This week, we are focusing on social change in our discussions. You will often be asked to think about social change during your time at Walden, and hopefully, you will pursue social change in your professional life as well.
Let’s begin by looking at how social change is defined within Walden’s 2020-21 catalog:
“Walden University defines positive social change as a deliberate process of creating and applying ideas, strategies, and actions to promote the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, and societies. Positive social change results in the improvement of human and social conditions.”
In at least one paragraph, complete the questions/tasks below. Be as specific as possible:
What is your definition of social change? This answer should come from you, so please do not look up any definitions. This is about your thoughts.
How does social change happen in your life? Think about different aspects of your life, including personal, professional, and educational.
Quote an idea or passage from Walden’s definition.
Explain how the quote connects with your own ideas about social change.
Weekly Discussion Challenge:
Look at Part A. In a one sentence summary, explain the main idea of Walden’s social change definition in your own words. Underline this sentence in your posting.
Click to explore your personal connection to change.
Part B
Click the link below for John Flintoff’s TED talk, How to change the world:
Flintoff, J. (2012). How to change the world.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 17 minutes.
Click to access instructions for accessing transcript for this TED Talk.
In Part A of this discussion, you are thinking about your definition and ideas about social change. In John Flintoff’s TED Talk, he explains how social change can be made with the smallest gestures that do not require wealth or celebrity. Keep this in mind, as you watch, listen to, or read the transcript of Flintoff’s Talk.
In at least one paragraph (5-7 sentences), complete the questions/tasks below. Be as specific as possible:
Introduce the TED Talk by author and/or title, and then give a short summary (tell what it is about in your own words).
Think about the ideas you discussed in Part A. How do Flintoff’s ideas tie in with your views of social change? Use a direct quote from the TED Talk and follow it with at least one sentence of your own commentary/reaction to the quote.
Open a browser window and type the following into the search bar:
social change + insert your career field
(Example: social change + nursing)
What topics or themes do you notice?
Describe one example of social change that interests you.
Make sure to touch on each of the topics/questions in the bullets above. Feel free to explore any ideas related to the TED Talk.
On or Before Day 7
Read the Part C instructions carefully before you respond to classmates as they differ each week.
Part C
Write at least one paragraph (5-7 sentences) per response. In each of your response posts, make sure to address at least one of the bullets below:
Ask them a question about the intersection of social change and their career path. With your question, point out how social change directly relates to their lives and professional fields.
Identify a place in Part B where they used a source and reflect on the information and how it was integrated by the writer. How did the source information enhance the writer’s ideas?
Connect your ideas about social change with their post. Find a bridge between your ideas and theirs, and explain the connection. Explain the connection and describe how and why your ideas are connected to theirs.
Quote your favorite sentence from Part A of their post.
