CRES-101 Course Syllabus

Matthews – Fall 2020

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SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

CRES-101
Fall 2020
SECTION I

SUBJECT AREA & COURSE #: CRES-101 UNITS: 3.00 (Grade Only)

COURSE TITLE: Conflict Resolution and Mediation CRN #: 40232

START/ END DATE: August 17 - December 16, 2020. Online, no set meeting times

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course explores conflict resolution and mediation in an interdisciplinary manner by an analysis of
how conflict is generated, escalated, resolved, and transformed in various settings. Students explore
theories of conflict resolution and mediation and apply these fundamental concepts in interpersonal and
intergroup conflicts. Emphasis is placed upon allowing the students to assess and improve their own ways
of responding to conflict by the study and practice of various processes of conflict intervention.
This course is intended for students interested in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Communication
Studies, Anthropology, Social Services, Counseling, Human Services, Peace Studies, Psychology,
Business, Sociology, and other related fields.

REQUISITES:
Advisory: ENGL 101 with a grade of "C" or better, or equivalent or Assessment Skill Level R6/W6
TRANSFER APPLICABILITY: Associate Degree Credit & transfer to CSU UC Transfer Course List
INSTRUCTOR: Chuck Matthews, Ph.D. OFFICE HOURS: Upon request, contact instructor
PHONE/Text/Voicemail: (619) 382-9203 E-MAIL: cmatthew@sdccd.edu

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
1. Evaluate conflict, conflict resolution, and mediation from an interdisciplinary perspective to explore the
societal, anthropological, psychological, political, historical, and philosophical aspects.
2. Analyze conflict to facilitate effective conflict resolution and mediation processes.
3. Explain the theoretical basis for conflict, conflict resolution and mediation.
4. Apply cross-cultural understanding and practices to the field of conflict resolution and mediation.
5. Examine beliefs, attitudes and behaviors related to conflict and assess one’s positions regarding the
practice of conflict resolution and mediation.
6. Explore various methods of conflict prevention as a tool to positively address conflict.
7. Evaluate the application of conflict transformation in a post-conflict setting.
8. Apply conflict resolution and mediation theories to case studies on personal, local, national and/or
international level.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to explain the theoretical basis for conflict, conflict resolution and mediation.

REQUIREED TEXTBOOK & SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:

Required Text: The Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention, 2nd
Edition ISBN: 9780470613535
Supplementary Materials: Include all the materials posted under “Modules” on Canvas.
These materials are supplements to the textbook and provide additional resources and
researched on gerontological issues.
Status: Active Date Printed: 7/29/2020
CRES-101 Course Syllabus
Matthews – Fall 2020
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SECTION II
1. COURSE OUTLINE/SCHEDULE
Class/Week Topics Assignment due

08/17/20 Course overview - Conflict Resolution and Due 8/23 11:59pm

Mediation • Syllabus Questions
• Course Overview Video
• Discussion Forum Post #1: Introduce
Yourself: 8/19/20
• Discussion Forum Response #1: 8/23/20

08/24/20 The Nature of Conflict – Defining conflict; Due 8/30 11:59pm

Root causes of conflicts; Interdisciplinary • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 1
perspectives; • Mayer Quiz
• Video/Reflection: William Ury
Discussion Forum Post #2: 8/26/20
Discussion Forum Response #2: 8/30/20
08/31/20 Conflict: Challenges & Opportunities Due 9/6 11:59pm
Dr. Saman Yaghmaee • Dr. Yaghmaee Video by guest speaker
Discussion Forum Post #3: 9/2/20
Discussion Forum Response #3: 9/6/20

09/7/20 Approaches to analyzing conflict – Goals; Due 9/13 11:59pm

Issues; Position; Interests; Value differences; • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 2
Human needs; Constructive versus destructive • Mayer Quiz
approaches to conflict
09/14/20 Power and Conflict – Causes of the conflict Due 9/20 11:59pm
• Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 3
• Mayer Quiz
• Video/Reflection: Elizabeth Lesser
Discussion Forum Post #4: 9/16/20
Discussion Forum Response #4: 9/20/20
09/21/20 Culture and Conflict - Cultural Due 9/27 11:59pm
considerations; Cross-cultural examples of • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 4
conflict resolution • Mayer Quiz
• Writing Assignment # 1
9/28/20 Myers - Briggs Personality Assessment Due 10/4 11:59pm
Dr. Saman Yaghmaee • MB Assessment
10/5/20 Resolving Conflict – Method and strategies; Due 10/11 11:59pm
Resources available for conflict resolution • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 5
(non-governmental organizations working • Mayer Quiz
towards conflict prevention and Social
services working toward conflict prevention)
10/12/20 Writing Assignment Due 10/18 11:59pm
• Writing Assignment # 2
10/19/20 Engaging Conflict - Challenges of Due 10/25 11:59pm
engagement; Roles of the Conflict Specialist • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 6
• Mayer Quiz

