Fall 2018  |  MDP 5001 Section 001: Ways of Knowing for Sustainable Development (23739)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
2 Credits
Grading Basis:
A-F or Audit
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/04/2018 - 12/12/2018
Wed 01:00PM - 03:00PM
UMTC, West Bank
Social Sciences Building 609
Enrollment Status:
Open (19 of 20 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Complexities of interdisciplinary study of development and a range of ways of knowing the field of development studies and sustainability. Approaches practiced by physical, biological, social science, and humanities scholars. "Ways of knowing" in different cultures/groups and from a variety of situated perspectives. Key issues and concepts and key methodological challenges facing us as we engage in interdisciplinary and international development study and practice. Sustainable livelihoods. Team taught when possible by faculty from biological, social sciences, and humanities, or at minimum will include guest lecturers who can offer a range of disciplinary perspectives on questions of development. prereq: Grad MDP major or instr consent
Class Description:
MDP 5001 is foremost a course designed to (re) introduce the concept of critical thinking and reflexivity as tools to recognizing and engaging a differentiated world and ways of knowing. While not a theory course, a set of theoretical models will be introduced early to provide a foundation for development of desired practice. Critical thinking and reflexivity are situated within these models. It is important for students to realize that praxis represents the first pillar of MDP 5001 and that exploration of course topics via readings, discussions, etc. represent a vehicle for exercising these skills, which are transferrable to any topic or domain. It is also a course designed to set students along a path that extends through the entire MDP program and into a lifelong experience. No student is or ever will be a master of praxis: these skills require ongoing maintenance and development.
Who Should Take This Class?:
MDP 5001 is designed for students in the interdisciplinary Development Practice degree program but students from other programs are welcome to inquire about participation. The course has included students from a range of degree programs where students are concerned about the implications of different ways of knowing on field based practice.
Learning Objectives:
Students completing this course will be able to situate their experiences within Kegan's five stages of cognitive development and reflect on the implications of cognitive stages; Students completing the course will be able to identify and activate reflective pathways in the Social Intuitionist Model; Students completing the course will be able to recognize and categorize elements of critical thinking taxonomy; Students completing the course will be able to implement reflective and reflexive thinking through individualized activity as well as the curation and facilitation of social learning activities; Students completing the course will be able to effectively write analytic memos for reflective and reflexive practices (differentiated from memos written for the purpose of qualitative data analysis); Students completing this course will be able to frame and reframe issues through multiple constructs and systems; Students completing this course will be better able to identify and discuss the interplay between discourses and development disciplines in the context of local, regional and global contexts; Students will learn to identify and engage difference (ideas, systems) and incorporate difference into shared community dialogue that promotes plurality and critical thinking; Students completing the course will be able to effectively curate and facilitate a public event focused on providing a plurality of perspectives and ways of knowing.
Grading:
A-F only
Exam Format:
Course does not have exams but rather a series of hosted events designed by students and requiring community participation.
Class Format:
Lecture and discussion (first half), project-based (second half).
Workload:
Reading, reflections, development and execution of several hosted conversations focused on illuminating diverse ways of knowing
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/23739/1189
Past Syllabi:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/dwilsey_MDP5001_Fall2017.pdf (Fall 2017)
http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/dwilsey_MDP5001_Fall2015.pdf (Fall 2015)
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
28 September 2017

ClassInfo Links - Fall 2018 Master of Development Practice Classes

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