Transformational Leadership in the Introductory Journalism Classroom--Ashley Brenon

8/14/2019 Transformational Leadership in the Introductory Journalism Classroom--Ashley Brenon

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Transformational Leadership in the Introductory

Journalism Classroom

By Ashley Brenon

This final project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts

degree in the communications department graduate program at The College of Saint Rose.

Cailin Brown, advisor for the project, and Gary McLouth, reader for the project, approved thisproject in the fall semester of 2009.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part I: Proposal ______________________________________________________________ 3

Introduction __________________________________________________________________ 3

Literature Review _____________________________________________________________ 8

Methodology ________________________________________________________________ 22

Proposal ____________________________________________________________________32

Part II: Course Portfolio _____________________________________________________ 36

Defining the Project __________________________________________________________ 36

Reflection __________________________________________________________________ 37

Identifying Values ___________________________________________________________ 39

Building and Affirming Shared Values ___________________________________________ 43

Inspiring a Shared Vision ______________________________________________________ 44

Challenging the Process _______________________________________________________ 48

Enabling Others to Act ________________________________________________________ 50

Encouraging the Heart ________________________________________________________ 53

Proposed Rubric _______________________________________________________ 56

Additional Educational Considerations ___________________________________________ 57

Course Plan __________________________________________________________ 57

Proposed Syllabus _____________________________________________________ 75

Part III: Discussion __________________________________________________________ 79

Part IV: Works Cited ________________________________________________________ 81

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PART I: Proposal

INTRODUCTION

For more than 100 years, journalism professors and scholars have considered the best

ways to develop good journalists. They have presented, implemented and evaluated varied

educational paradigms. Journalists working within education began thinking of themselves as

practitioners then theorists. They envisioned themselves as craftspeople and editors then as

creators and coaches. They have even thought of themselves as experiential guides. Meanwhile,

teachers in other fields have proposed new educational methods, which have been used only on a

limited basis in the realm of journalism education. Although each educational system has been

found to have strengths and weaknesses, and some of the methods used within each have been

determined useful, individually and as a whole these educational paradigms have been found

unsuccessful, incomplete, impractical or unrealistic for implementation within journalism

classrooms at the college level.

Proof of these insufficiencies has been based on the results they have generated.

Journalism programs are turning out students who dont perform up to their editors standards. In

fact, when asked, newly employed college-educated journalists admit that their skills dont meet

even their own standards. Ward and Seifert conducted an important study that asked 86 college-

educated journalists and their editors about the qualities they use to evaluate reporters work. A

questionnaire was used to extract editors feelings about journalists skills in general and their

feelings about the specific journalists participating in the study. Another was used to allow the

journalists to rank the importance of journalism skills and to evaluate themselves. Then

journalists were tested to determine the accuracy of their own and their editors evaluations.

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According to the study, editors rated journalistsin order of importancebased upon

their writing mechanics, expressive skills and journalistic abilities (Ward and Seifert 104).

Writers, on the other hand, ranked skills relating to journalistic abilityincluding conciseness,

precision, clarity, organization and self-editing abilityhighest (Ward and Seifert 107). Editors

divulged that recent graduates lack mechanical writing skillsthe same quality they deemed

most important. (Admittedly, editors may have ranked mechanical skill as most important

because it was lacking.) Applicants writing is riddled with sentence fragments, run-on

sentences, dangling participles, lack of subject-verb agreement, misuse of punctuation and a

myriad of spelling errors (Ward and Seifert 104). And these problems persist even after

journalists are hired and have a few years of experience (Ward and Seifert 104).

When journalists rated their own work, the journalists revealed that they themselves

thought little of their capabilities to perform up to generally accepted standards of mechanical

proficiency. It should be noted, however, that the journalists thought more of their mechanical

abilities than their editors did. In addition, journalists rated their own journalistic abilitythe

quality they deem most importanthigher than their editors did. This information reveals that

the journalists in the study thought more highly of their own work than did their editors (Ward

and Seifert 110). Well touch later on criticisms of journalism education models that over praise

students in an effort to boost their enthusiasm about writing.

When the researchers tested journalists to determine whether the low impressions of

journalists skills were exaggerated, they found that editors and journalists were right to criticize

reporters lack of mechanical proficiency. The majority of reporters45 out of 86answered

only 70-79 percent of grammar and usage questions correctly (Ward and Seifert 109). The

results of the test show that many reporters lack knowledge of writing mechanics (Ward and

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Seifert 109). Reporter background didnt matter, except in the case of college major; English

majors performed noticeably better on the exam (Ward and Seifert 109).

The chasm between how journalists should perform and how they do perform is an

important problem. Success as a communicator depends on journalists abilities to arrange

language in coherent patterns. Grammar and style are at the heart of journalists effectiveness as

mass communicators (Kessler and McDonald 3).

Moreover, the researchers Ward and Seifert found that mechanical proficiency is

completely intertwined with the other two skills editors identified. Those who lack mechanical

skills often lack expressive and journalistic abilities as well (Ward and Seifert 112). In addition,

when journalists work is flawed, editors must line edit for mechanical errors when they should

be editing content, often on deadline. When mechanics take up time needed to discuss reporting

problems, journalism suffers (Ward and Seifert 104). Perhaps most importantly, literature

indicates that as the number of grammar mistakes news consumers find increases faith in media

credibility decreases (Seamon 60).

Improving the quality of student work, however, is not the only concern of journalism

education. In many ways, journalism educators must chase a moving target. The industry is

changing at a remarkable rate. Geneva Overholser makes the powerful statement, Journalism as

we know it is over (5). As a result of technological innovation, readers changing expectations

and economic instability, the old model is collapsing before a satisfying new model has taken

hold. A number of questions have arisen. What exactly are the elements of mainstream

journalism that must be preserved? In the new, emerging models, who will pay for that

journalism? And how, during the transition period, can we ensure that journalism in the public

interest survives (Overholser 5)?

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As in the past, journalism educators are using classroom methods that focus on very

specific sets of traditional skills. These methods dont work to answer the new questions the

industry is asking. According to the research of Mass and Popovich, strict traditional methods

prevail even in the classes of those teachers who value more progressive strategies and who think

that they are communicating progressive attitudes (224). Research indicates that today's media

writing teachers across the United States still cling to the traditional media writing techniques

and models that have long served academia and the industry (Mass and Popovich 230).

In addition, journalism educators have not kept pace in teaching the digital methods. "A

review of recent journalism scholarship and textbooks that explore new communication

technologies indicates that most scholars and practitioners are responding to [technology]

challenges in ways that largely conform to existing conventions" (Huesca 7). [Teachers] need to

consider how convergence, globalization, digitization, and integrated communications are

affecting the curricula of journalism and mass communications (Wanta et al. 216).In summary,students are not graduating from journalism programs with the skills they need to produce

quality journalism much less lead the industry toward a vibrant future.

With this, the second goal of journalism education in an evolving environment is to

interrogate the practice of journalism for the purpose of pointing out the perils of confusing

tradition with justification, a reminder to students that there often exists for reasons that need to

be explored, a gap between what journalism is and has been and what journalism ought to be

(Dates et al. 149). By acknowledging flaws in the current system, teachers provide an

opportunity for students to develop their own ideas about what journalism is and how it ought to

work (Dates et al. 149).

