Assignment 2: Professional Development Plan

Due Week 10 and worth 150 points

Write a seven to eight (7-8) page, three-part Professional Growth Plan in which you focus upon the following areas of personal and professional growth: 

· Part 1: Content Knowledge and Resources

· Part 2: Competencies

· Part 3: Reflective Activities  

For Part 1, use the Internet to research professional organizations, grant opportunities, and / or virtual learning communities pertinent to both the theme of your portfolio, and your current or prospective work environment.

For Part 3, use your textbook or the Internet to research information on teaching and learning through reflective practice.

Part 1: Content Knowledge and Resources

1. Select at least two (2) of the professional organizations, grant opportunities, and / or virtual learning communities that you have researched, and analyze the manner in which you would utilize the organizations you selected to support your continued professional development.  

2. Predict at least three (3) issues that you believe will be of particular significance within the next decade, or choose three (3) remaining questions that you ponder which relate to both the theme of your portfolio and your current or prospective work environment. 

3. Select one (1) of the issues or questions you identified in relation to your theme and work environment, and construct an annotated bibliography of at least five (5) print and non-print resources to consult in the future. 

Part 2: Competencies

4. Specify the development of your information literacy / research skills throughout your coursework. Provide one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from previous coursework in order to demonstrate your change(s) and acquired knowledge within this area. Note: If you do not have papers / artifacts / examples, attach the description(s) of your chosen previous assignment(s).

5. Develop a plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal and professional growth plan. Your plan must include, at a minimum:

a. Three to five (3-5) information literacy goals

b. Potential means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the information literacy goals  

c. Relevant strategies for applying the literacy skills in educational / work environment

6. Specify the development of your writing skills throughout your coursework. Provide one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from previous coursework to demonstrate your change(s) and learning in this area. Identify plans for continued writing development as part of your personal and professional growth plan. Note: If you do not have papers / artifacts / examples, attach the description(s) of your chosen previous assignment(s).

7. Create an action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #6, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Your plan must include, at a minimum:

a. Three to five (3-5) goals

b. Three to five (3-5) key steps that you plan to take for further evaluation and continuous improvement

c. Potential means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve these goals 

d. Relevant strategies for applying the plan in educational / work environment

Part 3: Reflective Activities

8. Ascertain whether or not you met the reflection goal that you established in Week 3 of this course. Analyze the significant way(s) and extent to which the process of reflection caused you to become a more reflective practitioner. 

9. Propose two to three (2-3) measures that you would use in order to strengthen your reflective process. Provide a rationale to support your response.

10. Propose two to three (2-3) ways that you would apply continued reflective activities within your current or prospective work environment. Provide at least one (1) example of such application to support your response.

11. Upload Assignment 2 to your Optimal Resume portfolio. Copy and paste your portfolio's URL into the comment box of Assignment 2 to submit the assignment to Blackboard.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

· Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

· Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

· Apply theoretical and practical knowledge gained in prior program courses to explore a new topic or synthesize understanding in the concentration area and the overall Master of Education program.

· Develop a working portfolio that focuses on a specific theme or project tied to the Master of Education program goals and the learner’s area of concentration.

· Create materials that demonstrate the analysis, synthesis, and intersection of course work in the Master of Education program.

· Use technology and information resources to research information about education.

· Write clearly and concisely about education using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

  

Points: 150

Assignment 2: Professional Development Plan

 

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below 70% F

Fair

70-79% C

Proficient

80-89% B

Exemplary

90-100% A

 

Part 1: Content   Knowledge and Resources

 

1. Select at least two   (2) of the professional organizations, grant opportunities, and / or virtual   learning communities that you have researched, and analyze the manner in   which you would utilize the organizations you selected to support your   continued professional development.
  Weight: 4%

Did not submit or   incompletely selected at least two (2) of the professional organizations,   grant opportunities, and / or virtual learning communities that you have   researched; did not submit or incompletely analyzed the manner in which you   would utilize the organizations you selected to support your continued   professional development.

Partially selected at   least two (2) of the professional organizations, grant opportunities, and /   or virtual learning communities that you have researched; partially analyzed   the manner in which you would utilize the organizations you selected to   support your continued professional development.

Satisfactorilyselected   at least two (2) of the professional organizations, grant opportunities, and   / or virtual learning communities that you have researched;   satisfactorilyanalyzed the manner in which you would utilize the   organizations you selected to support your continued professional   development.

Thoroughly selected at   least two (2) of the professional organizations, grant opportunities, and /   or virtual learning communities that you have researched; thoroughly analyzed   the manner in which you would utilize the organizations you selected to   support your continued professional development.