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CRES-101 Course Syllabus
Matthews – Fall 2020
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10/26/20 Communication- Communication and Due 11/1 11:59pm

interpersonal conflict management Personal
(conflict resolution style, identity formation,
conflict coping styles and orientations,
listening skills, verbal and nonverbal
communication)
• Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 7
• Mayer Quiz
• Video/Reflection: Amy Cuddy
Discussion Forum Post #5: 9/16/20
Discussion Forum Response #5: 9/20/20

11/2/20 Negotiation – Definition; Assumptions and Due 11/8 11:59pm

Dilemmas on negotiation • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 8
• Mayer Quiz

11/9/20 Working with Impasse Due 11/15 11:59pm

• Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 9
National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) • Mayer Quiz
• Video NCRC
11/16/20 Mediation – Definitions of mediation; Due 11/22 11:59pm
Theories of mediation; The ethics of • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 10
mediation; Mediation as a process and a • Mayer Quiz
practice to address conflict; Mediation as a • Mediation Video
tool to assist the negotiation process; The Discussion Forum Post #6: 11/18/20
benefits of mediation Discussion Forum Response #6: 11/22/20
11/23/20 Thanksgiving Holiday Week
11/30/20 Other Approaches to Conflict Intervention; 12/6 11:59pm
Reconciliation; Decision making assistance • Mayer Text & PPT: Ch 11
• Mayer Quiz

12/7/20 Writing Assignment Due 12/13 11:59pm

• Writing Assignment # 3
• PowerPoint for Writing Assignment #3

2. METHODS OF EVALUATION:

Writing Assignments: (3 writing assignments @ 150 points each = 450 points]

There are three writing assignments answer the specific questions assigned by the instructor. All
documents must be typed using 12-point font, double-spaced, one-inch margins. Turn in on Canvas. E-
mailed documents are accepted as an exception. Late assignments are not accepted See Course Outline for
deadlines and Appendix- I for guidelines.

PowerPoint for Writing Assignment #3 [100 points]

Students will develop a PowerPoint presentation based on this paper. The presentation should include
details about the background of the conflict, the key dynamics in the conflict, and the resolution or current
state on the conflict. The PPT. should be well organized, informative, and approximately 10 slides long.

Quizzes [11 quizzes @ 10 points each = 110 points]

There will be 11 quizzes. Each quiz will cover readings, presentations and material from the week noted
in the schedule. Each quiz is will have 1 - 3 questions and is NOT timed. The quizzes are open book.

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CRES-101 Course Syllabus
Matthews – Fall 2020
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Discussion Forum Posts [6 Forum Posts @ 25 points each = 150 points]

Response to Forum Discussion Prompts: On Canvas, questions will be posted regarding a video that you
have viewed. Students are asked to respond to these questions in the Discussion Forum.

Classmate Discussion Forum Responses: [12 Forum Responses (Respond to 2 classmate discussion
posts for each Forum) @ 12.5 points each = 150 points]
After students post their response to the discussion question, each student is asked to respond or comment
to two (2) classmates’ posts.

Grading & Grading Distribution:

Assignment Points Possible
Writing Assignment 1 150
Writing Assignment 2 150
Writing Assignment 3 150
PowerPoint from Writing Assignment 3 100
Mayer Quizzes (from Reading) 150
Discussion Forum Posts (6 Posts @ 25 points 150
each = 150 points)
Discussion Forum Classmate Responses [12 150
Forum Responses (2 classmate responses for
each Forum) @ 12.5 points each = 150 points]
Total 1,000
A = 900-1000 >90%) D = 600-699 >60%)
B = 800-899 >80%) F = 599 and below
C = 700-799 >70%)
3. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
This course will be delivered entirely online through Canvas learning management system. On Canvas,
you will access a PowerPoints from Chapter readings, and course materials and resources. You are
expected to know how to use the Canvas system. Some orientation material can be found in our
Canvas course shell after logging in. For additional training material, login instructions, student
orientations, and support information please visit http://www.sdccdonline.net/students/training/
You can also call the 24/7 Help Desk at 1-844-612-7422 for assistance with any technical issue that
you experience with Canvas. The suggested hardware and software for online classes can be found
at: http://www.sdccdonline.net/techreq.htm

4. ATTENDANCE:
This is a fully online course and any class meetings, activities, and exams take place online. Even
though there is no face-to-face meeting, students must login to Canvas several times a week to stay
informed and meet deadlines. Students must show continuous progress throughout the course, and
continuous progress is measured by Canvas login, participating in the class forum discussions, and
submitting assignments.