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Journalism scholars who have begun interrogating the fundamentals of the practice of

journalism and journalism education have uncovered a third goal. One paper, which was

published inJournalism Studies in 2006, began by asking, Does journalism education matter?

From the start, the contributors reminded readers that journalism began as a vocation, rather than

a profession. Theodore Glasser of Stanford University wrote, No one needs a degree in

journalismor any degree at allto excel as a reporter or editor (Dates et al. 148). Journalism

education, the contributors stressed, is not as important for its role in communicating skills that

can be learned on the job as it is for communicating journalisms importance in society.

Janette Dates began by proving that journalism itself matters. Journalism is not just a

raft or a profession. It is the linchpin of the foundation of democracy: an informed citizenry

making informed judgments about how they will live together (145). Others echoed her

thoughts. Journalism is one of the most important professions in the world: It is the principal

way for us to mediate between the world of actions, the world of expertise, and the general

public, Lee Bollinger wrote in the Columbia Journalism Review in 2002 (Dates et al. 144).

Perhaps the first goal of journalism studies is communicating journalists role in serving the

public interest (Dates et al. 145).

Admittedly, these are tremendous aspirations for an introductory journalism classroom.

According to the propositions above, students must be able to describe journalisms role in

democracy and make a set of claims regarding the fundamental nature of journalism in the

future. In additionwhether journalists can learn writing skills on the job or noteditors expect

college-educated journalists to produce high-quality journalistic texts. Before long, they will be

expected to produce not only in traditional narrative forms but integrated and interactive

electronic stories as well.

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By writing this paper, I aim to propose a course that accomplishes these goals. The

endeavor involves a number of steps. First, I will review strategies used to teach journalism in

the past. The purpose of the review is twofold. By examining history, we see the needs

journalism education strategies have identified and in what ways the strategies have succeeded or

failed. Then, I will draw parallels between both the traditional and newly identified needs

expressed by journalism educators and the answers transformational leadership offers. I

hypothesize that teachers who employ the transformational leadership paradigm have the

potential to communicate the industrys traditional values, democratic demands and evolving

understandings of the profession in a structure useful to both students and themselves. Finally, I

will create a course portfolio that integrates leadership and educational materials and that

facilitates the implementation of a transformational leadership paradigm in an introductory

journalism classroom.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Theory vs. Practice. Serious debate within journalism education began as soon as the

University of Missouri started the first journalism department in 1908. Journalists argued that

journalism students should learn on the job, while academics advocated for a university setting

for journalists training. It was the era of theory versus practice. A temporary equilibrium was

reached by emphasizing the practical. The instructors were professional news people, and

courses focused on professional needs, including the principles of journalism, ethics,

newsgathering, editorial writing, the law of libel, history, newspaper administration, comparative

journalism, advertising, public relations and reporting (Brandon 60).

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One theorist seemed to insult practitioners critical thinking skills in saying that

[Practitioners] ought to know why theyve been doing what theyve been doing all those

years (Greenberg 301). Practitioners claimed that they are naturally critical. After all, their jobs

revolve around the practice of asking questions (Greenberg 293). In addition, practitioners

resented the apparently hostile tone adopted in much current theoretical writing about practice

(Greenberg 294).

Practitioners claimed that theory is confusing and demoralizing for students.

Learning it bogs them down and paralyzes them (Greenberg 300). In addition, they claimed that

learning theory is not necessary, because journalism theories and treatises do not inform

practice as much as they track it (Dates et al. 148). G. Stuart Adam of Carleton University

answered that criticism by saying that journalism schools are relied upon to make both

journalists and journalism critics (Dates et al. 154).

In the classroom, practitioners claim that practical experience is critical to making

courses credible (Greenberg 300). At the same time, theorists use the credibility argument as

well. They say, Tutors relying [only] on their own professional experience [may] teach students

the routines and practices they are familiar with, without making clear how and why those

practices are open to debate (Greenberg 300).

Stephen Cushion seems to argue both points. There remains a resistanceand more

than a hint of suspicionamongst many journalists that media studies courses fail to encapsulate

accurately the harsh, everyday reality of life on the beat (421). He continues that many

programs offer critical perspectives about the media industry rather than being part of it (431).

However, later in his paper, Cushion recognizes the relevance of teaching the history of the

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press, ownership, regulation, ethics and law, and the role of the media in democracy. The

creators of journalism studies programs, he claimed, must convince those working in the industry

that an understanding of these topics helps journalists do their jobs in the real world (Cushion

431).

The research points to gaps between the ideals of practitioners and theorists and between

those of journalism studies programs and organizations that employ journalists. Still, it should be

noted that many have called for a culture of mutual respect in discussions and a framework of

self-reflection that does not inherently belittle journalism as an activity (Greenberg 294).

Explicit theory is still important as a way of providing meaning to the experience and of framing

questions, but practice is highly valued for its ability to draw on our intelligence, experience and

powers of critical reflection. (Schon as cited in Greenberg 291). Both camps agree that there is a

need for the other and are seemingly committed to building a more direct relationship between

the theoretical and practical disciplines in the educational setting and beyond (Greenberg 302).

Product vs. Process. In the 1980s a new debate took root. Until this point, most

journalism professors had been teaching writing in much the same way they had been taught in

school. They concentrated on the accuracy, organization and grammatical correctness of the final

product as measured against a pre-established model (Mass and Popovich 218). It was

assumed that media stories are conceived and written in a linear, methodical fashion. Educational

units emphasized story forms (e.g., inverted pyramid) and formats (e.g., speech stories, meeting

coverage and crime stories). Lectures were frequent, and papers received detailed critiques

complete with severe penalties for grammatical errors (Mass and Popovich 218). According to

Mass and Popovich, teachers conceived themselves as editors and the classroom as a newsroom

(215), perhaps as an effort to find common ground in the theory-versus-practice debate.

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One example of the traditionalist model is profiled in an article "Feature Writing Course

Arouses Fear of God, which appeared inJournalism Educatorin 1977. According to the

paper, theteacher was successful in her sink-or-swim approach. The class featured many

assignments, short deadlines and huge deductions in credit for grammatical and stylistic errors.

And the students achieved a respect for high writing standards, clarity, coherence and correctness

(Clark 54).

During the 1980s, however, journalism educators began to note flaws related to the

traditionalist method of writing instruction. Students educated for many years within the

traditionalist mode had adopted a rigid tone that lacked creativity (Mass and Popovich 216). In

addition, the method was discouraging, even paralyzing, to all but the best students (Schierhorn

and Endres 59). Finally, the pre-established model against which work is judged disallows

innovation at a time when changes in the industry require that practitioners to work creatively to

engage consumers and to adapt to the evolving formats. As a result, a growing number of

theorists began a search for a more integrated paradigm in the teaching of writing (Mass and

Popovich 216).

Borrowing from research related to the teaching of composition, researchers began to

envision writing as an intuitive and recursive process focused on making meaning (Zurek 19). It

involves pre-writing (e.g., brainstorming, free writing and idea development), drafting (e.g.,

discovery and collaboration) and revising (e.g., internal revision, editing and proofreading). They

found that students worked best when they moved freely between writing stages with an

emphasis on creativity and finding their own meaning. Teachers began to see themselves as

coaches rather than editors, which led to more teacher involvement during the texts creation and

revision (Pitts 12). Progressive educators tended to assign more non-graded, informal writing

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exercises; to organize collaborative writing and peer-editing teams in the classroom; and to

schedule student conferences regularly (Mass and Popovich 218).

