Criteria for written assessments
- All reports must be in double space 12 font with 2.5 cm margins.
- Reference list is extra but no appendices are allowed so that tables etc. must be within the page limit.
- Material presented above page limit will not be marked
- Evidence based writing with reference support is best
Lecture and Tutorial Quizzes
It is essential that students attend lectures and tutorials so that they are familiar with the content of the course, which forms the basis of the activities that we complete in the tutorials. To ensure that students are engaging in a reflective learning process, two short quizzes in lectures and 2 short quizzes in tutorials will be administered throughout the semester without advance notice. Each short multiple choice quiz may involve questions about content that have been presented in the course up the point the quiz is administered. Fifteen minutes will be allocated to complete each quiz.
Preparation for these quizzes will involve attending lectures and tutorials, taking notes when listening so as to engage in active learning (which enhances recall and understanding of information), and ensuring that you ask questions if you do not understand any of the class content.
There is no opportunity to resit the quiz unless you have a medical certificate or you are on University business (with a signed letter to support).
Assessment 1 – Review of positive and negative change agent skills (10%)
Due: Monday of Week 5 @ 11:59 pm
Weight: 10%
Maximum length: 3 pages
The purpose of the review is for you to record recent work events in which you identify leaders acting in a change agent role behaving in a positive or negative way. Choose events from your organisation which involves leaders attempting to change something, which can be analysed as to whether or not you perceived it as positive (i.e. constructive, useful, functional) or negative (destructive, not useful or dysfunctional). You may wish to further classify events as examples of either effective or ineffective change leadership, or both. You should determine if the events fit in with Kanter’s (2005) framework for leaders who are making an intervention (which is Reading 1 of the Course Readings). If an event does not fit in with this classification, then add to the classification. Be clear about an event, analyse the event, and provide concise relevant details to support your arguments.
Your work can draw on concepts from Units 1 but may also include Units 2, 3 and 4 if necessary.
Try to choose events that have happened very recently, say in the past few weeks. The more recent the events, the more detail you will remember and the more salient the analysis will be.
In terms of content, it is suggested that you include the following structure:
- Introduction of the leadership skills identified by Kanter (1/2 page)
- Examples of positive leadership skills displayed (1 page)
- Examples of negative leadership skills (1 page)
- Conclusions about Kanter’s classification system (1/2 page)
Assessment 2: Group pitchfest (15%)
Due: In class as presentation in Tutorial Week 7
Weight: 15%
Assessment: Group – one presentation is produced per group and the same mark is awarded for all members of the group
Length: No more than 5 minutes
You will be assigned a group in Week 5 with the aim of producing a short business pitch for an entrepreneurial venture in Week 7. We recommend joining a group in which people have diverse career plans so that a range of interests and skills are represented. All members of the group contribute to the plan and/or to the final presentation. You should prepare a maximum of 5 minute pitch of a business idea. Follow the guidelines presented in the tutorial in Week 5. Marks will be awarded according to the scoring guidelines presented in the tutorial.
All powerpoint slides must be submitted to turn-it-in or moodle.
Assessment 3: What should the key players do next to fix the problem? (20%)
Due: Monday of Week 12 @ 11:59 pm
Weight: 20%
Length: 5 pages
In Tutorial Week 8 you will be presented with a case. You will write a report about what the key players should do next that will develop a plan that will lead to a successful change. You need to use the case study in the course readings.
Your report needs to show evidence of understanding of concepts across the whole course, i.e. not just one or two units. You also need to show your ability to integrate concepts, i.e. use more than one concept to analyse an issue or develop a strategy, and consider the links between the concepts. Your report should cover the following:
- The issue and scope (about 10% of the page count)
- Identifying change (about 30% of the page count)
- Your implementation plan (about 40% of the page count)
- Change evaluation (about 20% of the page count)
Exam (35%)
This will take the form of a 2.0 hour examination paper during the exam period and comprise 35% of your course grade. The purpose of the exam is to ensure you have a broad understanding of the theories that we cover in the course and the skills needed to effectively manage people. Thus, 30 of the questions will be multiple choice (each question will be worth half a mark). Material from all lectures and tutorials is examinable. In addition, you also will be required to answer two short essay questions that may cover any of the lecture content covered in the course. Each short answer essay question will be worth 10 marks.