5. PLAGIARISM/ ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

Students must adhere to the policies and procedures of the San Diego Community College District, as
well as all federal, state, and local laws. Students are subject to charges of misconduct concerning, but

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CRES-101 Course Syllabus
Matthews – Fall 2020
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not limited to, the following acts as described in Policy 3100: The taking of and passing off as one’s
own work or ideas of another; plagiarism and academic cheating.

6. ACADEMIC ACCOMODATIONS:
Every effort has been made to make this course accessible to all students, including students with
disabilities. If you encounter a problem accessing anything in this course, please contact the instructor
immediately. Students with disabilities should email instructor and also contact the college’s Disabled
Students Programs and Services (DSPS) office http://www.sdcity.edu/dsps/

7. STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:
Please refer to the “Students Rights and Responsibilities” section of the Student Handbook of College
Catalog (see Policy 3100 and Procedure 3100.2). Students may be dropped from the course as a result
of consistently poor academic performance.

8. CONFLICTS/ DROPS:
Students must first contact the instructor to resolve any issues or conflict with the course and/or the
instructor. If the results are unsatisfactory, students should next contact the Department Chairperson
before contacting the Dean of Behavioral Science, Consumer and Family Studies.

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CRES-101 Course Syllabus
Matthews – Fall 2020
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Appendix I – Individual Writing Assignments

Writing Assignment 1- Reflection on personal culture (approximately 1,000 words)

Students will reflect upon their own identity as a cultural being. Reflections will address students’
awareness of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, spirituality, ability,
level of identity development, and positions of privilege and underrepresentation. Submissions will also
address students’ reflections on the following areas:

- Personal experiences, people, places that shaped the life of student

- Personal views on life and the things student care deeply about
- Needed areas for continual development and ways to engage in this ongoing development

Writing Assignment 2- Personal Experience with Conflict (approximately 1,000 words)

You have engaged in conflicts since you were a toddler and have undoubtedly continued to encounter
conflict throughout your life with strangers, friends, family, romantic partners, classmates, coworkers and
more. Describe and analyze a conflict you personally encountered and explore the factors that you think
may have led to this conflict (ex. differences in personal values, personalities, sensitivity, competition for
supremacy or resources, misunderstanding, etc.) What mode did you use to address the conflict (ex.
accommodating [let’s others have what they want], avoiding, competing [got aggressive when got
engaged with conflict], compromising [looks for a quick and fair resolution to conflict], collaborating
[seek out the opinions of others and discuss all possible solutions]). You can also address the following in
your reflection paper

- What was the end result to the conflict?

- How this conflict impacted your life?
- If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

Writing Assignment 3 – Applied Conflict Assignment (approximately 2,000 words)

In order to develop skills in conflict assessment, each student will be responsible for conducting an
assessment of an ideological conflict of their choice (in consultation with the instructor). Student are
expected to select a global, national, or local/ community conflict and then conduct comprehensive
research about the nature of the conflict between the parties. This assignment focuses on the conflict of
practices or rules and explores clusters of values that may or may not contradict one another. This
assignment is not about a debate but a conflict. For example, the student may choose to research the roots
of the ethnic conflict in Rwanda from global perspectives or choose to research the Mount Soledad cross
controversy in La Jolla. The student is responsible for producing a paper that summarizes the nature of
conflict, and underlying needs and interests of key parties involved in the conflict. The paper should also
include a description of the conflict dynamics to date, and a proposed conflict intervention strategy (if
any). REMINDER: Students will develop a PowerPoint presentation based on this paper. The
presentation should include details about the background of the conflict, the key dynamics in the conflict,
and the resolution or current state on the conflict. The PPT. should be informative, and approximately 10
slides long
_______________________________________________________________________________

• I will post video elaborating on the above guidance also

• See the due date for each assignment under course outline section of the syllabus

Status: Active Date Printed: 7/29/2020