But challenges arose with what came to be known as the process-based method as well.

Students confidence and self-esteem improvedwhich may relate to an exaggerated impression

of student proficiency mentioned earlierbut overemphasis on process writing and a de-

emphasis on the quality of the finished work impaired the focus, clarity, structure and critical

thinking skills of some students. And mechanical proficiency decreased (Ward and Seifert 104).

Another problem arose with fewer graded assignments; professors had a hard time making the

process count grade-wise (Mass and Popovich 216). Finally, some said that following a series

of steps resulted in lazy teachers and to students who didnt take enough responsibility for the

final product (Mass and Popovich 217).

As a result of the flaws in the process-based methodology, several instructors attempted

to blend the best parts of the product and process systems. The balancing act between nurturing

creativity while ensuring quality has been the subject of several writing studies since the 1990s

(Mass and Popovich 216). One teacher exposed his journalism students to journalism as

literature assignments on a biweekly basis. The practice tuned students in to great writers of

journalism and united a class of varying journalistic abilities (Allen 50). Another teacher adopted

the practice of syneticsa complex method used to increase creative thinkingto reintroduce

students to the right-brained processes of building the contrast, metaphors and analogies that

instill otherwise bland journalistic prose with creative flair (Land 52). A third employed music to

introduce literary themes that journalists can use to increase the appeal of their news stories.

Picking out specific literary conventions in lyricsimagery and metaphor, for instance

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encouraged students to use the same conventions even within the factual framework of

journalism (McKerns 21).

Mass and Popovich claimed, The challenge for journalism educators is to integrate the

best of writing as product and process in their instruction (215). According to this research

team, the best journalistic and media classroom instruction unites craft and creativity. Students

learn to think as writers and gain confidence in their creativity, while recognizing and employing

the principles and techniques required by their professional craft (Mass and Popovich 214).

Regardless of a teachers intent, those who try to blend product- and process-based

methods in the journalism classroom usually end up with a traditional journalism course with a

few activities meant to foster creativity (Mass and Popovich 224). This is illustrated in

journalism texts, which still stress formal featuresstructure, style and types of storiesrather

than the more amorphous and creative process of generating meaning (Zurek 19-20). Even if text

books did blend product and process frameworks, the blended model does not bring structural

and creative elements together in the way that reflects the writing practices exemplified by good

writers in the real world (Pitts 12). Most importantly among the reasons to continue looking for a

satisfying method is the less-than-desirable results noted in the introduction (Brandon 62).

Standards-Based Learning. In the early 1990s, the idea of national education standards

began its assent among philosophies governing learning methods in elementary and secondary

schools (Marzano and Kendall 2). Former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch is

recognized as the originator of the movement toward standards-based education. According to

her book,National Standards in American Education: a Citizen's Guide, standards define what is

to be taught and what kind of performance is expected (25).

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There are two types of standards that often get confusedly mixed in documents meant to

define standards. In simple terms, a contentstandard describes what students should know and be

able to do; a curriculumstandard describes what should take place in the classroom.

Specifically, curriculum standards address instructional technique or recommended activities as

opposed to knowledge and skill per se (Marzano and Kendall 12).

As a result of the rise in standards-based education, a few states have published statewide

standards for journalism education at the high school level. Finished in September 2007, the

document produced for high school journalism classes in the state of Indiana is ten pages long

and includes seven main standards addressing the major topics. They include historical

perspectives, law and ethics, media analysis, journalistic writing processes, writing for media,

technology and design, and media leadership and career development.

On the national level, several experts have suggested drafting national standards for

journalists as a means of curbing the decline in the quality of journalism available to the public

(Overholser 13). And a few have even suggested the creation of a set of worldwide standards for

journalism and journalism education (Cushion 424).

Apart from the obvious benefits related to defining how educators should prioritize

instruction in public schools, the standards shift the educational emphasis from inputs to outputs

(Marzano and Kendall 9). According to journalism education researcher Wayne Wanta, Good

teachers emphasize outcomes, not inputs; they focus on what students learn rather than how

much content the teachers teach (Wanta et al. 216). In addition, the standards-based method

simplifies the creation of rubrics and assessments (Marzano and Kendall 8). Having a valid

rubric may answer the difficulties related to grading identified by those using the process-based

method of writing instruction detailed above.

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On the national and state level, the use of standards in public schools have encountered

resistance for many reasons not least of which is because they were simply too cumbersome to

use (Marzano and Kendall 5). The writers of the standardsoften those with deep

understanding of the subject mattergot carried away with the detail. The number and

specificity of the standards reflected the potential of the subject rather than an amount of material

practical for the time allotted (Marzano and Kendall 5). To illustrate, Marzano and Pickering

presented a report in which they quantified the amount of time it would take to complete all of

the 200 standards expected of elementary and high school students and compared it to the total

number of school hours in the K-13 lifetime. They found that, even after much whittling,

students are expected to learn over 15,000 hours of material in just over 13,000 hours (Marzano

and Pickering 9).

The other reason national and state standards have faced criticism in schools is because

the best educational standards are highly unique to a schools region and its community.

Standards-based approaches must be tailor made to the specific needs and values of individual

schools and districts (Marzano and Kendall 11). As we will learn later, transformational

leadership suggest that standards may be most effective when they are created by the members of

the specific class.

As a result of criticisms from public school leaders, the push for national and state

standards in public schools has weakened (Marzano and Kendall 6). But Marzano and Kendall

insist that the standards-based model is still relevant on a smaller scale. We assert that the logic

behind organizing schooling around standards is so compelling as to make standards-based

school reform something that schools and districts will implement even in the absence of federal

or state mandates or incentives (Marzano and Kendall 6).

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Many of the qualities of standards-based journalism and journalism education have been

found desirable in the realm of journalism. With standards, some journalism leaders envision a

monitoring organization that might evaluate and report on the quality of news (Overholser 13).

The criticisms of the implementation of standards in journalism and journalism education are

based not on locality or community, as they are in public schools, but on freedom. No one agrees

on what components of journalism represent quality, and many journalists are passionate in their

resistance to a system that would qualify or disqualify journalists to report (Overholser 13).

Experiential Learning. Next in the search for the perfect method of instruction were the

experiential learning pioneers Dewey, Lewin, Joplin and Kolb (Brandon 63-4). Since these

founding researchers drafted the method, others have tweaked it in ways that have led to a

number of renamings (e.g., problem-based learning, solution-based learning and student-centered

education). Synonyms and permutations have led to as many as a dozen different monikers for

the same educational movement. Proponents of the method claim that it mirrors reality in ways

the other methods do not. Professionals do not simply maintain an expert body of knowledge

and retrieve it when needed; rather, they constantly engage with their practice, through actions

underpinned by intrinsic intellectual processes, creating solutions appropriate to the specific

context of a problem (Kolb cited in Greenberg 290).

Experiential learning researchers insist that students should be expected to work through

challenges in the same way that professionals do. In order to replicate real-world problem-

solving environments, the student experiences an event, acquires competencies and compares

the knowledge gained with knowledge gained in similar situations (Brandon 62). An ideal

experiential learning environment should develop the skills of learning, encourage initiative and

lead students to adopt healthy attitudes toward the learning process (Brandon 62). The

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combination of real-world problem solving and the use of intellectual processes suggest the

method as an answer to the theory-versus-practice debate.