 

2. Predict at least   three (3) issues that you believe will be of particular significance within   the next decade, or choose three (3) remaining questions that you ponder   which relate to both the theme of your portfolio and your current or   prospective work environment.

Weight: 5%

Did not submit or   incompletely predicted at least three (3) issues that you believe will be of   particular significance within the next decade; or did not submit or   incompletely chose three (3) remaining questions that you ponder which relate   to both the theme of your portfolio and your current or prospective work   environment.

Partiallypredicted at   least three (3) issues that you believe will be of particular significance   within the next decade; or partially chose three (3) remaining questions that   you ponder which relate to both the theme of your portfolio and your current   or prospective work environment.

Satisfactorily   predicted at least three (3) issues that you believe will be of particular   significance within the next decade; or satisfactorily chose three (3)   remaining questions that you ponder which relate to both the theme of your   portfolio and your current or prospective work environment.

Thoroughly predicted   at least three (3) issues that you believe will be of particular significance   within the next decade; or thoroughly chose three (3) remaining questions   that you ponder which relate to both the theme of your portfolio and your   current or prospective work environment.

 

3. Select one (1) of   the issues or questions you identified in relation to your theme and work   environment, and construct an annotated bibliography of at least five (5)   print and non-print resources to consult in the future.
  Weight: 10%

Did not submit or   incompletely selected one (1) of the issues or questions you identified in   relation to your theme and work environment; did not submit or incompletely   constructed an annotated bibliography of at least five (5) print and   non-print resources to consult in the future.

Partiallyselected one   (1) of the issues or questions you identified in relation to your theme and   work environment; partially constructed an annotated bibliography of at least   five (5) print and non-print resources to consult in the future.

Satisfactorilyselected   one (1) of the issues or questions you identified in relation to your theme   and work environment; satisfactorilyconstructed an annotated bibliography of   at least five (5) print and non-print resources to consult in the future.

Thoroughlyselected one   (1) of the issues or questions you identified in relation to your theme and   work environment; thoroughlyconstructed an annotated bibliography of at least   five (5) print and non-print resources to consult in the future.

 

Part 2: Competencies

 

4. Specify the   development of your information literacy / research skills throughout your   coursework. Provide one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from   previous coursework in order to demonstrate your change(s) and acquired   knowledge within this area. Note: If you do not have papers   / artifacts / examples, attach the description(s) of your chosen previous   assignment(s).
  Weight: 10%

Did not submit or   incompletely specified the development of your information literacy /   research skills throughout your coursework. Did not submit or incompletely   provided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from or, if you   have none of these, description(s) of previous coursework in order to   demonstrate your change(s) and acquired knowledge within this area.

Partiallyspecified the   development of your information literacy / research skills throughout your   coursework. Partially provided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts /   examples from or, if you have none of these, description(s) of previous   coursework in order to demonstrate your change(s) and acquired knowledge   within this area.

Satisfactorilyspecified   the development of your information literacy / research skills throughout   your coursework. Satisfactorily provided one to three (1-3) papers /   artifacts / examples from or, if you have none of these, description(s) of   previous coursework in order to demonstrate your change(s) and acquired   knowledge within this area.

Thoroughly specified   the development of your information literacy / research skills throughout   your coursework. Thoroughly provided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts /   examples from or, if you have none of these, description(s) of previous   coursework in order to demonstrate your change(s) and acquired knowledge   within this area.

 

5a. Develop a plan for   continued information literacy development as part of your personal and   professional growth plan that includes three to five (3-5) information   literacy goals.

Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely developed a plan for continued information literacy development   as part of your personal and professional growth plan that includes three to   five (3-5) information literacy goals.

Partially developed a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes three to five (3-5) information   literacy goals.

Satisfactorily   developed a plan for continued information literacy development as part of   your personal and professional growth plan that includes three to five (3-5)   information literacy goals.

Thoroughlydeveloped a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes three to five (3-5) information   literacy goals.

 

5b. Develop a plan for   continued information literacy development as part of your personal and   professional growth plan that includes potential means (e.g., organizations   and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the information literacy goals.

Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely developed a plan for continued information literacy development   as part of your personal and professional growth plan that includes potential   means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the   information literacy goals.

Partially developed a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes potential means (e.g.,   organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the information   literacy goals.

Satisfactorily   developed a plan for continued information literacy development as part of   your personal and professional growth plan that includes potential means   (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the   information literacy goals.

Thoroughly developed a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes potential means (e.g.,   organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve the information   literacy goals.

 

5c. Develop a plan for   continued information literacy development as part of your personal and   professional growth plan that includes relevant strategies for applying the   literacy skills in educational / work environment.

Weight: 3%

Did not submit or incompletely   developed a plan for continued information literacy development as part of   your personal and professional growth plan that includes relevant strategies   for applying the literacy skills in educational / work environment.

