MODULE SPECIFICATION
Code: UPSNNW-30-2 Title: Group and Organisational Dynamics Version: 1
Level: 2 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15
Module type: Project
Owning Faculty: Social Sciences and Humanities Field: Sociology and Criminology
Faculty Committee approval: QSC Date: 27th January 2010
Approved for Delivery by: William Morris (Camphill) Community Ltd., Camphill Communities Thornbury Ltd., Camphill Village Trust Ltd., St. Luke’s Trust Ltd (Camphill Education Development Collaboration or CEDC)
Valid from: Sept 2010 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards: |
FdA Social Pedagogy (Steiner) |
Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: None
Entry requirements: Not applicable
(If the module is offered as CPD or stand alone, indicate the entry requirements)
Excluded combinations: None
Learning outcomes:
At the end of the module the student will be able to:
1. Reflect critically on their own experience in a variety of group and organisational settings. (Component B, elements 1 and 2).
2. Reflect critically on the nature of role-taking in groups and organisations and on the roles they and others take up in groups. (Component B, elements 1 and 2).
3. Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate theories of group processes and organisational dynamics. (Component B, elements 1 and 2).
4. Demonstrate the ability to apply learning from experiences in group and organisational setting to professional practice. (Component B, element 2).
5. Make links between psychodynamic/systemic approaches to groups and Steiner-based approaches to groups. (Component B, element 1).
Syllabus outline:
Students attend an intensive three day experiential workshop followed by a series of seminars and on-going application groups. The workshop is primarily experiential and participative and hence there is little formal teaching. It emphasises experiential learning; that is, learning that arises in the ‘here-and-now’ of experiences within the workshop events themselves.
The follow-up sessions and directed reading materials introduce a variety of models of group and organisational processes including:
• Group and/or system?
• Systems thinking on role and task
• Neurotic and psychotic anxiety and institutional life
• Steiner-based approaches to groups
• Power and the irrational in organisations
• The Tavistock model and the group unconscious
Teaching and learning methods:
In the three day workshop
The events that make up the workshop fall into three categories, those dealing mainly with experience, those which encourage reflection on experience and those which are about application of the learning. Students are required to keep a diary of personal reflections during the workshop week for use when composing coursework.
1. Experience: Experiential Events (‘Here & Now’ Event, Dialogue in Systems Event) provide the ‘raw material’ of the workshop.
2. Reflection: The Opening and Closing sessions and the Reflection and Study Event offers opportunities to process and reflect on experience and to expand understanding.
3. Application: Application Groups offer further opportunities for reflection but have as their focus applying the learning to the role of Camphill Community Member (N/B. Application Groups continue in the follow-up sessions).
Follow-up Seminars and workshops
Tutor led input plus whole group discussions based on guided reading
Ongoing Application Groups
Reading Strategy
Essential reading will be provided electronically or as printed study packs. Chapters from several key works will be available electronically via the Library’s Digital Collections.
Students will be encouraged to read widely using a variety of bibliographic and full text databases, and Internet resources. Guidance to some key authors and journal titles available through the Library will be given on UWEonline. There are some excellent books published in this subject area. Students will be encouraged to buy at least one book. A list of recommended titles will be provided in the Module Handbook and updated annually
Indicative Reading List
Dartington, T, Miller, E J Gwynne E (1981), A Life Together: The Distribution of Attitudes around the Disabled. London: Tavistock
French, R and Vince, R (eds) (1999), Group Relations, Management, and Organization. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Gabriel, Y (1999), Organizations in Depth: The Psychoanalysis of Organizations. London: Sage
Hinshelwood, R D (1987), What Happens in Groups London: Free Association Books
Lawrence, W G, Bain, A and Gould, L (1996), ‘The Fifth Basic Assumption’, Free Associations, 6, Part 3 (No. 37): 28-55
Lievegoed, B (2004), Phases - The Spiritual Rhythms in Adult Life, London: Rudolf Steiner Press
Menzies Lyth, I (1988), Containing Anxiety in Institutions: Selected Essays, Volume 1. London: Free Association Books. (Especially chapter 2: ‘The functioning of social systems as a defence against anxiety’.)
Miller, E J (1993), From Dependency to Autonomy Studies in Organisation and Change. London: Free Association Books.
Miller, E (1989), The “Leicester” Model: Experiential Study of Group and Organizational Processes. London: The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, Occasional Paper No. 10.
Obholzer, A and Zagier Roberts, V (eds) (1994), The Unconscious at Work: Individual and Organizational Stress in the Human Services. London: Routledge.
Assessment
Please state which element of assessment should be recorded as the final assessment for the purposes of submitting data on non-submissions to HEFCE. (For further information please contact Academic Registry.)
Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: B:
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity (Sit)
Component A
Description of each element
Element 1
2000 word report which brings together: (a) personal experience in the three
day workshop, (b) theory and relevant literature. 50%
Element 2
2000 word report which applies the learning of the module to an aspect of group or organisational life in the work setting. Final element of Assessment 50%
Second Assessment Opportunity (Resit) (further attendance at taught classes is not required)
Component A
Description of each element
Element 1
2000 word report which brings together: (a) personal experience in the three
day workshop, (b) theory and relevant literature. 50%
Element 2
2000 word report which applies the learning of the module to an aspect of group or organisational life in the work setting. 50%
EXCEPTIONAL SECOND ATTEMPT (Retake): Attendance at taught classes is not required.
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)