Spring Term 2010
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Course Coordinator:
Ursula Bechert, DVM, PhD
2051 Cordley Hall
Tel: 541 727 5259
E-mail: [email protected]
Credits: 3 (offered spring term)
Course Number: PSM 513
Class Location & Time: TBA
Prerequisites & Co-requisites: PSM 565, 566 and 567; COMM 550; PHL 547
Goals:
This class will meet weekly for 1½ hours, or as needed, to introduce, discuss, work on, and provide guidance
for a case study project. Students will work together with classmates and off-campus mentors to address a
contemporary problem in a scientific field within the context of an existing business. This collaborative project
will provide students with opportunities to integrate and apply their collective business, communication, and
scientific knowledge to create innovative solutions. A final report and PowerPoint presentation are required at
the end of the term. Case study projects are designed to provide positive experiences for both students and
their off-campus partners.
Measurable Student Learning Outcomes:
ƒ expand knowledge base with respect to project management, business principles, and potentially new
fields in science by working on a sponsored project as part of an interdisciplinary team.
ƒ enhance creative thinking, writing, presentation and public speaking skills.
ƒ build effective interdisciplinary communication and teamwork skills.
ƒ integrate concepts across business management and scientific application fields to produce relevant
solutions to real-time problems in the workplace.
ƒ understand the utility of professional training acquired this past year and highlight areas needing
improvement through team- and self-assessments.
Please note that off-campus representatives will initially make presentations and share background
information about a particular project. Specific objectives will be described, and then the class will be free to
decide how to tackle them. It is anticipated that time outside or instead of the weekly class will be required for
this 3-credit course (minimum 3 hours/week). Communication with the project mentor will be done via
phone and e-mail communications as well as on an as-needed basis in person.
Spring Term 2010
Schedule & Weekly Assignments:
Week
1
2
3
Date
31 Mar
7 Apr
14 Apr
Activity
Introduction & expectations for the class; project management plans
Guest speaker: TBA
Assignment: 1) read background materials for case study project; 2) develop project
management plan due 14 Apr
Mentoring
Assignment: finish project management plan
“Crossing the Chasm” - bringing new ideas & technologies to market; submit project
management plan to instructor & project mentor
4
21 Apr
Assignment: work on project
Scientific writing
5
28 Apr
Assignment: work on project
Mentoring as needed
6
5 May
Assignment: work on project ; finish outline of draft report due 12 May
Team& cross-disciplinary communication skills
7
12 May
Assignment: work on project
Mentoring as needed; submit outline of draft report to instructor & project mentor
8
19 May
Assignment: work on project
Mentoring as needed
9
26 May
Assignment: finish report & PowerPoint presentation 26 May for feedback; complete project
Mentoring as needed
10
11
2 June
Assignment: make final revisions to report & presentation due 2 Jun
Turn in final report; complete peer evaluation forms & review case study experiences; give
presentation (time & location TBD)
4 June
Picnic for 1st year PSM students at 6 pm – location TBA
9 June
Finals week (no class)
Enjoy the summer!
2
Spring Term 2010
Evaluation of Student Performance: Detailed instructions and grading criteria for individual assignments will
be given in class. This is designed as a hands-on, active-learning course and classmates will depend on your
participation. Assignments are due on particular days to keep your project on track—please keep these in
mind! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Bechert.
A team score for a project management plan, final report and presentation, as well as individual scores based
on team and self evaluations will be used to assign A/F grades for this course. Everyone will receive the same
number of points for the team score (total of 55 possible). Team evaluation forms will be used to complete
thoughtful evaluations for each team member. Anonymous results will be shared with each person and should
provide insightful and helpful feedback to each student. The self evaluation form will serve as a useful
comparison: what individuals think of their performance and teamwork skills versus what others think.
Assignments
Team score - project management plan
- final report
- final presentation
Team evaluation
Self evaluation
Grade Points
20
20
15
25
20
100
Due Dates
14 Apr
12 May & 2 Jun
12 May & TBD
2 Jun
2 Jun
A total of 100 points can be earned, and actual grades will be assigned on a curve (e.g., if the highest score
earned is 80 points, this figure will be considered equivalent to 100 and other scores will be calculated on this
basis).
Learning resources: (recommended – optional)
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore (2002); HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. (ISBN: 0-06662-002-3)
The Chasm Companion by Paul Wiefels (2002); HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. (ISBN: 0-06-662055-4)
How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper, 5th Edition (1998); Oryx Press (ISBN: 978-1573561655)
Writing Successful Science Proposals (2000); Yale University Press (SBN: 978-0300081411)
Partners Not Competitors: The Age of Teamwork & Technology (1992); Ideals Publications (ISBN: 9781878289094)
Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities: “Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students,
faculty and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students with accommodations approved through
SSD are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week
of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who
have not yet obtained approval through SSD should contact SSD immediately at 737-4098.”
Expectations for Student Conduct: Please see http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm.
“Many students do not understand what academic dishonesty is. It is important to become familiar with its
different forms and the University's definitions.
At Oregon State University academic dishonesty is defined by the Oregon Administrative Rules 576-0150020.1.a-c as: An intentional act of deception in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or effort of another
person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic work. Academic dishonesty includes:
• CHEATING - use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information or study aids or an act of
deceit by which a student attempts to misrepresent mastery of academic effort or information. This
3
Spring Term 2010
•
•
•
•
includes unauthorized copying or collaboration on a test or assignment or using prohibited materials
and texts.
FABRICATION - falsification or invention of any information (including falsifying research, inventing
or exaggerating data and listing incorrect or fictitious references.
ASSISTING - helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty. This includes paying or bribing
someone to acquire a test or assignment, changing someone's grades or academic records, or taking a
test/doing an assignment for someone else (or allowing someone to do these things for you). It is a
violation of Oregon state law to create and offer to sell part or all of an education assignment to
another person (ORS 165.114).
TAMPERING - altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents.
PLAGIARISM - representing the word or ideas of another person as one's own OR presenting
someone else's words, ideas, artistry or data as one's own. This includes copying another person's
work (including unpublished material) without appropriate referencing, presenting someone else's
opinions and theories as one's own, or working jointly on a project, then submitting it as one's own.”
4