Partially developed a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes relevant strategies for applying   the literacy skills in educational / work environment.

Satisfactorily   developed a plan for continued information literacy development as part of   your personal and professional growth plan that includes relevant strategies   for applying the literacy skills in educational / work environment.

Thoroughly developed a   plan for continued information literacy development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan that includes relevant strategies for applying   the literacy skills in educational / work environment.

 

6. Specify the   development of your writing skills throughout your coursework. Provide one to   three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from previous coursework to   demonstrate your change(s) and learning in this area. Identify plans for   continued writing development as part of your personal and professional   growth plan. Note: If you do not have papers / artifacts /   examples, attach the description(s) of your chosen previous assignment(s).

Weight: 10%

Did not submit or   incompletely specified the development of your writing skills throughout your   coursework. Did not submit or incompletely provided one to three (1-3) papers   / artifacts / examples from or, if you have none of these, description(s) of   previous coursework to demonstrate your change(s) and learning in this area.   Did not submit or incompletely identified plans for continued writing   development as part of your personal and professional growth plan.

Partially specified   the development of your writing skills throughout your coursework. Partially   provided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from or, if you   have none of these, description(s) of previous coursework to demonstrate your   change(s) and learning in this area. Partially identified plans for continued   writing development as part of your personal and professional growth plan.

Satisfactorily   specified the development of your writing skills throughout your coursework.   Satisfactorily provided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from   or, if you have none of these, description(s) of previous coursework to   demonstrate your change(s) and learning in this area. Satisfactorily   identified plans for continued writing development as part of your personal   and professional growth plan.

Thoroughlyspecified   the development of your writing skills throughout your coursework.   Thoroughlyprovided one to three (1-3) papers / artifacts / examples from or,   if you have none of these, description(s) of previous coursework to   demonstrate your change(s) and learning in this area. Thoroughly identified   plans for continued writing development as part of your personal and   professional growth plan.

 

7a. Create an action   plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Include three to   five (3-5) goals.
  Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely created an action plan geared toward both building upon your   personal and professional strength(s), which you identified previously in   Journal Entry #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio   theme. Did not submit or incompletely included three to five (3-5) goals.

Partially created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Partially included   three to five (3-5) goals.

Satisfactorily created   an action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and   professional strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry   #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme.   Satisfactorily included three to five (3-5) goals.

Thoroughlycreated an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Thoroughly   included three to five (3-5) goals.

 

7b. Create an action   plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional strength(s),   which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward improving   your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Include three to five (3-5)   key steps that you plan to take for further evaluation and continuous   improvement.
  Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely created an action plan geared toward both building upon your   personal and professional strength(s), which you identified previously in   Journal Entry #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your   portfolio theme. Did not submit or incompletely included three to five (3-5)   key steps that you plan to take for further evaluation and continuous   improvement.

Partiallycreated an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Partially included   three to five (3-5) key steps that you plan to take for further evaluation   and continuous improvement.

Satisfactorily created   an action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and   professional strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry   #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme.   Satisfactorily included three to five (3-5) key steps that you plan to take   for further evaluation and continuous improvement.

Thoroughly created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Thoroughly   included three to five (3-5) key steps that you plan to take for further   evaluation and continuous improvement.

 

7c. Create an action   plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Include potential   means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve   these goals.
  Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely created an action plan geared toward both building upon your   personal and professional strength(s), which you identified previously in   Journal Entry #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your   portfolio theme. Did not submit or incompletely included potential means   (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to achieve these   goals.

Partially created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Partially included   potential means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to   achieve these goals.

Satisfactorilycreated   an action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Satisfactorily   included potential means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may   utilize) to achieve these goals.

Thoroughly created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Thoroughly included   potential means (e.g., organizations and resources that you may utilize) to   achieve these goals.

 

7d. Create created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Include relevant   strategies for applying the plan in educational / work environment.
  Weight: 3%

Did not submit or   incompletely created an action plan geared toward both building upon your   personal and professional strength(s), which you identified previously in   Journal Entry #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your   portfolio theme. Did not submit or incompletely included relevant strategies   for applying the plan in educational / work environment.

Partially created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Partially included   relevant strategies for applying the plan in educational / work environment.

Satisfactorilycreated   an action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and   professional strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry   #7, and toward improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme.   Satisfactorily included relevant strategies for applying the plan in   educational / work environment.

Thoroughly created an   action plan geared toward both building upon your personal and professional   strength(s), which you identified previously in Journal Entry #7, and toward   improving your weaknesses related to your portfolio theme. Thoroughly   included relevant strategies for applying the plan in educational / work environment.