At its most basic, participants face problems, develop theories for their solution, test

those theories in practice, and evaluate the outcome (Brandon 63). More specifically the process

should include the identification of needs, the expanding of tasks, objective setting and the

freedom for participants to decide how to meet objectives. This encourages them to acknowledge

problems and to use mistakes as learning opportunities, which provides the incorporation of

meaningful and unforeseen skills. Educators within this method provide frequent feedback,

encourage students to experiment with new methods and support students efforts (Brandon 62).

The success of the method in any given situation is based on the extent of direct contact

with objects, forms, features and processes; the extent that students are involved in the planning

and execution of an activity; the extent that participants are responsible for mastering an activity;

and the extent that participants have an opportunity to experience personal growth (Brandon

63). By allowing the students to take the lead in the execution, this method empowers students.

Many teachers in public schools use a combination of standards-based and experiential

learning. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe wrote the bookUnderstanding by Design to detail

how teachers can draw on the strengths of both systems. Teachers use the state or school

standards to identify the desired results, determine the benchmarks the students will exhibit as

evidence of learning, and finally plan learning experiences. Because the method begins at the

end, so to speak, the researchers labeled the process backward design (18).

Wanda Brandon recommended the experiential learning framework for improving the

learning environment in journalism classes. The experiential process has tremendous potential

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for giving students opportunities to solve problems in the same ways they would in a

professional environment. But, however compelling the research, the experiential learning and

backward design methods have not caught on. (As we learned earlier, most journalism teachers

are still using traditional methods of instruction.) Accounts of experiential methods in action are

scarce perhaps because of their intensity. Teachers who use experiential learning consistently

might find that, due to the student-guided nature of the method, they lack the time to give

students experiences that relate to all of the content areas they hoped to cover. Those who use

backward design might find that they are spending a lot of effort structuring classroom time with

activities that may or may not lead to the attainment of instructional goals. Without examples of

teachers who have adopted these models, it is difficult to tell if either experiential learning or

backward design would work.

Before moving on, I would like to summarize the origins, goals and shortfalls of each of

the instructional models we have discussed so far. (I have italicized words that I will highlight

later in the paper.)

Theory and practice, a pair of instructional methods that came out of traditional

journalism classrooms, address concerns ofcompetence and credibility. Although

one can teach mostly one or the other, the methods support one another in the

instructional setting.

From the realm of composition education, we have the product and process

methods, which are focused on the creation journalistic texts that are at once

mechanically proficient and readable. In short, these methods address quality.

Neither method nor blends of the two reflect the reality of producing high-quality

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work. In addition, the product method has been known to discourage students,

while the process method has been criticized for over praising them.

Elementary and secondary education research provided the standard-based

concept of instruction, which is focused entirely ongoal-setting. It defines what

students should be able to do and the best ways to encourage their achievement.

Rigid implementation of the standards based paradigm sometimes results in an

over-programmed classroom.

Experiential leadership, also from elementary and secondary school research, is a

wonderful method for generating real-world problem-solvingskills in ways that

empowerstudents. The sometimes slow, free-flowing nature of the method may

prohibit teachers from accomplishing instructional goals.

Transformational Leadership.Now we borrow from the business world. Its not the

first time that strategies used in corporate training have been suggested for the college-level

classroom. Judith Kolb observed corporate training in presentation skills for use in a university

public speaking classroom (1-8). She found that both corporate trainees and college students

benefit from conventions often employed in business environments. In this case, the researcher

highlighted four transferable techniques (a) the creation of a supportive, risk-taking atmosphere,

(b) the use of speaker goal setting, (c) regular in-training performance evaluations and (d) plans

for real-world implementation of the skills acquired (Kolb 1).

Leadership is a corporate idea that has gained importance throughout the last half of the

twentieth century. Publications about leadership have been rising steadily since the 1970s, and

several universities now require leadership courses as a part of their curricula (Zorn and Violanti

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70). Zorn and Violantis paper served as a guide for instructors who would like to include

information about leadership in their courses. It describes several models that have been used to

identify the leader-follower roles, including Blake and Moutons managerial grid (72),

situational leadership theory (74), transactional leadership (75) and, the most modern and

sophisticated among the models, transformational leadership (75).

Transformational leadership attempts to raise the followers consciousness by appealing

to moral values and Maslows higher-level needs, including self-actualization and self-esteem.

Transformational leaders are creative, interactive, visionary, empowering and passionate (Zorn

and Violanti 75). They are committed to the work and the process of encouraging participation

and of defining and reinforcing group values (Zorn and Violanti 75).

The transformational leadership style was authored by Kouzes and Posner, who spent

years conducting research on hundreds of research subjects personal-best leadership experiences

to create their leadership practices inventory (Kouzes and Posner 14). It is made up of five

practices that nearly every good leadership experience in their research had in common.

Essentially, good leaders set an example, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable

others to act and provide encouragement (Kouzes and Posner 14).

All leadership situations involve a significant challenge or discontentment with a

situation (Kouzes and Posner 18). They feature a leader who has strong beliefs on the matter

(Kouzes and Posner 46) and who is interested in empowering each member to fulfill personal

goals and in creating group-driven change (Kouzes and Posner 20). With this description, it is

difficult not to see the journalism classroom as an optimal place to implement the

transformational leadership paradigm. According to journalism researchers cited in the

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introduction of this proposal, the journalism industry is in trouble.Journalism teachers have an

opportunity to present journalistic issues in ways that inspire students personal interest andtheir

abilities to generate ideas for positive change.

METHODOLOGY

Now, it seems, it would be helpful to describe a journalism classroom using

transformational leadership theory. Because I found no documented sources of college-level

teachers of introductory journalism classes (or any teachers, for that matter) using

transformational leadership theory in their classrooms, the description that follows draws

parallels between educational literature and Kouzes and Posners book, Leadership Challenge. It

imagines how the transformational leadership paradigm might work in the educational

environment.

As we noted, there are five practices that make up successful leadership. Under these five

practices, Kouzes and Posner relate ten commitments good leaders make. These commitments

often overlap and become intertwined. Below I have chosen to dissect some of Kouzes and

Posners leadership tasks and compress others based on which are most relevant to the

educational environment.

Developing Credibility. According to Kouzes and Posner, credibility is the foundation

of leadership (37). The research team learned this by beginning with an open-ended question to

thousands of people: What values, personal traits or characteristics do you look for and admire

in a leader (Kouzes and Posner 28)? The team used content and empirical analyses to narrow

the answers to twenty characteristics, each with a set of synonyms. Then they administered

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seventy-five thousand one-page questionnaires worldwide in order to rank them in order of

importance. The questionnaire asked respondents to check off the seven qualities they most look

for in a leader, as defined someone whose direction they would willingly follow (Kouzes and

Posner 28-9). In more than 20 years of researchthrough economic growth and recession, the

introduction and popularization of the Internet and increased globalizationfour qualities have

consistentlyregardless of national, cultural and organizational differencesreceived over 60

percent of the votes. People choose leaders who are honest, forward-looking, inspiring, and

competent (Kouzes and Posner 29).

