Kathleen Leavitt

December 1, 2007

I. "MY SYNTHESIS PRODUCT SHOWS THAT..."

A. I can convey who I want to influence/affect concerning what (Subject, Audience, Purpose).

The process of writing the synthesis paper allowed me to realize that I am very aware of who the audience is that I am writing to and continuously made me reflect on what I had written and how my audience would react/understand and feel about what I had produced. Readers and listeners ( to my presentations) helped me to formulate my writings so that it could be understood and meaningful to those knowledgeable regarding my topic/field and those who were not.


B. I know what others have done before, either in the form of writing or action, that informs and connects with my project, and I know what others are doing now.

The CCT program and specifically CCT698 reinforced that there is much in the literature involving information that I found to be inter-related with my fields of interest. Also reading synthesis projects done in the healthcare field led me to acknowledge that in future projects outside of the CCT program the importance of searching for what has been done and looking into others views, ideas, thoughts and plans prior to formulating plans and putting them into action.


C. I have teased out my vision, so as to expand my view of issues associated with the project, expose possible new directions, clarify direction/scope within the larger set of issues, and decide the most important direction.

I have identified issues in my workplace that consistently consume my time and energy. I have come to terms acknowledging what the institution has and will do regarding these issues and also what my stand on these issues are. Ultimately, I have recognized that there is a discrepancy and I need to decide if this is where I should remain.


D. I have identified the premises and propositions that my project depends on, and can state counter-propositions. I have taken stock of the thinking and research I need to do to counter those counter-propositions or to revise my own propositions.

I am clear on what my view and thoughts are and through this synthesis project have become even more solid on my view regarding this issue. The project has allowed me the opportunity to research and gather data to identify how wide spread the issue is and what others are doing in regards to it.

E. I have clear objectives with respect to product, both written and practice, and process, including personal development as a reflective practitioner. I have arranged my work in a sequence (with realistic deadlines) to realize these objectives.

At the start of this project I had very clear expectations of myself and my work. Upon completion of my work I see that my work evolved from feedback I received but also I feel that my standing firm, regarding some of the feedback from readers, to keep what I had written and not change to what the suggestions that were made allowed me to have a product that I was comfortable and pleased with. Many times I did not feel that the criticism was constructive but would be destructive to the product I was seeking to achieve.


F. I have gained direct information, models, and experience not readily available from other sources.

I have been active in trying different methods and skills to improve the work environment in relationship to the issue I was focused on. Utilizing different methods has been very interesting and informative for me. Reading about communication skills or methods to support staff are helpful but the experience of using the tools is far more effective for a learning experience.


G. I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports.

I feel that I was successful in clarifying both the progression and argument. I found it easy to organize my thoughts to then transfer them into an outline format which then made for an organized flow in the written project.


H. My writing and other products Grab the attention of the readers/audience, Orient them, move them along in Steps, so they appreciate the Position I've led them to.

My initial writing did not succeed in “grabbing my reader”. After feedback from readers, I feel that I better accomplished this and was able to effectively transport the audience from initial identification of the issue throughout the process of detailing methods to utilize for the purpose of supporting staff in environments where disruptive behavior exists.


I. I have facilitated new avenues of classroom, workplace, and public participation.

Presentation of my project in both the classroom (CCT) and in my workplace has allowed others to discuss and potentially adopt these concepts into other areas. Despite my inability to initiate the methods at the time of my project , within my workplace, I have had the opportunity to discuss the methods with my staff on an individual basis for the purpose of sharing them and in hope that the methods would be utilized in an informal way.


J. To feed into my future learning and other work, I have taken stock of what has been working well and what needs changing.

I am more aware of the processes in place to deal with people ho exhibit disruptive behavior and realize that the current methods are not effective and seem to be in place to appease and not to directly manage the behavior. I am more insightful, in my role as a manager, as to what my responsibilities are in dealing the behavior when it is brought to my attention.