 

Part 3: Reflective   Activities

 

8. Ascertain whether   or not you met the reflection goal that you established in Week 3 of this   course. Analyze the significant way(s) and extent to which the process of   reflection caused you to become a more reflective practitioner.
  Weight: 10%

Did not submit or   incompletely ascertained whether or not you met the reflection goal that you   established in Week 3 of this course. Did not submit or incompletely analyzed   the significant way(s) and extent to which the process of reflection caused   you to become a more reflective practitioner.

Partially ascertained   whether or not you met the reflection goal that you established in Week 3 of   this course. Partially analyzed the significant way(s) and extent to which   the process of reflection caused you to become a more reflective   practitioner.

Satisfactorily   ascertained whether or not you met the reflection goal that you established   in Week 3 of this course. Satisfactorily analyzed the significant way(s) and   extent to which the process of reflection caused you to become a more   reflective practitioner.

Thoroughly ascertained   whether or not you met the reflection goal that you established in Week 3 of   this course. Thoroughly analyzed the significant way(s) and extent to which   the process of reflection caused you to become a more reflective practitioner.

 

9. Propose two to   three (2-3) measures that you would use in order to strengthen your   reflective process. Provide a rationale to support your response.
  Weight: 5%

Did not submit or   incompletely proposed two to three (2-3) measures that you would use in order   to strengthen your reflective process. Did not submit or incompletely   provided a rationale to support your response.

Partially proposed two   to three (2-3) measures that you would use in order to strengthen your   reflective process. Partially provided a rationale to support your response.

Satisfactorilyproposed   two to three (2-3) measures that you would use in order to strengthen your   reflective process. Satisfactorily provided a rationale to support your   response.

Thoroughly proposed   two to three (2-3) measures that you would use in order to strengthen your   reflective process. Thoroughly provided a rationale to support your response.

 

10. Propose two to   three (2-3) ways that you would apply continued reflective activities within   your current or prospective work environment.  Provide at least   one (1) example of such application to support your response.
  Weight: 5%

Did not submit or   incompletely proposed two to three (2-3) ways that you would apply continued   reflective activities within your current or prospective work environment.   Did not submit or incompletely provided at le

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 Argumentative Essay

In the Week 3 Assignment, you engaged in a case analysis of a current business problem using some of the components of an argumentative essay. In this written assignment, you will write a complete argumentative essay as described in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Foster, Hardy, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). This essay will include a revised and polished version of your Week 3 Assignment, an objection to your thesis, a rebuttal, and concluding remarks. In order to benefit the most, you should start working on your Final Project from the time you receive your Week 3 Assignment back with comments from your professor.

Your assignment should include the following:
A revision of your Week 3 Case Analysis Assignment. Your revision should represent a substantial edit of your work that fully incorporates feedback from your professor and goes well beyond correcting any grammatical or APA errors.

The strongest possible objection to your thesis. After the final paragraph of your Week 3 Case Analysis Assignment, start a new paragraph that introduces the strongest possible objection to your thesis. The considerations for this are detailed in Section 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). Make sure to employ the appropriate language to introduce the objection, such as “some may object to my thesis as follows” or “according to [so and so] the thesis presented here fails to account for X” [whatever he or she finds problematic]. You can find other language to do this, of course, but the key point here is to make sure that you indicate that someone else is speaking when presenting this objection.

It is also important to remember that you do research to discover good objections and not merely objections that are weak and thus easily rebutted. Look for peer-reviewed journal articles in the Ashford University Library, full-text articles in Google Scholar, or articles in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Present the opposing position fairly and in detail. This may take more than one paragraph.

A rebuttal. This is a refutation of the objection that you have just presented. Start this in a new paragraph following the objection paragraph(s). Once again, follow the indications of Section 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). You may point out an error in the objection. Or you may show that, while it is an important objection, it does not apply squarely to your argument, or does not account for facts that make it irrelevant. Above all, make sure to maintain philosophical decorum in your rebuttal. Toward this end, you should apply the principles of charity and of accuracy, first introduced in the Week 1 course material. See “Confronting Disagreement” in Section 9.4 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015).

Closing remarks. End your argumentative essay with a paragraph of closing remarks. Provide some reflections of what you have attempted to achieve by means of your essay. You could, for example, explain how your essay sheds light on the broader controversy that it addresses. Or you could point out how your essay addresses a frequently ignored point or the unpopular side in the controversy. You could also reflect on the related matters in the broader controversy that would be useful to examine by others. Do not merely summarize what you have done in the body of your essay, and do not add new information here that would support or contradict your essay since the body of your essay should have addressed all the relevant points. See “Closing Your Essay” in Section 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo (2015).

