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Syllabus
WFED 582: Assessing and Feeding Back Data: Organizational Diagnosis
(3 credits) This course familiarizes students with approaches to assessing and feeding back data in organization development (OD) and consulting services.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | E-Reserves | Library Resources | Software | Technical Requirements | Expectations | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Assignments | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
WFED 582: Assessing and Feeding Back Data will familiarize you with approaches to assessing and feeding back data in organization development (OD) and consulting services. Building on the basic concepts taught in WFED 572, this course will help you develop the specialized competencies essential to diagnosing organizations for change efforts and interventions. In this course, the terms assessment, feedback, and organizational diagnosis will be used interchangeably when necessary. It is important to note that organizational diagnosis in OD works differently than organizational diagnosis in business consulting. As you learned in WFED 572, OD practitioners take the role of facilitators or counselors as opposed to experts or doctors.
You will learn about various organizational diagnosis models, approaches, and methods and then find ways to apply them to your own setting. You will first assess your own needs in terms of the competencies required for organizational diagnosis and feedback. Then, you will investigate various organizational diagnosis models so that you can identify or build a model that best fits your own context. You will gather data through multiple interviews, observations, and surveys and then analyze them. Following the analysis, you will learn how to document results and provide feedback to the client group.
At the end of the course, you will have gained not only knowledge about organizational diagnosis but also practical experience with sharp insights on the topic. Critical reflection, coupled with strong action, will be highly encouraged and valued throughout the course.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you should be able to
- define the terms assessment, feedback, and diagnosis for OD and consulting;
- describe unique issues associated with diagnosis for OD and management consulting that distinguish OD assessment and feedback from training needs assessment;
- summarize key similarities and differences in organizational diagnosis for OD from the standpoint of internal OD practitioners and external OD practitioners;
- clarify core competencies for the OD practitioner and pinpoint appropriate organizational diagnosis strategies for OD services;
- discuss key issues in establishing a strategic diagnostic plan for OD, implementing it, and evaluating the assessment and feedback strategy;
- demonstrate skills to separate problems from root causes during initial meetings and contacts with prospective sponsors and clients;
- prepare assessment and feedback protocols and reports for OD and change-management interventions;
- discuss current thinking and research on organizational diagnosis, assessment, and feedback methods; and
- review ethical issues affecting organizational diagnosis and OD assessment and feedback.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Reserves (Course Reserves)
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Software
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Expectations
- Team Assignments
- At the beginning of the course, teams will be formed. Several assignments need to be completed as a team. In that case, each team needs to determine how it will organize work. In most cases, members in each team will exchange their comments on assignments submitted by other team members. Actively exchanging ideas within your team will be critical for learning in this course.
- Completing Assignments
- All assignments are designed to facilitate your learning of assessment and feedback (organizational diagnosis) in OD. There are mainly three types of assignments: forum discussions, blog reflections, and drop box submissions. Forum discussion posts will be submitted by each individual or by a team after working on the assignment. For individual assignments, a forum space for each team will be created in order to facilitate feedback within the team.
- Fieldwork
- The contents and assignments in this course are very practically oriented, requiring you to carry out fieldwork in an organizational setting. If it is possible for you to gather data within your organization, that would be greatly helpful. Otherwise, you need to gain access to an organization, which could be a non-profit organization or a community in your neighborhood.
- Self-Regulated Learning
- You are expected to read the assigned readings, participate in discussions, finish assignments, and build up competency throughout this course. On-time submissions, active participation in the discussions, and communication with your instructor and team members are the keys to success in this class.
- Communication
- There are two primary communication tools in this course. General announcements to the entire class will be made through the course announcements, and assignment feedback will be sent by the instructor through the Canvas assignment or the Canvas Inbox.