Similarly, communication education researchers Ann Bainbridge Frymier and Catherine

A. Thompson determined that credibility is based on competence and character (388). Teachers

need to be perceived as both competent and of good character to be effective (Frymier and

Thompson 397).

It is interesting to note that this isnt the first time the word credibility has made a

significant appearance in this paper. Both theorists and practitioners claim that their practices are

responsible for providing credibility to journalism classrooms. Exhibiting proficiency in both

theory and practice is one way that journalism teachers can show competence, which according

to Frymier and Thompson is one half of the qualities necessary to earn the role of leader in the

classroom.

According to Kouzes and Posner, identifying credibility in a person involves measuring

their actions against their stated beliefs. When peoples words and actions match, they are said to

be credible (40-1). Universally, credible leaders have strong beliefs about matters of principle

(Kouzes and Posner 46), express these values, and follow through (Kouzes and Posner 41).

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Frymier and Thompson described the same values in a way that appeals to my personal

sensibility. In their study, they wrote that Consistent messagesboth verbal and nonverbal

led to perceptions of greater character (Frymier and Thompson 388). Character, if you

remember, is half of Frymier and Thompsons equation of credibility.

And credibility is important. Kouzes and Posner learned that respondents who found their

immediate managers credible were more likely to take pride in their work and to work

consistently without supervision (39). Many education researchers have reported similar findings

regarding credibility and student interest (Frymier and Thompson 388). [There is a] relationship

between these teacher-communication behaviors and student motivation (Frymier and

Thompson 388). Whether at work or at school, people enjoy being engaged in meaningful

thought. They enjoy working hard toward an important goal. People are prone to expose

themselves more and pay more attention to people and things they like (Frymier and Thompson

397). And student attitudes toward their craft are considered significant predictors of writing

performance (Mass 45).

Frymier, Kouzes, Posner and Thompson all take the competence step for granted.

Competence is gained over years of experience: not in a leadership manual or a research paper.

This being the case, the next logical step in creating credibility, according to Kouzes and Posner,

is the leaders defining what he or she believes (47).

Clarifying Values. Kouzes and Posner found that the process of clarifying personal

values drives leaders commitment (62). Leaders must discover what they believe before they are

able to voice those beliefs and follow through in ways that inspire constituents. In a journalism

classroom, a teacher might create a personal definition for what journalism is and what

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journalists do. The teacher might also create personal and classroom missions, set instructional

goals based on the institutions objectives for the curriculum and think about stories and other

personal language that she can use to communicate values and objectives in ways that relate to

students. (Later, it will become clear thatalthough the leader must enter the situation with

values, beliefs and goalsthe class values, beliefs and goals must be generated by the group as a

whole in order to be effective.)

Frymier and Thomson dont stress personal values as much as confidence (e.g.,

dynamism, presenting an interesting self, exhibiting physical and vocal animation) and

friendliness (e.g., being optimistic, sensitive and polite; smiling and making eye contact; and

attempting to be of assistance to the student) for their roles in creating credibility (Frymier and

Thompson 397-8). Kouzes and Posner seem to take the qualities of confidence and friendliness

for granted.

Both sets of researchers agree that, Leaders dont just speak for themselves (Kouzes

and Posner 68). Of the twelve actions that can be counted on to build the perception of character

and credibility, Frymier and Thompson identified several that seek and value the input of

students. Ways to seek and value student input include listening, inquiring about the students

interests, demonstrating interest in what the student says, and providing positive reinforcement

(Frymier and Thompson 397-8). Leaders seek input by asking constituents about their personal

goals and values on a continual basis and making the discussion of values a part of the

organizations language. The leader constantly draws connections between personal beliefs and

constituent needs to create the groups shared values, also described as the groups expectations,

obligations or promises (Kouzes and Posner 60).

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Setting an Example. Asking about values and goals on the first day of class or even on a

regular basis is not enough to perpetuate the positive effects of a transformational leadership

paradigm. Leaders have to live it (Kouzes and Posner 76). With their time and attention (Kouzes

and Posner 79), language (Kouzes and Posner 80), storytelling (Kouzes and Posner 89),

questions (Kouzes and Posner 83), responses to critical situations (Kouzes and Posner 88) and

positive reinforcement (Kouzes and Posner 92), leaders personify group values and set a good

example. Teachers exemplify learning by being good learners and perpetuate the ideal classroom

environment by behaving the ways they want their students to behave.

That takes care of the classroom environment, but journalism teachers also want students

to be good journalists. Often there are no writers in writing classrooms; teachers have stopped

writing before students have really started. Instructors who hope to foster good journalists might

begin by beinggood journalists in ways that students can see. A journalism teacher actively

writing stories or researching theory in plain sight provides students with an example of how the

process works. Letting students know that the work is intended for publicationwhether in a

regional magazine or a local newspaper or in a professional journallends relevance to the

skills.

Astonishingly, I found very little academic research related to teachers ability to teach

through their own professional example. One researcher noted, Journalism programs favor

faculty who can teach by example, who can demonstrate what others can only describe, who can

inspire good work by pointing to their own good work (Dates et al. 148). Sharon Dunwoody

touched on the topic when she wrote that breaking down the wall between teaching and

producing professional work may be beneficial to both students and teachers (Wanta et al 218-9).

Another researcher hinted that continuing to engage with the practice might be helpful for

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teachers. Professionals do not simply maintain an expert body of knowledge and retrieve it

when needed; rather, they constantly engage with their practice (Kolb cited in Greenberg

290).1 Still, I found no research directly related to how a professors outside-of-class work might

be used to inspire students in class. There is a tremendous opportunity for further research in this

area.

The reason professional example-setting doesnt happen more often in classrooms might

be the lack of time. There is already so much to do. Kouzes and Posner recommend storytelling

as a doable way to incorporate example setting (89). At first it might be hard to see the

connection, but a leaders vivid, memorable stories reinforce values (Kouzes and Posner 97).

Second, a teacher might mention briefly the successes and challenges related to his or her

research or how he or she is executing an article for a magazine. Without showing the process in

class, students can garner information about how they might employ what they are learning.

Empowering students to share stories of personal writing- or research-related successes

and challenges in ways that are vivid and memorable reinforces values, but this is not the only

benefit. Storytelling is a primary journalistic skill, and storytelling in class provides students

impromptu, oral practice. It allows them to see in real time what interests and repels their

audience. In addition, sharing positive and negative journalism and research experiences with

storytelling transfers the role of teacher to the student.

Envisioning the future. Kouzes and Posners conception of envisioning the future comes

into the journalism classroom in two distinct and pivotal ways. The first way that teachers can

1 This is the second time I have used this quote. It was first used to illustrate the values of experiential learning.

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envision the future relates directly to the standards-based methodology I addressed in the

literature review. Teachers simply work with the college and the students to determine what

journalistic content is most important and make plans to address those topics. Clear expectations

and goals focus our attention and keep people engaged (Kouzes and Posner 286-8). A quote on

the opening page of the chapter Envision the Future in Kouzes and Posners book could have

come out Wiggins and McTighes Understanding by Design: Jim Pitts of Northrop Grumman

Corporation is quoted to have said, You begin with the end in mind, by knowing what you

dream about accomplishing, and then figure out how to make it happen (103).

