This is an example of a Team-Based Learning (TBL) instructional method that will be used in Spring 2014. Leadership and Influence Process is an accelerated 8-week online course. It is divided into four instructional parts (2 weeks each). Each part uses a TBL strategy adopted for online instruction.
Preconditions
This particular instructional strategy covers 2 weeks at the beginning of the course. Graduate students work individually and collectively using the Canvas learning management system. As an accelerated course the readings are significant. Students must be able to cover the material, take online exams, and participate in collaboration using discussion forums and shared documents. No synchronous activities are required but students must meet the due dates of assignments in order to keep up with the work and fully participate in various team activities.
Example Online TBL Strategy
Part one
Leadership, Management, and Change
Weeks 1 & 2
This part of the course starts with an introduction to leadership and the Team-Based Learning (TBL) instructional strategy we use to help students increase their knowledge and skills in leadership. Here we will examine leadership and management; effective leadership behaviors; and the impact of change and innovation.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of all requirements for part I of this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish the different ways leadership has been defined.
- Recognize the controversy about differences between leadership and management.
- Explain why it is so difficult to assess leadership effectiveness.
- Identify the different roles and activities commonly required for managers.
- Explain why task and relations behaviors are important for leadership effectiveness.
- Illustrate why change-oriented behaviors are important for effective leadership.
- Explain how to implement a major change in an organization.
- Identify the characteristics of a learning organization.
Learning Activities
| No. | Type | Activity |
| 1.0 | Readings | Yukl Chapters 1 – 4 Gallos Chapter 22 Reframing change: Training, realigning, negotiating, grieving, and moving on (page 447) |
| 1.1 | Quiz | Individual Readiness Assessment Test (iRAT) |
| 1.2 | Discussion | Team Readiness Assessment Test (tRAT) |
| 1.3 | Shared Document (EtherPad) | Group Problem |
| 1.4 | Online Assignment Submission | Individual Case Study |
1.1 Individual Readiness Assessment Test (iRAT)
This quiz is an individual Readiness Assessment Test (iRAT) for Part 1 of the course. It contains 25 multiple-choice questions from Yukl chapters 1 – 4 and Gallos chapter 22. Select the most correct answer for each question. You have 2 hours to complete the quiz. You will not see the results of the quiz until after you have completed the team discussion (assignment 1.2 tRAT). Through the team discussion you will work with others to reach a consensus on the correct answers for this quiz.
1.2 Team Readiness Assessment Test (tRAT)
This is a team assignment. Do your work in your Canvas group. When finished, the current team leader will submit the group answers for quiz 1.1 through this assignment.
You may use any of the group tools available (announcements, discussions, conferences, collaborations, etc.) to complete the assignment. The team leader for the week will consolidate the results of the team discussions and submit the results through this assignment. To receive credit for this assignment, a team member must contribute to the group effort.
One approach you may consider is to divide the list of quiz items that everyone answered differently and let each team member report back their research on the question. Discussion threads are useful because one person can post an initial position and then everyone can discuss and reach consensus on the question.
Instructions:
Each person on the team should have taken the iRAT. Review the iRAT quiz and come to consensus on what the correct answers should be. Submit the group’s choice on answers through this assignment. The quiz will be evaluated. Each participating member of the team will receive the same grade. Non-participating members will receive a 0 grade for this assignment.
Special note: participation is based on an audit of each team member’s Canvas account. Each team member must do their own work in Canvas to be recognized as participating; having one team member for administration or as a recorder for the team works against individual team members.
Following the submission of the assignment, you may appeal any question missed if the group provides specific support on why you believe a particular question should be correct. The instructor will evaluate your position and determine if credit was earned.
1.3 Top 20 Leadership Guidelines
This assignment is a group problem. Your instructor will create an EtherPad document in your Canvas group. Members of the group will collaborate in EtherPad. Be sure your name is identified when you use the shared document so you receive credit for your participation in the activity.
The current group leader will submit a message on behalf of the group through this assignment when the group is ready for the instructor’s evaluation.
Assignment Instructions:
Create a top 20 list that leaders should focus on within their personal professional development; these are things you believe are important for leadership success. Support each of these with references to the Yukl text and/or other resources.
For example, one approach you can take is to draw on Yukl’s guidelines from within the text and these specific tables may help:
| Table 1-2 | What Leaders can Influence | page 8 |
| Table 2-2 | Guidelines for Managers | page 40 |
| Table 3-3 | Examples of Task, Relations, and Change-oriented Behaviors | page 52 |
| Table 4-3 | Guidelines for Increasing Learning and Innovation | page 98 |
Don’t just list your 20 items but briefly explain why you selected each as an important attribute of leadership and support your conclusions with references.
1.4 Ultimate Office Products
This is an individual assignment. Complete the case study on page 102-104 of your Yukl Text. Do your work in an offline document; for example Microsoft Word, and submit through this assignment.
The name of the case study is Ultimate Office Products. The case study is specifically about leading change and innovation.
The case study in your text has the following three questions:
- Why did Richard fail in his first attempt to implement change?
- Identify subsequent actions by Richard that were more effective for implementing change in the organization.
- Evaluate the change leadership provided by the CEO.
While you may start this assignment at any time during this part of the course, do not submit the assignment until after your group has completed assignment 1.3; because in addition to the questions above, you are also asked to do the following:
- Evaluate Richard and the CEO as leaders using the top 20 leadership guidelines you created with your group in assignment 1.3. How effective are they using your top 20 guidelines. One way you can approach this assignment is to score these individuals on each item using whatever scale you wish along with brief comments on what evidence you see in the case study that leads you to the assessment. So this part of the assignment can be accomplished with a table or matrix that summarizes your conclusions.