Requirements for your Assignment:

Your assignment should be between 1500 to 1700 words in length, excluding the cover and references pages.

Your examination should be both thorough and succinct. This is a combination that demands time and thought, so give yourself sufficient time to draft and revise.

Your assignment should include citations, as well as a list of references. Both must be in APA form.

Your references should include at least four peer-reviewed articles in addition to those that you will be carrying over from our Week 3 Case Analysis Assignment. These references should be drawn from the Ashford University Library, Google Scholar, or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

 

Fieser, J. (2015). Introduction to business ethics [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Chapter 5: Discrimination in the Workplace

Chapter 6: Employees

Ashford Course Materials

Hardy, J, Foster, C., & Zúñiga y Postigo, G. (2015). Section 9.1: The Argumentative Essay. In With good reason: A guide to critical thinking. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Section 9.1: The Argumentative Essay is a section of Chapter 9 of the introductory course in logic textbook that is employed in the PHI103 Informal Logic course offered at Ashford University. The link for this source will take you to a PDF format of this chapter. Section 9.1 introduces the thesis and premises in an argumentative essay, which are elements that students in this course must employ in both assignments in this course.

Hardy, J, Foster, C., & Zúñiga y Postigo, G. (2015). Section 9.2: Strengthening the Argumentative Essay. In With good reason: A guide to critical thinking. 

Section 9.2: Strengthening the Argumentative Essay is a section of Chapter 9 of the introductory course in logic textbook that is employed in the PHI103 Informal Logic course offered at Ashford University. The link for this source will take you to a PDF format of this chapter. For the purposes of the work for this week, it will be necessary to read only thesubsection called Clarification and Support. This subsection explains the kind of support needed in an argumentative essay for the claims offered in its premises, which students in this course must know in order to apply in discussions and both assignments.

Hardy, J, Foster, C., & Zúñiga y Postigo, G. (2015). Section 9.4: Confronting Disagreement. In With good reason: A guide to critical thinking. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Section 9.4: Confronting Disagreement is a section of Chapter 9 of the introductory course in logic textbook that is employed in the PHI103 Informal Logic course offered at Ashford University. The link for this source will take you to a PDF format of this chapter. Section 9.4 covers the philosophical principle of charity, which is a principle that students in this course must employ in their analyses for discussions and assignments.

Zúñiga y Postigo, G. (2015). The moral good in three traditional ethical theories [PowerPoint Slides].

This PowerPoint document covers the main characteristics of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, and what is the moral good in each of these.

Articles

Collins, C., & Sokolowski, J. (2015, June 12). Supreme Court sides with EEOC in Abercrombie & Fitch hijab case (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.laboremploymentlawblog.com/2015/06/articles/discrimination/supreme-court-sides-with-eeoc-in-abercrombie-fitch-hijab-case/

This chronicles the Supreme Court’s reversal of judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Accessibility Statement does not exist.
Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. 575 U. S. 1 (2015). Retrieved from http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-86_p86b.pdf

This is the Supreme Court’s decision on this case, delivered by Justice Scalia, and it includes the only dissenting opinion by Justice Thomas.

Geller, P. (2015, June 2). Why would a devout Muslim want to work at Abercrombie and Fitch? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Retrieved from http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/06/02/why-would-a-devout-muslim-want-to-work-at-abercrombie-and-fitch/

This article questions the reasons that a Muslim would have to seek employment at a company that has a look policy that would appear to be unsuitable to Muslim values.
Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Olson, W. (2015, June 1). EEOC v. Abercrombie: Headscarfs and judicial modesty (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Retrieved from http://www.cato.org/blog/eeoc-v-abercrombie-headscarfs-judicial-modesty

This article examines the shortcomings and risks of this Supreme Court decision.
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Religion in the workplace: Bias unveiled (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. (2015, June 3). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2015/06/religion-workplace

This article examines the complicated nature of the ruling, which is in sharp contrast with Justice Scalia’s musings that this case was “really easy.”
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Zakrzewski, K. (2005). The prevalence of “look”ism in hiring decisions: How federal law shoud be amended to prevent appearance discrimination in the workplace (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. U. Pa. Journal of Labor and Employment Law, 7(2), 431-461. Retrieved from https://www.law.upenn.edu/journals/jbl/articles/volume7/issue2/Zakrzewski7U.Pa.J.Lab.&Emp.L.431%282005%29.pdf

This article examines the role of appearance in hiring decisions.