The other way envisioning the future helps journalism teachers relates to the second goal

of this hypothetical introductory journalism course: it gives students the opportunity to define

how journalism should look in the future. However similar the goals, envisioning the future

must happen in a very different way in the corporate world as compared with the educational

environment.

In the corporate environment, good leaders imagine exactly how an ideal future will look

(Kouzes and Posner 110), inspire others to join them in the pursuit of that vision (Kouzes and

Posner 116), tweak it based upon group ideals (Kouzes and Posner 118), and take steps to make

it happen (Kouzes and Posner 121). In education, that would never fly. Teachers are not allowed

to indoctrinate their students with personal beliefs.

Instead, the journalism education leader would communicate a belief that a healthy

journalism industry is possible. (Remember, Frymier and Thompson identified optimism as a

component of character.) Then, the teacher would leave it to students to present ideas regarding

how journalism might overcome its current distress and go on serving the public interest. Kouzes

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and Posner relate the process to sending everyone shopping for ideas (186) and experimenting

and taking risks (188).

In a journalism classroom, shopping and experimenting might take the form of an

experiential learning project. A group evaluation of experiential projects focused on the future of

journalism might take the form of what Kouzes and Posner call pre-mortems (213). Analogous

to the traditional post-mortem discussion related to specific problems with the solution, a pre-

mortem anticipates possible challenges associated with a given solution.

Fostering Collaboration. In a survey conducted by MaryMino and MarilynnButler,students were asked: (1) What was the most successful college course you have ever taken? (2)

What role did you play to make this course successful? (3) What role did the instructor play to

make this course successful? (495). Third among the six reasons students gave for their success

was participating in discussions, both with the instructor and their classmates (495). Despite

this research, lecture is still the most common mode of instruction (Terenzini and Pascarella 31).

Teachers in the typical classroom spend about 80 percent of their time lecturing to students who

are attentive to what was being said about 50 percent of the time (Terenzini and Pascarella 32).

Instructional lectures are ineffective when they assume that each student is equally

prepared, that students learn at the same rate and in the same way and that differences in

performance relate to differing student effort and ability (Terenzini and Pascarella 35).

Moreover, the traditional lecture format does not provide an opportunity for the listener to clarify

misunderstanding. Lectures are particularly ineffective when they are not carefully organized,

rehearsed and supported by other means of instruction and stimuli (e.g., audio visual materials,

activities, or discussion sessions) (Mino and Butler 498-9).

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Mino and Butler contend that interactive instruction, one type of collaborative learning, is

a more effective instructional approach for several reasons. This type of instruction: (1) creates

a classroom setting conducive to learning; (2) arouses and directs students' interests, experience,

and energy; (3) helps the instructor lead discussions that stay on track and involve all students;

and (4) improves oral communication skills (Mino and Butler 494). Interactive environments

emphasize open communication, focus on student participation and create a climate that

encourages proactive learning (Mino and Butler 494). The research indicates active learning

produces greater gains in academic content and skills, because students are more involved and

take more responsibility (Terenzini and Pascarella 34-5).

Fostering collaboration is number seven in Kouzes and Posners ten commitments of

leadership (221). Kouzes and Posner recommend creating an environment where everyone is

comfortable asking questions (222), structuring projects to promote joint effort (237) and

providing face-to-face interactions (240). All of these actions are already very common in

education literature and in many classrooms.

My favorite among Kouzes and Posners collaborative recommendationsand one that is

far less common in educational environmentsis support norms of reciprocity (234).

Cooperation, they explain, relies on equal amounts of give and take (Kouzes and Posner 235).

This idea suggests taking the traditional adversarial attitude out of the student-teacher

relationship. In the transformational leadership classroom, teachers would be as likely to learn as

students. Students would teach as well as learn. And the goal would be creating the best work

possible based on a mutually defined set of standards. It acknowledges that those who cooperate

are most likely to experience success (Kouzes and Posner 235).

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Providing Encouragement. Encouragement is an important part of every successful

leadership. Challenges like those that require transformational leadership require that people

work quite intensely and put in long hours. To persist for months at a demanding pace and to

experiment and try new things, people need encouragement (Kouzes and Posner 281). According

to Kouzes and Posner, encouraging people involves two important components: leaders must

expect the best from constituents and personalize recognition (281).

This first one is particularly interesting. One of the very few mentions of teachers in

Kouzes and Posner reads, As human beings, we tend to live up toor down toour leaders

(teachers, coaches, parents) expectations (282). Leaders who set high expectations and expect

(meaning, consider likely) enjoy an increased likelihood that their constituents will succeed

(282). Teachers must fundamentally believe in the abilities of their students. In believing in

students, students begin to believe in themselves and perform better. In this way, leaders bring

out the best in people (Kouzes and Posner 282).

Giving personalized recognition involves getting to know constituents well enough to

understand what type of recognition would be most meaningful to them. Admittedly, this is

difficult when there are many students and when a uniform method of recognitionnamely,

gradesis already built in. Perhaps the best way to recognize students, above giving a good

grade, is by thanking them for their contribution (Kouzes and Posner 298).

One important aspect of teaching writing is delivering criticism in a sensitive way. No

matter how motivated the student is, he or she will still make mistakes. Writing is a deeply

personal act, and students are frequently ill-equipped to handle constructive criticism directed at

their work. And educators may be too removed from the sensitivities and insecurities of their

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students (Mass 46). One student noted in her journal: "It can take years to build your soul back

up. Professors need to begin realizing the impact they have on their pupils (Mass 46).

Kouzes and Posner fall short in that they do not address delivering criticism in ways that

are appropriate, thoughtful and constructive. (According to the index, the word criticism is not

mentioned in the book at all. When they speak of feedback, they are mostly interested in the

leaders willingness to seek feedback from constituents.) A brief mention of feedback as it is

dished from teachers to student, relates directly to goals. Goals without feedback, or feedback

without goals, have little effect on motivation (Kouzes and Posner 288). It shouldnt be

surprising at this point, that Mass instructs teachers to use "focused instructional strategies" that

sensitively identify the differences between student work and the desired product (46). Like

Kouzes and Posner, Masss conception of redirecting students is related to achieving a goal.

This takes personal worth judgments out of the equations and increases the likelihood that

students will find the feedback constructive and motivational.

All the talk about goals might inspire a person to reexamine the standards-based

methodology, where the word goals is featured so prominently. As it turns out, the method

provides an answer long employed for the sensitive evaluation of highly personal writing

assignments: the rubric. Long used as a consistent way to measure whether or not students have

met instructional goals (Wiggins and McTighe 173), the leadership paradigm highlights the idea

that rubrics are as a way to evaluate work that is as useful to the student as it is to the teacher.

PROPOSAL

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Some may claim that the reason we found so many similarities between writings about

education and journalism education and those about transformational leadership is because

teachers are naturally transformational leaders. In the best circumstances, this is no doubt the

case. Good teachers are good leaders. Kouzes and Posner would likely agree that good leaders

are good teachers. Unlike many of the other methods teachers and journalism teachers often use

to structure the education they provide, transformational leadership provides a way to pull all of

the most effective educational practices under one mental umbrella. Furthermore, because of its

ability to fill the particular gaps many journalism education strategies leave, I believe

transformational leadership is particularly well suited for journalism education scenarios.

