knowledge

This assignment is intended to help students demonstrate the behavioral components of this competency in their field education.

To Prepare: Review the agencys intervention/treatment plan used to engage clients. 

After reviewing the Veterans Relicense Projects intervention/treatment plan, consult the literature and conduct extensive research, with the goal of finding best practices that supports or adds to Veterans Resiliences Projects current intervention/treatment plan. The purpose of this assignment is to find research that supports or adds to the agencys current intervention/treatment approach.

 Required Reading 

Min, J. W. (2005). Cultural competency: A key to effective future social work with racially and ethnically diverse elders. Families in Society, 86(3), 347358.

AGENCY: VETERANS RESILIENCE PROJECT

https://www.resiliencemn.org/

Veterans resilience Project. (, 2019). What We Do. Retrieved from https://www.resiliencemn.org/ 

Treatment Plan EMDR Therapy that is practice at Veterans Resilience project, 12 Sessions.

Submit a 1-2 page paper in which you:

1. Briefly describe the Veterans Resilience Project intervention/treatment 

2. Briefly discuss best practices about interventions identified in the literature

3. Briefly discuss how the Veterans Resilience Project can incorporate those best practices into the current intervention/treatment plan 

4. Provide a brief summary of the similarities and differences between the intervention/treatment plan used at Veterans Resilience Project and the suggested practices in the literature

The Assignment (1-page):  The Reading  to use for both paragraphs is under the following paragraph. 

Write a short paragraph that would be considered an opinion. Write a second paragraph that would be considered a fact. Explain the differences between the two paragraphs. Explain how a reader would know if one statement is opinion and the other factual. Provide support in the research literature for the factual statement.    

                                       Study Notes What Is Critical Thinking? 

                                By the Walden University Writing Center Staff 

Critical reading and critical thinking are intertwined; one cannot quite do one without the other. Kurland (2000) noted that critical reading is about discovering information whereas critical thinking is about evaluating it. Various authors have offered different definitions of the critical-thinking process. Among the most useful definitions is the one provided by Scriven and Paul, who defined it as: 

the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. (1987, para. 1) 

Another useful definition was provided by Elder (as cited in Critical Thinking Community, 2013), who defined it as self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities and a commitment to overcoming our native egocentrism and sociocentrism (para. 4). Because graduate students are moving beyond being simply consumers of knowledge to learning how to make meaningful contributions to that knowledge, it is particularly important that they cultivate strong critical-thinking skills. 

Like critical reading, critical thinking is an active process, and with practice one can develop the skills needed to do it more effectively. According to Kurland (2000), there are six key characteristics of critical thinking: rationality, self-awareness, honesty, open-mindedness, discipline, and judgment. Rationality has to do with exercising good judgment based on logic, self-awareness with knowing ones individuality, biases, and so forth; honesty has to do with integrity and being able to be truthful about ones biases; open-mindedness is about being able to appreciate differing viewpoints; discipline is about being self-controlled and being objective; and judgment is about being able to form an opinion about something based on the information presented. Each of these characteristics can be developed. According to the Critical Thinking Community (2013), critical thinking occurs when certain standards of intellectual life are applied to the elements of reasoning. For instance, one might apply the standard of clarity to the element of purpose, the standard of significance to concepts, logicalness to points of view, accuracy to information, and so forth. 

By consistently applying these standards, a reader is able to develop some of the most important characteristics of a critical thinker, which include intellectual honesty, integrity, and a sense of fair-mindedness. According to Facione (1990), a critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well informed, trustful of reason, open minded, flexible, fair minded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases, prudent in making judgments, 

2016 Laureate Education, Inc.  Page 2 of 3  

willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results that are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit. 

Although developing the various characteristics of a critical thinker can appear overwhelming and unattainable, the skills can be learned, and even those with strong critical thinking skills can yet improve. Some of the benefits of critical thinking include the enhanced ability in self-reflection, the promotion of creativity, better expression of ideas, and the cultivation of flexible intellectual skills that one can apply to different areas of life.

References 

Critical Thinking Community. (2013). Critical thinking: Where to begin. Retrieved from 

http://www.criticalthinking.org/starting/index.cfm#2425 

Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes. 

Millbrae, CA: California Academic Press. 

Kurland, D. J. (2000). How the language really works: The fundamentals of critical 

reading and effective writing. Retrieved from 

http://www.criticalreading.com/criticalreadingthinkingtoc.htm 

Scriven, M., & Paul, R. (1987). A working definition of critical thinking. Retrieved from 

http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766  

For this assignment, you will examine a particular case within a  special population, and then develop a broad understanding of the role  of the forensic psychologist in a correctional setting.