Multimedia

Wall Street Journal. (2015, June 3). Supreme Court rules against Abercrombie & Fitch in head scarf case (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/lhePN3HMHxI

This video covers the 8-1 ruling by The Supreme Court. Transcript
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 Prepare: In preparation for your first post in this discussion, you will become familiar with the case of Perdue Farms by means of the material listed under Required Resources (Generally). You will also find more material under Required Resources (Per Subject Heading) because the specific task for this discussion is to examine this case with an eye for any one of the following four subject headings in business ethics: (1) the environment, (2) advertising, (3) consumer safety and (4) moral responsibility. You must select one of these subject headings and your selection will be the specific focus of your work for your discussion. Accordingly, you will be responsible to complete the readings and videos listed under your chosen subject heading.

Reflect: If you choose the environment subject heading, reflect on the sheer density of chickens raised at any given time in the Perdue facilities. The disposal of their discarded remains and their processing for distribution, either individually and most definitely together, pose a number of environmental concerns.

If you choose the advertising subject heading, reflect on how the two videos on Perdue farms present the sharp contrast between the way the company presents its product and the way in which it has been discovered to run its chicken farms. Consider whether this is an example of failure to provide truth in advertising and how you would support such a stance.

If you choose the consumer safety subject heading, reflect on the way in which chickens raised in factory farms risks consumer safety. These might include (a) bacterial contamination, (b) the effects of antibiotics on the meat that is consumed, or (c) the release of adrenaline, cortisone, and other chemicals resulting from the acute stress endured by factory farm animals, which then becomes part of the meat that is later consumed by humans.

If you choose the moral responsibility heading, reflect on the stewardship role that may fall upon humans toward non-human animals. Can we utilize them as mere means to an end (for entertainment, companionship, or food)? Or do we have special obligations toward them (e.g., not to mistreat or torture them and to slaughter them quickly and without stress) because they are sentient beings?

Once you have completed the indicated readings and videos, reflect on the ethical theories that we have covered in the discussions thus far and identify one that you want to apply for your analysis in your discussion post.

Also, reflect on the regulations (or lack thereof) in the factory farming industry in order to be able to examine how our nation’s laws affect the operations of the business. You will need to research the applicable laws on the factory farming industry.

Finally, since Perdue Farms is an American corporation, reflect on the mixed economic system in the United States in order to articulate the setting for the operations of factory farming, and then, be able to analyze the ethical actions of Perdue given this setting.

Write: In the first part of your initial post, you will need to introduce the Perdue case within the particular subject heading that you have chosen. In this introduction, you will also need to (1) articulate the relevant characteristics of our mixed economic system and (2) present the regulations for the factory farming industry. These will provide the setting for you to be able to examine how the nation’s laws affect its operations.

In the second part of your initial post, present your analysis of the problem in a way that identifies which entities (Perdue as a corporation, the economic system in the USA, the regulatory control of the state, or all of these) have a role in the problem that you have presented. In your analysis, you must assess the negative effects of the interplay between business activity and one of the following: the environment, advertising, consumer safety, or corporate social responsibility. Your focus must be an ethical analysis of this interplay, and it must be well supported by reliable and/or scholarly sources by clearly identifying the ethical theory that you are applying in your analysis.

Revise: Read the feedback provided by your professor to your initial post, either directly to you or to your fellow students. Use this as an opportunity to learn from your professor, especially with regard to the best ways to apply the course material and your research to your analysis. On the basis of what you have learned in this process, post an improved revision of your initial post that applies the additional knowledge that you have gained.

Remember that your grade depends on the quality of your initial and revised responses, not just on the submission of an attempt at improvement. It is thus to your advantage to post the best initial post you can and then to also improve that best effort as much as you can through revision. Taking this process seriously will help you develop the skills you need to do well on the Final Project.

Requirements for Your Initial Post:

Your initial post should be at least 400 words in length and have citations and references in APA notation. It should address the prompt in its entirety. This means that you should not split your response to the prompt in multiple posts. Your examination should be both thorough and succinct. This is a combination that demands time and thought, so give yourself sufficient time to draft and revise.

Please be advised that until you post, you will not see what your fellow students are posting. Once you submit your post, you will be able to view the posts from your other classmates. You can then proceed to reply to at least two different threads based on the required material for this discussion.

Your list of references for your initial post should include the videos and the other required reading material for this discussion, the Instructor Guidance, and any other announcements presented to you by your professor. List all the course material that informed your work in the list of references and cite these too where appropriate. In addition, your references should include any other sources that you consult to inform yourself (but not Wikipedia or similar sources).

