There are two assignments in this question. The first assignment entails discussion with three to five paragraphs and Be thoughtful in your discourse, and make sure to integrate concrete examples from
Module 1 Discussion: Commencement Speech
Covey writes, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” Our end in GPS 200 is stated in the course description: “The course prepares learners for the rigors of academia and increases their confidence that they can be successful.” Module 1 lays out the theoretical foundations and practical skills that students will seek to master to prepare for, and to gain confidence in, their academic careers. Successfully passing this course means you will not only understand, but embrace, the concepts of Self-Directed Learning (Gibbons; Guglielmino); Self-Efficacy (Bandura); Change (Lewin); Critical Thinking (Bloom); and Centeredness, Values, and Priorities (Covey).
Consider the idea of “Begin with the End in Mind,” and let’s think ahead to one of our upcoming ends—commencement! Imagine a warm, sunny, day. Many family members and friends are gathering to celebrate your outstanding accomplishment of degree completion. It is a picture-perfect day. Everyone is especially excited because you are about to give the student address at commencement. Yes, YOU!
What you will say? What words will you choose to leave a lasting imprint upon your fellow adult learners and their family and friends? Ponder the path that is before you now. What do you anticipate the next few years will bring? What are your expectations? What do you imagine you will bring to and gain from this experience?
For our Module 1 discussion, you are going to submit a three to five paragraph commencement address. Use the questions above to help develop your address. Keep in mind that these questions are simply meant to get the juices flowing. You do not have to answer all or even any of them. Keep it conversational (though grammatically correct!). We are thinking about the “end” in Module 1. Remember that perspective as you take part in the forum. Be sure to have a logically ordered address, including an introduction and conclusion. Remember, as a matter of good writing, that a conclusion circles back to something that was mentioned in the introduction.
For this and all discussions this term, to earn full credit submit an initial reply to the prompt by Thursday, provide a substantive response to a minimum of three classmates by Sunday, and post on at least three of seven days. Be thoughtful in your discourse, and make sure to integrate concrete examples from the course readings and presentations using APA style in-text citations and a list of references.
This forum is set up so that students must create a thread in order to view other threads in the forum.
Click the "Module 1 Discussion" header above to enter the Module 1 discussion forum.
Application Assignment 1: My Personal Mission Statement
Application Assignment 1 is “My Personal Mission Statement.”
Preparation:
Read Part 1 (pp. 23-70) and Habit 2 (pp. 71-191) in the Covey text. This section provides important background information that will help prepare you to complete the assignment.
There are four parts to this assignment.
1. Write your personal mission statement. This is an activity that will require considerable reflection; therefore, it is advisable to start early in the week. The following resources will help you to identify your values and to clarify who you want to be and what you want to do in life. Feel free to use any or all of these resources:
Review “A Personal Mission Statement” and “At the Center” (pp. 113-118) in the Covey text.
Use the Mission Statement Builder tool on franklincovey.com.
If you use the Mission Statement Builder, please do not simply copy and paste the results as your assignment. Please read the results, and modify, as needed to write in a paragraph format using complete and clear sentences.
Continue to write and revise your mission statement until you feel it reflects what you live for (i.e. your mission). Once you discover your mission you want to use it as your guide for living. You will have opportunities to refine your personal statement later in the course.
2. Create a table wherein you list up to but no more than seven roles that you have and provide a statement of optimal performance for each role (e.g. if a role is “Volunteer” a statement of optimal performance might be “I will spend one hour a week at the children’s center.”). Review the section “Identifying Roles and Goals” (pp. 143-145) as you complete this part of the assignment.
3. List three long-term goals and provide a brief statement (one or two sentences) about why each long-term goal is important to you. If one of your goals relates to school, be sure to have a corresponding role that relates to being a student.
4. Select one of the three long-term goals identified in #3 to focus on and create a plan. Begin by stating the long-term goal (what) and providing a deadline (when). Then provide a statement about how the goal relates to your mission (why). Lastly, list steps that will be necessary to reach the goal (how) with corresponding deadlines (when). You might have to ask and answer “how” several times to portray an accurate and realistic plan to reach your long-term goal.
We will revisit the concepts of mission, roles, and goals as the course unfolds; therefore, this assignment is an important foundational activity.
In all of the application assignments that you will complete this semester, be thoughtful and think critically. Strive to hit the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives (application, analysis, evaluation, and creativity or synthesis). In addition, be mindful of writing conventions and write in complete sentences.