Course Requirements and Grading
You will be evaluated on the basis of the quantity, quality, and timeliness of your efforts. The table below breaks down point allocations more specifically.
| Assignment | Points |
|---|---|
| Weekly assignments (20 * 8 + 30 * 3 ) | 250 |
| Blog reflections (10 * 11) | 110 |
| Case Study Description (Lesson 2) | 50 |
| Research-based article abstract (Lesson 3) | 80 |
| Diagnosis Assessment Tool Review Paper (Lesson 8) | 80 |
| Focus Group Interview (Lesson 9) | 50 |
| Diagnosis Plan (Lesson 10) | 40 |
| SWOT or ERA Analysis Submission | 40 |
| Feedback Report (Lesson 13) | 50 |
| Intervention Plan (Lesson 13) | 50 |
| Action Plan (Lesson 15) | 50 |
| Peer Evaluation | 50 |
| Final exam | 100 |
| Course total | 1000 |
Letter grades will be based on the following scale:
| Grade | Minimum % | Min. points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93 | 930–1000 |
| A- | 90 | 900–929 |
| B+ | 88 | 880–889 |
| B | 82 | 820–879 |
| B- | 80 | 800–819 |
| C+ | 78 | 780–799 |
| C | 70 | 700–779 |
| D | 60 | 600–699 |
| F | < 60 | below 600 |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Assignments
IMPORTANT: Note that, in some lessons, you may come upon assignments located within the lesson commentary. Be sure to complete the assignments as you come upon them rather than waiting until the end of the lesson. It's important to begin your lessons early in the week in order to support dialogue in the discussion forums. Be sure to check back to add comments and read your classmates' posts throughout the week.
Research-Based Article Abstract
You will prepare an abstract of a research article that focuses on assessment and feedback or organizational diagnosis in the context of organization development or change management. Please find a research-based article that employed quantitative or qualitative research methods, which should neither an essay of the author nor a literature review.
Please use such sources as Organization Development Journal, Leadership and Organizational Change, The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Group and Organization Studies, Organization Dynamics, International Journal of Training and Development, Performance and Instruction, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Performance Improvement Quarterly, or other relevant journals.
Using the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), please include bibliographic citation, problem statement, problem and purpose of research, research questions or hypotheses, methodology and/or methods (participants, sampling method, key variables, instrument(s), and data analysis method), findings, implications, limitations, and future recommendations.
You must submit a copy of the article that you abstracted along with the abstract.
Blog Reflections
Throughout the whole Master of Professional Studies in Organization Development and Change program, you will systematically reflect on what you have learned in each class and what you have done in your career in the blog reflection assignments. In this course, there will be blog reflection activities to help you to reflect on, organize, and elaborate on what you have learned. Your performance for each blog reflection will be evaluated based on your storytelling skills (25%), connection to the course (25%), critical-thinking skills (25%), and quality (25%).
You may write your assignments or videotape your reflections and upload them. Further instructions on how to post and how to upload appear in each blog reflection assignment.
Note: The Sites at Penn State are public by default and searchable via Google, Bing, and so on. To restrict your site to just Penn State users, please follow these instructions once your blog is set up.
Online Discussion and Participation
Each week, you will be asked to participate in an online discussion. You are expected to post comments and will be graded on the quantity and quality of your submissions.
All Other Major Assignments
Detailed directions for major assignments, such as the midterm paper on an assessment tool, description of a case study, plan for assessment and feedback, data transcription and analysis, development of feedback material, intervention plan, and professional development plan, are provided in the corresponding lessons.
Peer Evaluation
The purpose of peer evaluation, which accounts for 5% of your final grade in this class, is to ensure your team's effectiveness by encouraging everyone's active participation. Each student will be evaluated at the end of the semester by his or her team members on the following items:
- Please rate how [Evaluatee X] showed his/her teamwork.
Questions Response options - attended virtual team meetings actively without being late
- contributed meaningfully to team discussions
- completed team assignments on time
- contributed to team assignments in a quality manner
- demonstrated a cooperative and supportive attitude
- provided regular feedback to my submissions for forum assignments
- provided quality feedback to my submissions for forum assignments
- contributed significantly to the success of the project
- 1 = strongly disagree;
- 2 = disagree;
- 3 = neutral;
- 4 = agree;
- 5 = strongly agree
- Please list the strengths of [Evaluatee X] as a team member.
- Please list the challenges of having [Evaluatee X] as a team member.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Activities are due by 11:59 pm eastern time (ET) on Sunday of the week in question.
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According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
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In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
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Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this course syllabus are subject to change; you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.