First, you must choose a unique case study or special population as a whole. Some examples are listed below:

• Selecting a case from the headlines such as a recent high profile  criminal case that has a clear intersection with mental health.
• Making up a case example based on your interests, prior case examples you have read, or a mixture of all of the above.
• Selecting a population as a whole that we may or may not have touched on in class including, but not limited to:

   

  • sex offenders
  • violent offenders
  • military offenders
  • women offenders
  • juvenile offenders
  • offenders with substance use issues
  • offenders with life sentences
  • high profile offenders
  • prior law enforcement who are incarcerated

After you have selected a case study, describe the particular  characteristics of the individuals population and what particular  issues they may deal with in a correctional setting. Be sure to address  the following:

• Relationships with other offenders and staff
• Possible issues with authority
• Treatment-related concerns
• Relevant research on this population and its interaction with the correctional system

Next, you will discuss different aspects of correctional settings and  how you could influence this individual or population as a forensic  psychologist. Be sure to include the following:

• Treatment options available for your particular individual or groups needs.

   

  • Include treatment options while in jail, prison, or community corrections.
  • Discuss the availability and flow of treatment as the individual or  population moves from the correctional environment to the community.
  • Be sure to discuss the efficacy of treatment options available.
• Other ways you may affect this individual as a mental health practitioner, administrator, or forensic psychology researcher.

   

  • This may include ideas for new initiatives, research, or systematic change
  • In discussing this you should identify areas where change is needed, what the issues are, and potential steps for the future

Additionally, discuss your overall impression of the mental health  services available in different correctional settings, and then evaluate  the degree to which your populations needs are met.

Finally, be sure to include how the treatment program relates to  overall rehabilitation and recidivism in the community once released.

Support your Signature Assignment with 10 resources, including those  you located as part of your annotated bibliography in Week 3.

Length: 12-15 pages

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas  and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and  insights relating directly to this topic.

Organizational acquisitions are often arranged and negotiated by advisors who focus solely on financial aspects of the union. Advisors work hard to ensure that the price being paid for the acquired company is consistent with its worth. Typically, advisors pay very little attention to whether the two companies are actually compatible, which is why many acquisitions ultimately fail. For this Assignment, you will develop a Change Management Plan to successfully manage Hamilton Snacks acquisition of Arlos Granola, two companies that are successful in their own right but are also different in many ways.

To Prepare:

• Review the Change Management Case Study (attached), located in this weeks Learning Resources.
• Review this weeks Learning Resources on leadership and change management. Consider how you would apply change management models to manage the acquisition described in the case study. In addition, think about how a positive leadership approach could be used to effectively manage the acquisition.
• Reflect on what you have learned during the past 2 weeks about dyadic theories of leadership, shared leadership, creativity and innovation in teams, and employee resistance to change. Consider how these concepts and theories apply to the case study.

By Day 7

Create a 5 page Change Management Plan that addresses the following:

• Articulate a clear business rationale for the acquisition.
• Create a compelling vision for the acquisition that is less than a paragraph long.
• Differentiate between the cultures of each company, and describe two challenges that might arise from the differences. Describe two specific leadership strategies you would use to overcome the challenges.
• Describe the types of followers that would likely resist the acquisition and the types of followers that would likely embrace the acquisition. Propose two strategies you would use to address resistance to change and encourage employee buy-in for the change.
• Assume that you have assembled a small team of leaders, middle managers, and employees from both companies to manage the implementation of the acquisition.
  • Explain whether you would appoint a team leader or encourage a shared leadership approach.
  • Explain how you would foster creativity and/or innovation within the team.
• Explain what steps you would take to ensure the long-term success of the acquisition.

Be sure to incorporate positive leadership practices into your plan. In addition, support your plan with peer-reviewed journal articles and other scholarly sources on leadership and change management.

The general aggression model is the most widely accepted model of aggression. In order to understand the general aggression model, it is very important to understand the components of the model; the factors (e.g., person, situation, social encounters) that serve as component parts of the whole model.

For this task, you will reflect on what you have learned about the various social psychological theories of aggression this week.

Select three components of the General Aggression Model (e.g., components part of person factors, situation factors, or social encounters), then create a PowerPoint presentation where your goal is to teach how each explains aggression.

1. Use the three components to prepare slides that discuss what you believe best explains why people become aggressive.

2. Prepare slides that discuss at least three assumptions that these components would make about the definition of aggression. Present an argument about whether you find that these assumptions are, in fact, in line with the definition/assumptions that you had of aggression before you started the course?

a. If so, what have you learned new?

b. If not, how has this model helped to enhance your assumptions of aggression? How?

Incorporate appropriate animations, transitions, and graphics as well as speaker notes for each slide. The speaker notes may be comprised of brief paragraphs or bulleted lists.

Support your presentation with at least two scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources may be included.

Length: 12-15 slides (with a separate reference slide)

Notes Length: 100-150 words for each slide