Assignment #4: Develop an Advocacy Action Plan

The final assignment for the semester asks you to put into practice many of the skills that you have developed over the semester. For this project, you will be working with the group you were assigned in your IOC 100 class to develop an "advocacy action plan."  Closely related to the final step of Galician's Dis-Illusioning Process (Step 7 - Dissemination), developing an advocacy action plan allows you to use what you have learned about in this class to demonstrate how you can become responsibly engaged in the world.
 
You may want to review the myths which have been researched by members of your group as a starting point.  Are there any that seem linked one another conceptually?  Do any of the myths expand beyond the realm of romantic relationships to a more general social issue?  For this final assignment, you may choose to create an action plan that relates specifically to creating awareness of healthier approaches to relationships as they relate to the myths or you may go beyond a focus on romantic relationships to address a more general problem as long as you demonstrate how one (or more) or the myths can be tied back to your problem.  Only one group per issue will be allowed, so make sure to have back up ideas at the beginning of your planning until it is known what problem each group has chosen.

This assignment will culminate with a group presentation of your chosen problem/issue.  Refer to the guidelines provided by your IOC 100 instructor for specific details related to the structure of this presentation.

The final product (other than the presentation itself) for the INQ 100 part of this assignment will be a poster similar to the posters one might present at a conference.  These posters are different than those you would use as a presentational aid in IOC 100 as they typically contain more writing than is easily viewable at a distance.  However, the poster should still be visually appealing, as it should draw interested parties in for closer inspection.  I will bring some examples of posters to class, when we will also discuss more details about how to complete this assignment.  This assignment (poster and presentation) is worth 10% of your class grade.

This assignment will allow you to . . .

1. Demonstrate Critical Thinking and Research Skills:

Identify, research, and analyze a socially significant need/problem in the local community that is related in some manner to one or more of Galician's media myths that we have talked about this semester.  Consider the role of social, political and historical context in creating, sustaining, and/or addressing the problem as well as any diversity/social justice/discrimination issues.

2. Demonstrate Research and Analytic Skills:

Conduct research to see if there are any agencies or organizations (local or otherwise, including those whose presence is primarily on the Internet) that address your chosen issue.  Research the organization.  Develop a brief history of the program, source of funding, and organizational structure and address the following questions:  How does the agency/school/organization/club define and address the social/educational/personal needs of its audience/members?  What are its mission and goals?  Is it adequately funded?  Does it appear to be effective?  Why or why not?

3. Demonstrate Research and Internet Skills and Evaluate Sources:

Utilize the library and Internet resources to locate and analyze relevant and appropriate current articles, books, and other information sources that address your issue and potential solutions.  Analyze the information for usefulness, accuracy, authority and author bias.

4. Demonstrate Information Management and Analytic Skills:

Demonstrate information management skills and use of appropriate APA style referencing of electronic and library resources. Collect, analyze, organize and synthesize data relevant to the problem or proposed project, and document these sources orally and in written form (as appropriate) in your speech, speech outline, and poster.

5. Demonstrate Effective Problem Analysis and Action Planning:

Develop plans and create a poster that lays out the problem and proposed solution for your issue.  Be sure to include personal and/or team social actions that can be taken to address the problem or need and articulate clear measurable goals and outcomes to be achieved in attempting to "make a difference" in the community as a concerned citizen or student leader.

6. Demonstrate Effective Presentation Skills:

Present your project as a collaborative group, highlighting your proposed solution to your problem/issue.  Provide a copy of your presentation preparation outline to me, including your reference page (this can be the same outline that you prepare for your IOC 100 course).
 
 
 

[These points are loosely based on a plan for advocacy action research presented originally at http://inst.santafe.cc.fl.us/~mwehr/Serve Le/0HUS2820Syllabus.htm]