MMN63029 Developing Leadership for the Common Good Module Handbook Trimester A 2024-25 | GCU

Contents

• Introduction to the Module    
• Module Team    
• External Examiner    
• Additional Module Support    
• Learning Development Centres    
• Personal Tutor    
• Module Timetable    
• Preparation    
• Accessibility    
• GCU Learn Module-Level Accessibility Statement    
• Reporting issues with accessibility in this module    
• Assessment    
• Assessment Schedule    
• Marking Criteria    
• Late Submission of assessment/ Failure to submit assessments.    Student Feedback    
• Module Evaluation    
• Student Partnership Forum (SPF)    
• Closing the Feedback Loop                            

Module Description

The aim of this module is twofold.  

• Firstly, to provide students with knowledge of historical and contemporary leadership theories, leadership style choices and the key skills and behaviours required for impactful and ethical leadership.
• In addition, the module provides students with the opportunity to undertake practical exercises (aligned to key leadership skills and behaviours) that act as a catalyst to carry out enhanced self-reflection on their current capabilities and preferences, through structured facilitation and support from tutors. These activities’ reflections and key self-learning will be captured in reflective logs each week, which students will house in an online repository.
• Support will also be given to students on this module to develop a digital CV and a LinkedIn profile, and these can also be captured in their online portfolio. This will be made available to students for download before they graduate to assist them with job applications and interview preparation.
• The core skills and behaviours that will be covered by this module in the live sessions will start with ensuring understanding of enhanced self-awareness and reflective practice.
• Next, consideration will be given to influencing and inspiring others using effective communication in a variety of situations, including challenging unethical actions constructively and confidently. How to make decisions which embrace sustainability at an individual and organisational level, aligned with the importance of an inclusive and intercultural leadership approach and how to achieve this will also be covered in this module.  
• Lastly, problem-solving skills using curiosity and creativity while retaining the need for compassion and empathy and understanding self and others' resilience will be included. The context and focus of this module will align with employer demand for understanding and continual development of core leadership skills and leaderful behaviours for Master's level graduates

While a framework of (global) leadership skills and consideration of required behaviours will form the basis of the content of the module (set within key underpinning of the GCU Common Good attributes as well as Sustainable Development Goals), there will be an opportunity for contextualisation aligned to specific MSc programmes across the school. This allows the framing of the skills and behaviours discussed to be meaningful and accessible to each student group.

Specifically, SGD 3 (good health and well- being consideration of staff, colleagues and partners); SDG 5 (gender equality - in all leadership undertakings); SDG8 (Decent work and economic growth when providing decent work for staff); SDG10 (Reduced inequalities- for consideration of all leadership undertakings); SDG 16 ( peace, justice and strong institutions - in creating supportive climates and organisational cultures for staff to work within) and SDG 17 (partnership for the goals in enhancing collaborative and fair working to meet agreed common goals) will be embedded in the context of this module delivery.

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:

• Acquire in-depth knowledge of leadership theories and concepts and their relevance to various contemporary contexts
• Evaluate the contribution of positive and responsible leadership behaviours in a reflective and critical manner
• Critically appreciate and cultivate values and traits of leadership for the common good
• Develop self-awareness and personal areas for development by undertaking critical self-reflection aligned to key leadership skills, behaviours and traits
• Develop a digital CV or LinkedIn profile and online reflective portfolio to help sustain lifelong learning and continuous personal development (CPD)

Learning and Teaching Strategy 

The module will run in a condensed model for 6 weeks (week 1-6 inclusive) in the final trimester for all students. 

The lecture material for this module will be delivered as 1 hour recorded lectures and weekly 2-hour on-campus workshops and facilitated sessions. These sessions will guide the students through various practical exercises as well as case studies to enhance their knowledge of impactful leadership and leaderful skills and behaviour, and develop understanding of self as a future leader through the requirement to complete reflective logs to capture key learning, following each session. These sessions aim to improve leadership competencies through exercising various transferrable skills in action

In addition to the lectures and seminars for this module, two masterclasses will be organised for students to attend. The first will be a generic masterclass where invited speakers will conduct discussions on their own leadership journey and developmental path, as well as discuss key contemporary issues they have experienced and the strategy utilised in these circumstances, and how they incorporate SDGs and the GCU Common Good values into their job role and activities.  The second masterclass will be contextual to the departments/ programmes and will cover more specific leadership requirements within discrete professions/ roles/ sectors.

The module will be supported by the Careers Service in providing sessions on developing Digital CVs and LinkedIn profiles to enhance students' ability to promote their employability.

The module will be digitally enhanced by the use of GCULearn to support and supplement the workshop activities with embedded links to relevant articles, podcasts and videos from around the world. Recommended and suggested readings will be made available each week, as well as contemporary practice examples. A digital repository will be made available for students to upload and maintain their reflective accounts, digital CVs and draft LinkedIn profiles. 

Module Team

The University is committed to ensuring that you are supported to achieve a successful outcome on your chosen programme and associated modules.