To demonstrate how a transformational leadership might operate in a journalism

classroom, I intend to create a course portfolio. William G. Christ recommends course portfolios

as a good method for preparing graduate and post-graduates for positions in academia (Wanta et

al. 226). The course portfolio is different from the teaching portfolio in terms of purpose. The

teaching portfolio is developed to help review a teacher's expertise, while the purpose of the

course portfolio is to identify problematic educational issues and intellectual challenges with a

course (Wanta et al. 226). According to Christ, the portfolio starts with goals for student

learning and teaching practices that the new teacher thinks he or she can use to accomplish the

goals (Wanta et al. 226). A new course portfolio might include teaching and learning statements,

a syllabus, and samples of tests and paper questions (Wanta et al. 226).

Moreover, the building of a course portfolio is ongoing. [It] is really like a scholarly

manuscript: not a finished publication, but a manuscripta draftof ongoing inquiry (Wanta

et al. 226). Portfolios for classes that have been taught through might include notes about the

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course from students, the teaching assistant, and the instructor; a sample of student work; and

student and peer evaluations, reviews, and commentaries (Wanta et al. 226).

The creation of my course portfolio will combine Christs concept of the course portfolio

with the conventions of transformational leadership. My portfolio will include several

documents meant to help me clarify my values, including personal definitions for what

journalism is and what journalists do, teaching and learning missions, beliefs regarding the

classroom environment, stories and other personal language that can be used to communicate

values and objectives in ways that relate to students.

The portfolio will include questions that seek out students conceptions of what

journalism is and what journalists do and questions that seek students personal and classroom

missions. Both of these relate to building a shared vision and fostering collaboration. In addition,

the portfolio will define the content and curriculum standards as defined by Marzano and

Kendall (12) and rubrics as defined by Wiggins and McTighe (173). The standards will serve as

instructional goals, while the rubrics will serve as methods to deliver useful encouragement.

Finally, the portfolio will include experiential and group assignments meant to help students

recognize the importance of journalism in democracy and present ideas for the continuation of

journalism in the future.2

2Because I have neither an academic position nor a classroom, much of the material in the course portfolio will beby necessityhypothetical. The content and curriculum standards, for instance, will be based on my own well-

researched concepts of what should be taught and how. In the case that the portfolio were actual, those standards

would be adjusted based upon the institutions goals for both the class and the program and based on students

career and classroom goals.

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I hypothesize that a course portfolio based on the principles of transformational

leadership will help me meet my instructional goals3 in ways that are successful, complete,

practical or true to professional reality.

3As stated in the introduction, students should be able to describe journalisms role in democracy, make a set ofclaims regarding the fundamental nature of journalism in the future, and produce high-quality journalistic texts.

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PART II: Course Portfolio

DEFINING THE PROJECT

The following is based upon pages 20 26 of Kouzes and Posners The Leadership Challenge

Workbook.

The project: The development and implementation of an effective leadership-based introductory

journalism class.

The project goals: To be an effective teacher of journalists.

Time Frame: One semester.

Budget: Minimal, based upon the budget of the employing institution.

Challenges: I have never done this before. It is difficult to know how to begin.

Immediate project team: Myself, the employing institution, students.

Stakeholders: Other journalism teachers and professionals, the wider college community, the

community in which the institution is situated and consumers of news.

Relevance of the project to me: This is fulfilling, important work. I anticipate the satisfaction

of doing a really good job while earning a modest income.

Relevance of the project to my organization: For students, the project has the potential to

provide a really fulfilling learning experience and some important journalistic skills. I hope that

colleagues at the institution that would employ me would be interested in exploring ways to

teach journalism in different and potentially more effective ways.

Relevance of the project to others: For the community and media at large, there is the potential

to improve the craft, its service to the public, and the health of democracy.

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REFLECTION


Workbook.

What are the characteristics of the successful projects you have contributed to in the recent

past? Two notable experiences come to mind. During the first, I was an agricultural extension

agent in the United States Peace Corps. I was tasked to work together with a womens group of

over 500 members to build a community garden that would increase income and nutrition for the

villages families. It was a lofty goal in a region with few natural or economic resources. It was

complex multi-step process. It involved much intercultural education and personal commitment

from every member of the group. In this case, the motivation for the project came from the

members. They originated the goal, which made it easier for them to buy in. I remember having

to spend several months listening and earning their trust and changing my methods drastically

based on the members input. Ultimately we were successful, and the garden was built. The

garden continues to thrive after nearly five years.

The second experience related to a teaching position I held at Southern Vermont

Colleges Summer Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound is a college preparatory program for

high school students from grades 9 12. I was tasked to teach world literature, English

composition, and an interdisciplinary course. The first two courses I taught in a rather

conventional mode despite including projects I considered innovative. For the last courseID

Block, as it was calledI took an entirely different approach. We carried out my ideals for the

first week of class, so that the students would have an example of the type of work I expected,

but then I put the students in charge. I guided. I facilitated. I found and allocated materials.

Honestly, they set their goals higher and performed more diligently than I expected. They had a

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wonderful time, and they learned in ways that were personal and memorable. Among the five

other ID Blocks, ours alone was singled out to present their project at the end of the summer. It

was an amazingly fulfilling experience.

In both of these situations, the members of the group had complete ownership. They set

the goals. They defined their roles. The group abided by norms of mutual respect, hard work, and

enjoyment. In the second of the two experiences, students evaluated the class and instructor (me)

each week for six weeks. The feed back was tremendously useful. In both cases the groups

enjoyed great success.

What two or three things would you hope that students say about the class one year after

its completion? This was the most useful and fulfilling class I have ever taken. I learned

attributes about journalism that have changed my everyday behavior, reinvigorated my love of

learning, improved my skills and increased the likelihood that I will make a valuable

contribution to my field.

What are you already doing to help create this legacy? I have researched journalism in order

to clarify my own beliefs and goals. I have researched journalism education in order to learn

what skills students need and the best ways to encourage professional and academic growth. I am

positive regarding the potential of leadership methods to make a positive impact on the education

of journalists. I am actively pursuing ideas that will help me incorporate leadership into a

journalism classroom.

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What remains to be done in order to make this legacy a reality? I need to create a plan, of

which this document is a start. It will imagine the best ways to build credibility, identify my

values, and engage students in the creation of a values-driven group of new journalists.

IDENTIFYING VALUES

Unless noted, the following is based upon pages 31 35 of Kouzes and Posners The Leadership

Challenge Workbook.

Values are enduring beliefs about the way things should be done or about the ends we desire,

intrinsic principles, consistent thoughts that guide decision making and the foundations of

credibility (31).

What values are most critical to the successful completion of this project? Kouzes and

Posner recommend choosing and prioritizing as many as seven values (33). This is a difficult

task.I have chosen eight.In order of importance, my values for this project include optimism,

example setting, realism, self-determination, creativity and exploration, respectful collaboration,

immediate and purposeful feedback and encouragement and organization and consistency. A

short description of each follows:

Optimism. I believe that good teachers are optimistic regarding their students

capabilities. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, the fathers of transformational leadership theory,

wrote, Constituents look for leaders who demonstrate an enthusiastic and genuine belief in the

capacity of others, who strengthen peoples will, who supply the means to achieve and who

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express optimism for the future. Believing in students is the first step in students believing in

themselves, their accepting responsibility for tasks, and their achieving success.

