Katie Bradford's
Conflict Resolution
(CMS 354, Fall 2024)
Why PBL?
- Engaging, structured content
- Application of course concepts
- Connections to the professional world
- Relevant to everyday life
Katie E. Bradford, PhD
Lecturer, Communication Studies
I learn better that way compared to just lectures.
The Launch
Problem Statement
Conflict in the workplace leads to loss of time, resources, and relationships.
Driving Questions
-Why do conflicts occur?
-What strategies and skills help us resolve conflict?
-How can we as future professionals effectively resolve workplace conflicts?
Learning Outcomes
Explain why conflicts happen, persist, and grow.
Analyze and evaluate conflict in communication.
Apply tactics, strategies, and skills to help resolve conflicts.
Create a conflict-resolution product for a real-world client.
It was very insightful to get exposure to real-world conflicts as it made what we did feel more meaningful knowing that the conflicts we were trying to resolve actually occurred.
Active Learning
Sustained Inquiry
[How were students afforded opportunities throughout the semester to build an in-depth understanding of the course concepts by generating questions, finding resources, and developing answers?]
Student Choice and Voice
[How were students given latitude to drive their own learning by making choices about the products they created leveraging personal knowledge and strengths?]
Feedback Loops
[What were your benchmarks? How did you communicate the semester-long PBL process to students?]
This class taught me the importance of collaboration and communication within a professional setting.
The Product
Final Project
Students were asked to deliver a solution for conflict resolution in the professional work world.
Critique and Revision
-Week 1: Team Project Preview, What do you know already?
-Week 2: Launch Day
-Week 3: Team Project Activity, What do you need to know?
-Week 4: Project Benchmark 1, Team Contract
-Week 6: Project Benchmark 2, Professional Email Message
-Week 12: Project Benchmark 3: Peer Review
-Week 14: Final Project Presentations
Criteria for Success
-Analyze a conflict in the professional work world
-Outline a feasible solution to the conflict
-Synthesize three course concepts
-Apply an ethical perspective
-Engage the audience with a visual component
-Exemplify effective communication in delivery
I enjoyed coming to a product solution and seeing how real-world conflicts can be solved in various ways. I also enjoyed being able to present for my guest who introduced the conflict and getting their feedback.
Final Presentations
Final Presentations
[How did you organize the final presentations? Who comprised the live audience?]
Presentation Rubric
[How did you assess the final presentations?]
Final Reflections
[How were students coached to reflect on their learning and document growth?]
This project allowed my team and me to actually apply our new knowledge to see what did and did not work. We navigated five different perspectives to compromise and create a final product... This real-world application gave me a deeper understanding of conflict resolution. I learned what I can and cannot control in conflict situations, how to incorporate my communications knowledge with my business background, and how to pivot when your plan does not work out.