If you have a particular problem with the academic content of the module, please contact the Module Leader in the first instance; however, for any other queries, please contact your discipline-specific Module Tutor.

Module contacts are detailed below with the timetabled sessions.
Students MUST attend the class noted for their group

External Examiner

The University attaches great importance to the role of External Examiners as a key means of assuring that academic standards are at an appropriate level, comparable to those of other higher education institutions and that assessment processes are rigorous and fair. External examiners also make a valuable contribution to the enhancement of programmes and their associated modules. 

The External Examiner(s) for your programme/module are  Dr Elisha Anti, who holds the position of Senior Lecturer (Academic Development, Employability and Work Placements) at the University of Sutherland.

Please note that External Examiners have a specified term of office, which means they may be subject to change within the duration of your studies.

The details of the External Examiner are for information only. It is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with External Examiners, in particular regarding their performance in assessments. If you have a concern about your performance, please note the policies relating to Fit to Sit, Appeals,  Complaints and Section 3.2 Personal Tutor.

Additional Module Support

Learning Development Centres

In addition to receiving support from the module team, your School has a Learning Development Centre (LDC) which provides academic writing support for home and international students, ICT support, advice on study skills and other academic support and guidance.

The LDC is inclusive and is committed to providing support for all students, including those with disabilities or specific learning and teaching needs. The Centres provide face-to-face and online academic support through a combination of workshops, small group sessions, one-to-one appointments and tailored teaching within modules. The support available to students is provided in a professional and supportive environment, enabling them to develop the skills required to succeed at university.

For other LDC enquiries, please email ldcgsbs@gcu.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)141 331 3300. 

Personal Tutor

Further support can be obtained from your Programme Leader or Personal Tutor (previously known as Academic Adviser). All students are assigned a Personal Tutor at the start of their course. All Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate students will have a named Personal Tutor who is a member of academic staff from their department, and who knows their programme- this named person may also be your Programme Leader. For postgraduate research students, the role is undertaken by their research supervisor, coordinated by the Graduate School and a network of departmental postgraduate research tutors.

Personal Tutoring is not just about allowing students to talk if they have a problem; it is intended to help students reflect on their progress and develop personal, academic and professional skills. Students should meet with their Tutor two to three times a year to discuss their academic studies, co-curricular activities that enhance their profile, and to reflect on any issues that may impact their overall performance at university. Personal Tutoring meetings will help students develop skills that can improve their academic performance and help them identify areas for professional and personal growth and development. Personal Tutors can help students navigate through assessment feedback and can work with them to produce academic development plans, which can help improve their record of academic attainment. In addition, these meetings can provide an opportunity to discuss career planning and employability. Personal Tutors can also provide students with advice regarding the Fit to Sit process.

Personal Tutoring meetings may take different formats (face to face, telephone, Skype) and may sometimes be organised as group sessions (for example, during induction week and at the beginning of subsequent years).

Module Timetable

Preparation

A single lecture or seminar on a topic cannot cover everything you ought to know, you are expected to undertake reading both before and after lectures and seminars to deepen your understanding of the topic. In particular, in seminar groups, prior reading and preparation will allow you to contribute fully to discussions and take full advantage of the learning process.

Accessibility

GCU Learn Module-Level Accessibility Statement

The University has an accessibility statement specific to learning and teaching relating to the GCU Learn platform (Blackboard), third-party plug-ins and content uploaded by staff and students. You can read the statement in full using this link to the GCU Learn Institution Page.

GCU Learn enables you to download your module content in five different formats, depending upon your learning preferences and requirements. You can learn more about how to access the different formats in this module via this video.

Reporting issues with accessibility in this Module

If you are experiencing issues accessing content within a module, please contact your Module Leader in the first instance.
 
If you are a student with existing arrangements or reasonable adjustments, please contact the GCU Disability Service. 

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: accessibility@gcu.ac.uk. 

GCU Learn 

GCU Learn provides access to a range of additional module materials such as slides/visuals from lectures, web links relevant to the topic, further reading and details of seminar and assessment tasks. It is not, however, a replacement for timetabled class contact.

It also provides access to other features to help you manage your studies, including setting and tracking tasks and keeping a calendar. You will find a lot of useful study information there.

The module site will be regularly updated, and you should therefore get into the habit of logging on to GCU Learn every day.

As GCU Learn is a web-based system, you can access it through any computer that is connected to the Internet. Click on GCU Learn to access this document, or click on the GCU Learn link from the Student home page. 

Assessment

Under the University’s Digital Assessment Policy and Online Similarity Checking Policy, all standard academic summative submissions of written assessment, i.e. those that are primarily text-based, will be submitted through similarity-checking software, such as Turnitin. This applies to written assessment submissions at all SCQF levels. You may be asked to submit your written assessment online through similarity-checking software, such as Turnitin.  