 

PerdueChicken. (2014, August 1). Perdue cartoon commercial–Fresh taste (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/jz2jkpN_DGo

• This is a cartoon commercial aired by Perdue to promote the freshness and quality of Perdue chickens, who are depicted as living well. Transcript
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Truth-worx Cornelia. (2014, January 16). Chicken factory farmer speaks out (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/YE9l94b3x9U

• Farmer Craig Watts open up his farm to share the startling realities of raising chicken according to his contractual arrangement with Perdue. Transcript
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 Prepare: Your initial post in this discussion must be informed by the required material for this discussion. The required material for this discussion will introduce you to what is new about Uber as a business model, the profit incentive in business, and how laws can make or break innovation in business. Your preparation should focus on the characteristics of capitalism and socialism, as well as other business concepts presented in the required material. Since your initial post in this discussion will examine the relation between running a business such as Uber and the laws and economic system of the nation(s) in which it operates, make sure to comb the material on Uber for laws, regulations, and the economic setting that affect its operations. You are encouraged to research relevant laws and regulations to make sure that you have current information. You will also need to review the material on the three ethical theories employed in the Week 1 Discussion as you will draw from that material for this week’s discussion too.

Reflect: Keep in mind that Uber has presented itself into the market not as a transportation service but as a service that pairs consumers with ride sharing services by means of a unique phone app. But some sources—including the taxi industry and one California court finding (details in the required material), as well as the characterization of Uber presented in Section 3.4 of the textbook—seem to challenge this branding. According to these sources, Uber is avoiding laws that apply to the transportation industry and, thereby, usurping a rightful place that the taxi industry has carved for itself. Consumers, on the other hand, have shown their preference for Uber by a high demand for its services in the USA and abroad, including those countries in which Uber has been banned. Compared to taxis, Uber offers consumers an efficient system for procuring a ride even in remote areas where taxis do not frequent, a convenient payment method (no need for cash, and fares can be split among different users on the same ride), and significantly cheaper fares compared to taxis. In many instances, Uber cars come equipped with water, candy, and magazines, all for free. Uber drivers are also better off because they keep the majority of the fares for the rides that they service, which is exactly the opposite case of taxi drivers, and they can choose when they want to work. Clearly, this is a controversial case and thus very apt for the examination for this discussion.

Keep in mind that a nation’s economic system is shaped by the laws that are in place. Accordingly, laws (including state regulations and local ordinances) will give you a clue for the kind of economic system that exists. Keep in mind also that most nations have mixed economies and there is probably no economic system that purely represents socialism or capitalism. So you will find a different combination of both socialism and capitalism in any nation that you are examining.

Write: You have four tasks for your initial post. In order to present an organized post, address each one of these tasks in a separate paragraph and in the following order. Your first task is to articulate the economic system (or combination of characteristics of both socialism and capitalism) that such laws depict. Your second task is to examine the laws that either support or limit the operations by Uber. Your third task is to analyze how your findings from your first and second tasks affect Uber. And your fourth task is to present your moral position with regard to Uber. For this latter task, you will need to identify one of the three ethical theories covered in the Week 1 (utilitarianism, deontology, or virtue ethics) as support for the moral position that you are taking. For example, you may hold the moral position that Uber is morally justifiable because it provides a good for consumers that fills in a gap that had not been met by the taxi industry. Or you may take the position that Uber’s positioning in the market is morally wrong.

Revise: Read the feedback provided by your professor to your initial post, either directly to you or to your fellow students. Use this as an opportunity to learn from your professor, especially with regard to the best ways to apply the course material and your research to your analysis. On the basis of what you have learned in this process, post an improved revision of your initial post that applies the additional knowledge that you have gained.

Remember that your grade depends on the quality of your initial and revised responses, not just on the submission of an attempt at improvement. It is thus to your advantage to post the best initial post you can and then to also improve that best effort as much as you can through revision. Taking this process seriously will help you develop the skills you need to do well on the Final Project.

Requirements for Your Initial Post:

Your initial post should be at least 400 words in length and have citations and references in APA notation. It should address the prompt in its entirety. This means that you should not split your response to the prompt in multiple posts. Your examination should be both thorough and succinct. This is a combination that demands time and thought, so give yourself sufficient time to draft and revise.

Please be advised that until you post, you will not see what your fellow students are posting. Once you submit your post, you will be able to view the posts from your other classmates. You can then proceed to reply to at least two different threads based on the required material for this discussion.

Your list of references for your initial post should include the video and the other required material for this discussion, including Section 1.3 of the textbook on Starbucks, as well as the Instructor Guidance and any other announcements presented to you by your professor. Use all of the material presented to you in the course and by your professor, in addition to any other sources that you consulted to inform yourself about the case (but not Wikipedia or similar sources).

