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Curriculum Unit: Conflict Resolution and Mediation Gregory Vega Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT The purpose of this curriculum unit is to teach individuals how to become effective mediators in situations that require conflict resolution. Participants will

learn proactive communication strategies that can be applied in a variety of settings. Central themes within the curriculum unit are communication skills and diversity awareness. The likelihood for conflict to arise in almost any setting is a realistic possibility. Professional environments are comprised of various personalities that may clash when placed in adverse situations. The ability to respond proactively to such occurrences, however, is a powerful skill that requires training and development. A thorough knowledge of conflict resolution and mediation strategies will benefit not only the individual who learns them, but also those who are central to the conflict and the professional institution that they are affiliated with. Individuals in the midst of a conflict often lack the objectivity that is required to bring their dispute to a sound resolution. In preparing individuals to undertake the role of mediator, I intend to address the following questions: 1. What is the source of the conflict? 2. What circumstances have allowed the conflict to evolve into a situation that requires mediation and resolution? 3. Are the participants willing to make concessions to one another in order to resolve their conflict? 4. Is there an outcome that is suitable to each party involved in the resolution process?

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The content of this curriculum unit will be presented in a seminar. Attendees will participate in discussions and role-playing exercises that address many of the types of conflicts that are likely to arise in a professional setting. Participants will be instructed to practice communication strategies and sensitive language. The seminar will conclude with a reflective discussion where participants will identify how the strategies they have learned can be implemented in their own professional environment. Participants who successfully complete the seminar will be awarded with a certificate of completion and become eligible to participate in advanced level conflict resolution and mediation training. For the purposes of this curriculum unit, the term mediation is used to describe the conflict resolution process. The term mediator is used to describe the individual who will oversee the conflict resolution process. The term conflict is used to encompass any type of interpersonal dispute that can arise in any professional setting. Finally, the term sensitive language is used to describe the specific wording participants will be instructed to utilize in order to foster an inclusive environment for the subjects of mediation. Conflict resolution in itself can be a daunting task. If implemented properly, the strategies that are explored in this seminar can become an effective method for mitigating problems that arise in various professional settings. It is important, however, to recognize the limitations of the mediation strategies that will be presented in this seminar. Attendees may be able to participate effectively in activities that are scaffolded by the instructor, but may perform less effectively when attempting to implement the strategies independently in their professional

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT setting. Additionally, the conflict resolution and mediation strategies that are presented in this curriculum unit may not be appropriate for all situations. Occurrences of repeated sexual harassment, for example, may not be the type of case that is suitable for conflict resolution and should be referred to management, human resources, or a higher authority. This seminar, however, will focus on the areas of conflict resolution that are most likely to be effectively mediated by the strategies and skills that are outlined in the presentation. The conflict resolution and mediation strategies that are presented in this seminar have the potential to benefit all parties who become involved in a dispute.

The implications of successfully implementing the skills that are to be gained in this seminar are tremendous. Individuals who experience conflict will have a resource to utilize in order to achieve a positive and proactive resolution. Professional organizations and institutions will likely experience less tension among employees, thereby leading to a healthier working environment. And the individual who takes on the role of the mediator or conflict resolution facilitator will be equipped with an array of skills that can be applied to virtually any professional setting, thereby increasing their own value in their given field or profession.

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT Schedule of Events

8:00 a.m.: 8:30 a.m.: 9:00 a.m.: 10:00 a.m.: 10:30 a.m.: 11:00 a.m.:

Introduction Individual self-assessment Discussion of common conflicts that arise in the workplace Break Introduction to communication strategies and sensitive language Group exercise in communication strategies and sensitive language skills

12:00 p.m.: 1:00 p.m.:

Lunch Discussion on diversity and fostering an inclusive professional environment

2:00 p.m.:

Break out into small groups and participate in role-playing scenarios that practice conflict resolution and mediation strategies

3:30 p.m.:

Role-playing demonstration that highlights the fundamental principles and strategies presented in the seminar

4:00 p.m.:

Conclusion and Q&A session with the instructor

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT Sample Lesson Plan: Group Exercise in Communication Strategies and Sensitive Language Skills

Date: Lesson Topic:

Subject:

Participants will practice communication strategies that focus on utilizing sensitive language in order to facilitate discussions that will contribute to the resolution of interpersonal conflicts.

Content Objective(s): As a whole, participants will be introduced to the sensitive language script on facilitating communication. Individual participants will be selected to read the steps of the sensitive language script aloud. Finally, the instructor will facilitate a group discussion that reflects on how the sensitive language script and communication strategies can be effectively used to resolve interpersonal conflicts.

Language Objective(s): Participants will demonstrate a proficiency in sensitive language as a component of the communication strategies presented in the seminar.