Example Setting. I believe that teaching begins when the teacher sets an example.I am

saddened that there are rarely many writers in writing class rooms; teachers have stopped writing

before students have begun. I am a teacher who exemplifies the roles of learner, journalist,

academic theorist and leader in ways that students can see. This increases the likelihood that

students will assume these roles for themselves.

Realism. I believe that the best classrooms represent reality.Dr. Yousey, the professor of

my Principles of Education class, said one thing I will always I remember:Professional practice

starts here. As prospective teachers, he expected students to behave as teachers immediately.

The same should be expected of communications students. Real writing assignments, actual

interviews and genuine networking experiences are all a part of my educational plan for new

professionals in communications.

Self-determination. I believe that constituents exhibit higher levels of commitment and

accountability when they are empowered to set their own goals and make their own

determinations regarding their successes.When reviewing my own personal-best leadership

experiences, I found that they had these two attributes in common. Bringing these ideas into the

classroom might involve using student-provided goals to draft the syllabus and requesting

student input in the creation of grading rubrics.

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Creativity & Exploration. One of the most powerful mandates I encountered in my

research was from New York University journalism education researcher Mitchell Stephens. He

wrote, Dont pretend we know how things should be done. Doing so underestimates and

devalues student contributions (Dates et al.). The world of professional communications is

ready for new ideas. I believe students have valuable and creative contributions to make to this

important conversation.

Respectful Collaboration. Collaboration has been much lauded within education circles

in recent years. Working together in an educational environment mirrors collaborative

environments many communicators are likely to find in the work place. Building ideas together

makes classes more interesting, more memorable and more effective.

To me, respectful collaboration includes purposeful feedback. Providing feedback is one

of teachers foremost responsibilities in traditional education systems. Indeed, it is an important

act. Students must understand how the skills they possess measure up against those expected of

them in the professional world. In addition to this traditional form of feedback, my plan for

educating new communicators includes opportunities for students to evaluate regularly their own

work and the work of their teacher. I believe teacher evaluations that occur only once a class is

over are too late.

Organization & Consistency. Someone reading these values might assume that my

classroom might be quite loose and maybe disorganized. Honestly, unpredictable learning

situations have always been personally frustrating for me. I believe that teachers can work with

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students to create a culture of learning that is at once creative, empowering, well organized and

consistent.

What are your organizations values? Do they align with the values of the project? What is

the potential alignment or conflict? At this point, I do not have an organization. For the

purposes of this assignment, I will use documents produced by The College of Saint Rose and

their communications department.According to the information posted on the communications

department Web site, The College of Saint Rose values discovery, storytelling, problem-solving,

big ideas, collaboration, exploration, challenging the status quo, and pioneering unexpected

solutions. All of these words are among those that appear frequently in work produced by

Kouzes and Posner.

On the masters degree page of The College of Saint Rose Web site, the goal of being and

creating leaders is evident in the colleges mission and in the programs degree requirements.

The colleges mission uses its final lines to emphasize leadership: Engagement with the urban

environment expands the setting for educational opportunities and encourages the Saint Rose

communitys energetic involvement and effective leadership in society. The fact that course

Group Communication and Leadership is prominent among graduate courses is an indicator that

the colleges faith in the potential of leadership practices to make a positive and lasting impact.

Finally, because the books I am relying upon for much of my information were assigned

by a member of The College of Saint Rose faculty, I believe these ideas would be welcome for

discourse. Based on feedback from my project advisors, I believe these ideas are open for

discourse and possibly for implementation.

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A few of my values are unconventional for education settings, namely self-determination.

In most classes, teachers set the priorities, the activities, the assignments, etc. Judging success

upon students goals is also unconventional. Handled properly, I think these unconventional

ideas could be integrated into even an institution more traditional than The College of Saint

Rose.

BUILDING AND AFFIRMING SHARED VALUES


Workbook.

When youre the leader, other folks values need to be considered if they are going to be

committed (36). In an educational situation, this involves teachers asking students what they

care about and the educational culture or group norms they would like to establish. Kouzes and

Posner recommend the following steps: (1) Gather the group to discuss values and principles that

will guide group decisions. (2) Set the example by being the first to communicate your values.

Then ask everyone to share. (3) Once everyone has shared, look for commonalities and conflicts.

(4) Discuss how tension can be resolved. (5) Create a team credo that articulates the principles

that will guide the group during the project. (6) Display it prominently.

Honestly, theres not much here that would surprise most teachers or students. Anyone

who has participated in organized group building likely has participated in an exercise like this

one. In the classroom, I envision this process differently than the typical group-building exercise.

Second only to introductionswhich, in order to value realism, might take place in a networking

environmentthis process might occur in the following way: Borrowing from Mino and Butlers

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education research, which is also cited on page 28 of my proposal, I would ask students to

remember their most satisfying educational experience, what the student in that experience did to

make it successful, and what the teacher did. This may help student envision their ideal

educational scenario and discover their values (495). A plan for this exercise may take the

following form:

HOUR 2:

Essential questions: What is your personal-best educational experience? What did your value

about that experience? How can we develop culture of learning that reflects those values?

Procedure:

1. For the first 5 minutes, present storytelling as a journalistic skill and as a way to express

values.

2. For the second 5 minutes, edit experience into three sentences.

3. For the next 30 minutes, share/note values.

4. For the next 20 minutes, draft and finalize a credo.

Thought questions: What is journalism? How does our definition of journalism affect our

standard of academic and professional achievement? Write it down.

INSPIRING A SHARED VISION

The following is based upon page 43 51 of Kouzes and Posners The Leadership Challenge

Workbook.

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According to Kouzes and Posner, vision is a unique and ideal image of the future for the

common good (43). To inspire others, leaders must be able to articulate the vision in

meaningful ways. In my proposal, I drew a connection between the leadership step of inspiring

a shared vision and building educational standards or goals. Based on my research, I believe

that there are three important goals that must be a part of any introductory journalism class.

Students who complete this course should demonstrate understanding of the connection between

journalism and democracy, use journalistic and expressive abilities and mechanical skill to

produce professional-quality journalistic texts and make insightful assertions regarding the

nature of journalism and its future. In order to achieve success, constituents and the leader must

work together to build a vision that belongs to the entire group.

Kouzes and Posner recommend the following steps: (1) articulate your personal vision of

the future to the members of the project, (2) engage members in a dialog about their aspirations,

(3) Enlist others in the common vision and (4) communicate the common vision in an attractive

way (45). The following lessons work to inspire a shared vision by uniting the classs thoughts

about journalism, goals for ourselves and for the industry and how we should spend our time to

accomplish these goals.

HOUR 3:

Essential questions: What is journalism? What is our standard of academic and professional

achievement?

Procedure:

1. For the first 10 minutes, use your networking experience to gather in groups of about four

people. Synthesize your ideas.

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2. For the next 20 minutes, present your groups thoughts in one or two refined sentences.

3. For the next 10 minutes, synthesize again until the definition is finalized.

4. For the next 15 minutes, create a rubric for our work based on our definition. Discuss and

agree.

5. For the last 5 minutes, debrief and look forward.

Thought questions: What do you read? How does our definition of journalism affect our

choices as media consumers? Bring a list of three smart ideas regarding your text for this course.

HOUR 5:

Essential questions: What

Transformational Leadership in the Introductory Journalism Classroom--Ashley Brenon

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