Support and guidance in understanding and interpreting a Turnitin originality report from induction onwards can be accessed through the Learning Development Centre in your school. More information about referencing and plagiarism can also be found at Cite Them Right. 

Where plagiarism is detected, this will be dealt with under the Code of Student Conduct.

Assessment Schedule

For this module, the schedule of submission of formative and summative assessments is detailed below:

The summative assessment for this module will incorporate a portfolio submission, encompassing 4 main parts: 

In part 1, students will be required to identify a leader who demonstrates alignment with at least 3 GCU values, and for part 2, can utilise this identification as part of their critical self-reflective analysis of their current leadership skills, behaviours and preferred approach. In addition, students would be expected to refer to self-diagnostic tools, discussions in the seminar sessions of the module and wider experiential learning or feedback received to assist with part 2. Students can present parts 1 and 2 as a short video presentation or as a written report. This choice empowers students and enhances their engagement with the activity.  

The next part of the portfolio will consist of a written personal development action Plan- highlighting 3 leadership skills/ behaviours/ competencies they have identified for development and how they plan to do this. Part 4 of the portfolio will be evidenced by appendices, which must include at least 3 learning logs to justify the development choices made in the PDP, and a copy of either their CV or LinkedIn profile. 

All aspects of this assessment will align with the module Learning Outcomes as well as enhance the student’s ability to prepare for employment. 

Marking Criteria

Please see GCULearn under the Assignments and Tests folder for the portfolio guidance and marking criteria.

Late Submission of assessment/ Failure to submit Assessments.

Whilst it is expected that you will submit your assessment(s) on time, there may be occasions when you face difficulties which are beyond your control. In these circumstances, you may wish to seek an extension to the date of submission. You should contact your module leader in the first instance. Full details on the process can be found in section 10 of the University Assessment Regulations.

However, it is acknowledged that it may not be possible to grant an extension to a submission deadline on all occasions. For example, where this would be beyond the date you should be receiving feedback or if the request is made too close to the date of the assessment board. In these circumstances, you should follow the Fit to Sit process. If you need additional help or support in completing the form, you should contact your Tutor or the Advice Centre in the Students’ Association. 

Student Feedback

All modules adhere to the GCU Policy on Student Performance Feedback. The key principles of the policy are that:

• Feedback should be based on discussion, face-to-face or online, between you, your fellow students and staff. This dialogue is an important part of your learning and also helps academic staff to shape their teaching.
• To support your future learning, feedback should review your performance, your strengths and areas for improvement; should clarify what is expected of you academically and help to identify areas for further learning and development.
• Feedback on coursework should normally be provided to you within three working weeks of the coursework submission deadlines. Exam and module results will normally be released according to the University schedule  
• Feedback should be based on clear assessment criteria, which are made available to you in advance of undertaking your assignment or examination.
• Feedback can be provided in a variety of different forms: written, for example by comments made on your assignment itself or a feedback sheet; electronic, for example by email or through GCU Learn; verbal, for example in lectures, seminars or one-to-one and small group meetings with your tutor. 
• Feedback can also be provided by your fellow students and through self-reflection. Written feedback should use plain English and be clear and legible. It should also be responsive to any particular needs you have in terms of its accessibility.
• Feedback, in its variety of different forms, should be provided throughout your module and, where possible, build on feedback provided on earlier performance.
• Feedback should be provided on all your assignments, whether formative or summative, examinations, and group as well as individual contributions to a module.
• The variety of different forms of feedback should ensure that you have easy access to your feedback, whether you are full-time, part-time, distance or work-based.

Module Evaluation

This section covers feedback from students on their experience of modules and associated University processes. 

Student Partnership Forum (SPF)

Student Partnership Forums are one of the principal mechanisms used within the University to evaluate the student experience on programmes and associated modules, and to communicate to students details of actions resulting from the evaluation. 

The purpose of the Student Partnership Forum is:

• to act as an effective and representative forum in which students and staff meet to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern at both programme and module level
• to provide an opportunity to obtain views representative of students on all levels and modes of the programme, and to take these into account in contributing to the programme monitoring and development processes
• to provide feedback to students on how the programme, or the University more widely, has responded to concerns raised by students.

Closing the Feedback Loop 

‘Closing the feedback loop’ (CTFL) is the GCU system for students to receive feedback on the outcomes of module evaluations and other student surveys.  Students view this type of activity as an important influence on their engagement with module evaluations and surveys, and their overall experience on a module or programme. 

CTFL is already in evidence at GCU, and students primarily receive this type of feedback verbally, but with email and GCU Learn occasionally also used.   Students agree that they have the right opportunities to provide feedback on their course and receive commentary on their feedback.

With CTFL, Module Leaders will be given three working weeks to provide their feedback.  Final ‘module leader feedback reports’ will be generated and shared with students as well as module leaders, Heads of Department, ADLTQs, Deans and Vice Deans. Students and staff can also access their reports via GCU Learn. Reports include response counts/response rates for the module, overall theme scores, and the module leader’s written feedback.