Your research should seek scholarly articles or articles that offer factual or otherwise verifiable information. Your initial post for this discussion should be submitted 

Book:  Introduction to Business Ethics, Second Edition, James Fieser 

 Case Analysis: Case Studies: Lehman Brothers, British Petroleum, Monsanto, Merck, Goodyear, Perdue Farms

In the Week 3 Discussion, you selected a current business problem from the following case categories:

• Banking
• Fuel and the Environment
• GMOs
• Factory Farming
• Pharmaceuticals
• Gender Discrimination

In this written assignment, you will present your work on the case analysis using selected components of an argumentative essay as described in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). This written assignment will include a revised and polished version of your discussion work, the presentation and support of two premises, and an analysis of how your chosen ethical theory offers the best moral solution to the business problem in your case analysis.

Using the components of the argumentative essay located in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo (2015), your assignment should include the following:

An introduction. This is the “Problem” portion of the essay that is covered in Section 9.1: The Argumentative Essay (Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). This should be an improved version of the introduction in your initial post, revised on the basis of your professor’s feedback and additional research. In this introduction you will need to (a) identify the specific issue or problem that you want to address and give an impartial presentation of the controversy, (b) articulate briefly the characteristics of the economic system that serves as the setting for the business, and (c) examine the laws that affect the operations of the business. The introduction should be one paragraph of around 200 words in length.

A thesis. Start a new paragraph with a precise and clear sentence in which you state your moral position with regard to the case that you presented in your first paragraph. This is known as stating your thesis. (See the “Thesis” passage in “The Argumentative Essay” in Hardy, Foster, & Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). The thesis you state here should be an improved version of the thesis in your initial post in the discussion, revised on the basis of your professor’s feedback and your reading of “The Argumentative Essay” indicated above.

A thesis is only one sentence, so do not write a series of sentences, or a complex sentence with explanatory clauses (e.g., “because…” or “since…” or “according to Dr. Mary Expert, an economist with the Bureau of Labor statistics…”, or “a law that was ratified with 80% votes in favor…”). An example of a precise and clear thesis is this: “Factory farms are not morally justifiable” or, of course, the opposite point of view: “Factory farms are morally justifiable.” Keep in mind that your thesis in this assignment will be the basis for the argumentative essay of the Week 5 written assignment, so take your time when formulating this thesis.

Ethical theory. In the same second paragraph as the thesis statement, identify the ethical theory that supports your moral position. You may choose from utilitarianism, duty ethics, or virtue ethics. Present the characteristics of the ethical theory in a broad sketch, and include citations and references in APA form. Then, apply your chosen ethical theory by explaining how it lends itself to the moral position that you are defending.

Two premises. Present at least two reasons in support of your thesis and these should be presented in the form of a claim. These are called premises. Articulate each premise in one clear and grammatically correct sentence. Review Section 9.1 of With Good Reason: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Foster, Hardy, and Zúñiga y Postigo, 2015). Start a new paragraph for each.

In the rest of the paragraph, support your premise by presenting an analysis of how the ethical theory lends itself to the best solution. This analysis includes articulating the characteristics(s) of the economic system at work that support the claims in your premises. It also includes examining the effects of the law(s) at work that also support the claims in your premises.

Comparative analysis. In the final paragraph, analyze how this application lends itself to a solution that is superior to that offered by one of the ethical theories that you did not select. To do this, provide a clear statement describing the moral solution offered by this other theory. For example, if you chose utilitarianism to apply to your case, then you can choose from either virtue ethics or deontology for your comparative analysis. Explain in no more than three sentences what moral solution would result from the application of this other ethical theory. See the “Sample Case Analysis” for an illustration of how this would look like. Finally, analyze the strengths of the moral solution presented by your chosen ethical theory in ways that demonstrate how it is superior to the moral solution offered by the other ethical theory.

Once you receive your assignment back from your professor, start working on revisions based on your professor’s feedback. This is the first step in preparing your Final Project and the details are presented on the Final Project’s prompt. You will benefit from starting your Final Project as soon as you receive your assignment back from your professor.

Requirements for Your Assignment:

• Your assignment should be 1000 words in length, excluding the title page and reference page(s).
• Your examination should be both thorough and succinct. This is a combination that demands time and thought, so give yourself sufficient time to draft and revise.
• Your assignment should include citations, as well as a list of references. Both must be in APA form.
• You should draw from the sources provided in your chosen case category in the discussion this week.
• Also refer to Section 9.1: The Argumentative Essay and the introduction to Section 9.2: Strengthening the Argumentative Essay (intro only for the latter) from Hardy, J., Foster, C., & Zúñiga y Postigo, G. (2015).
• Your references should include at least two scholarly sources from your own research in the Ashford University Library, Google Scholar (this is not the same as Google), or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. No Wikipedia articles and the like should be included in the references, nor employed to inform your paper. Also keep in mind that dictionary definitions are not references in the academic sense.Your assignment should be submitted no later than the end of Monday (11:59 pm, U.S. Mountain time).

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.