Key Vocabulary: sensitive language, communication strategies, communication for facilitating discussion

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT Materials: Printed copies of the sensitive language script for facilitating communication

Practice/Application: In this section of the seminar the instructor will present the sensitive language script for facilitating communication to seminar participants. The instructor will ask for a volunteer from the audience to share a personal story (within their comfort level) of a situation that involved a conflict with another individual. The volunteer will be brought before the audience and sit facing the seminar participants. The volunteer will tell their story to the instructor and audience. The instructor will probe for further details when appropriate and make a note of any aspects of the story that could have benefited from the contents of the sensitive language script for facilitating communication. When the volunteer has finished telling their story the audience will be prompted to refer to their worksheet that details the strategies for facilitating communication by using sensitive language. The instructor will ask for volunteers from the audience to read a single item from the sensitive language script. As each volunteer reads an item from the script the instructor will refer back to the story told by the volunteer participant and relate any relevant information to the specific examples that came up in the instance of conflict that was described. The instructor will continue this process until the items on the sensitive language script have been exhausted. This portion of the seminar will conclude with a reflective discussion where the instructor demonstrates the value of the sensitive language script for facilitating communication and fields

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT questions from the audience in regards to the practical application of the concepts that have been introduced.

Review/Assessment: Participants will be encouraged to practice the sensitive language strategies presented in this section of the seminar during volunteer opportunities. Additional review and assessment will take place later in the day during role-playing activities where participants will be observed utilizing the sensitive language script and communication strategies in mock conflict resolution scenarios.

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT Sensitive Language Script for Facilitating Communication in Interpersonal Conflict 1. Reflect back on what is being said to you and use their words, not your words. 2. Begin the discussion where they are, not where you would like them to be. 3. Be receptive to what they are trying to say to you. 4. Notice what they are saying and what they are not.

5. Attempting to relate to how they are feeling. Embrace the relationship that is being developed. 6. Objectively assess how you are feeling during the communication process. 7. Accept responsibility for your role in the conflict. 8. Try to understand how their past affects who they are and how those experiences affect their relationship with you. 9. Stay with the process and the relationship while working toward a resolution.

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Sample Lesson Plan: Role-Playing Demonstration Date: Lesson Topic: Participants will engage in a role-playing scenario that demonstrates the fundamental principles of the conflict resolution and mediation strategies that have been presented throughout the seminar. Subject:

Content Objective(s): Three participants will be invited to demonstrate their grasp of the conflict resolution and mediation strategies that they have learned while attending the seminar in a role-playing exercise.

Language Objective(s): Participants will effectively utilize the various strategies that have been presented as mechanisms of conflict resolution, including the sensitive language script for facilitating discussion.

Key Vocabulary: Sensitive language, communication strategies, communication for facilitating discussion

Materials:

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT N/A

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Practice/Application: The role-playing demonstration will serve as a culminating activity for the seminar. The demonstration portion of the role-playing activity will transition from small group role-playing scenarios. The instructor will observe seminar participants utilizing the skills presented in the seminar during small group sessions and scaffold their use of sensitive language and communication strategies in order to enhance their mastery of the tools that they have learned. The instructor will identify participants who seem to have a natural inclination toward utilizing the skills and strategies of conflict resolution and invite them to participate in the role-playing demonstration. The instructor will select three participants for the role-playing demonstration and assign them to perform the role of the conflict resolution facilitator or one of the individuals involved in the mediation. The instructor will assign a topic or a source of conflict that is likely to occur in the workplace (disagreement over the direction of a group project, confrontational interactions among co workers, negativity, inappropriate discourse, etc.). The participants will enact a scenario that demonstrates the key strategies of conflict resolution and mediation that have been presented in the seminar. The instructor will scaffold the performance with praise for the successful use of conflict resolution strategies and constructively note any aspect of the performance that lacked a key element of the strategies presented and could have been implemented in that situation. The role-

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT playing demonstration will conclude with an outcome that demonstrates the efficacy of the resolution and mediation strategies when utilized properly.

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Review/Assessment: The role-playing demonstration in itself constitutes the review of the seminar content. The instructor will assess the performers utilization of key strategies and skills in a constructive manner whereas to highlight their successes and demonstrate areas that could have been more effective. Finally, the instructor will facilitate a discussion that addresses any concerns regarding the practical implementation of the strategies presented in the seminar.

Running Head: CURRICULUM UNIT Outside Resources Association for Conflict Resolution. (2012). www.acrnet.org National Conflict Resolution Center. (2012). www.ncrconline.com Stirfry Seminars and Counseling: Innovative Tools for Diversity Training. (2012). www.stirfryseminars.com

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