II. DEVELOPING AS A REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER, INCLUDING TAKING INITIATIVE IN AND THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS

1. I have integrated knowledge and perspectives from CCT and other courses into my own inquiry and engagement in social and/or educational change.

The communication/facilitation strategies have been extremely helpful and I am more aware of my role, in work and at home, in identifying and solving problems. It is far more effective to look at what is involved in the issue and the systems when searching for solutions.

2. I have also integrated into my own inquiry and engagement the processes, experiences, and struggles of previous courses.

Tools that I have learned and utilized in previous classes such as free-writing, action research, etc have proved to be very beneficial once I was comfortable with each tool.


3. I have developed efficient ways to organize my time, research materials, computer access, bibliographies, etc.

I realize that from my work I have become more organized in material items such as research materials but also in organizing my thoughts. My time has always been limited when I would actually sit to work on my project. I learned to maximize on the time available and leave, at the end of this work period, with my materials and next task agenda items clearly defined to make entrance into the next work period effortless and efficient.

4. I have experimented with new tools and experiences, even if not every one became part of my toolkit as a learner, teacher/facilitator of others, and reflective practitioner.

I was exposed throughout my time in the CCT program, to multiple tools. Many of these tools have resurfaced in my work environment such as communication skills and strategies. Many of the learned tools I used with the people I manage and I have also been a part of work groups where many of the skills I was familiar with from the program were utilized.


5. I have paid attention to the emotional dimensions of undertaking my own project but have found ways to clear away distractions from other sources (present & past) and not get blocked, turning apparent obstacles into opportunities to move into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory.

I have found that remaining focused and thinking about all dimensions while in the midst of the project allowed me to be persistent in moving forward and towards the goal of completing my synthesis. Identifying obstacles aided in searching for possible solutions and challenged me in thinking and writing.


6. I have developed peer and other horizontal relationships. I have sought support and advice from peers, and have given support and advice to them when asked for.

I found the relationships that I had developed with classmates have been instrumental in my completing the synthesis project. To have the feedback from them, with some having a nursing background and others not, allowed me to have different views on the topic I was working on. Feedback I received from non-medical classmates proved to be invaluable as it allowed me to ascertain how my information was received and perceived and how I needed to rewrite to allow for a better understanding of my material. They also provided me a solid support system that encouraged and assisted me in completing the program.


7. I have taken the lead, not dragged my feet, in dialogue with my advisor and other readers. I didn't wait for the them to tell me how to solve an expository problem, what must be read and covered in a literature review, or what was meant by some comment I didn't understand. I didn't put off giving my writing to my advisor and other readers or avoid talking to them because I thought that they didn't see things the same way as I do.

I feel that I had stricter deadlines for myself than my readers/advisor did. I had set a schedule and stuck as closely to it as possible so that I could complete the project in one semester. I feel that this experience tested my abilities to stay focused and in direction. I looked forward to the feedback and often was adamant about changes that were suggested and that I did not feel were appropriate and would interfere with the content.


8. I have revised seriously, which involved responding to the comments of others. I came to see this not as bowing down to the views of others, but taking them in and working them into my own reflective inquiry until I could convey more powerfully to others what I'm about (which may have changed as a result of the reflective inquiry).

Often the feedback served as a method of reflecting on what I was attempting to achieve and how to get this across to the reader. Their comments offered a different view and offered insight into how well I was explaining my work environment and the issue.




9. I have inquired and negotiated about formal standards, but gone on to develop and internalize my own criteria for doing work—criteria other than jumping through hoops set by the professor so I get a good grade.

Writing about a subject where I was personally involved allowed me to acknowledge that I was the expert on the material I was writing about. I was not focused on completing the work for a grade but rather as an informational tool for people in any workplace where dysfunctional behavior exists.


10. I have approached the CCT synthesis course and the CCT program as works-in-progress, which means that, instead of harboring criticisms to submit after the fact, I have found opportunities to affirm what is working well and to suggest directions for further development.

The tools I have learned in the CCT program have proved to be invaluable. Though I have completed the graduate program, I have just begun to utilize the concepts I have learned that will be tools for life.