Taught by: Dr Aaron Maniam
Name: Ng Jia Yeong (Telegram Handle: @jy_jaywhy)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
Prof has a clear lesson plan for every week of class with broad learning points, but the exact flow of the class depends very much on student participation: what you get is what you put in. That being said, Prof is -- most of the time -- open to changing up the syllabus or lesson plan if students have suggestions. The module leans towards being more structured.
Accessibility and Assessment: 5
We studied leadership through a wide range of perspectives (philosophy, management, practice etc.) and I think it's quite accessible. Perhaps those more acquainted with philosophy will already have read some of the authors we covered, but I don't think it gives much of an advantage. What's important is openness to new concepts, willingness to discuss extensively in class, and creativity in the assignments.
Manageability of Workload: 2
The workload is quite high. There are 3-4 essays to write (depending on whether you choose to drop one of the essays) and 2 "leadership pitches", each of which needs detailed preparation. There are also readings to do every week and questions to think about before starting class, which leads to quite a lot of time spent on this module.
Presence of Technical Learning:
One of the most important areas of knowledge I got was the different ways to study and analyse leadership. As I mentioned earlier, leadership can be studied from different perspectives and while all of us have some kind of prior leadership experience, we can get a deeper understanding of leadership and decision-making when we study frameworks and vocabulary to describe leadership. As Prof Aaron says, "having the vocabulary for something makes it less scary"; the theoretical knowledge of leadership that we learn is a useful tool for thinking about our own leadership or for evaluating others' leadership.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
I think Prof is fair in his grading, but to get a good grade requires you to put in effort to prepare for (almost) all the assignments. Prof makes his marking rubrics very clear so we know what he's looking out for; plus if we're not sure about the grading requirements at any point we can always ask him or the TA. In a nutshell, I would say that a good grade in this module requires good understanding of the content, clarity of thought and expression, and thorough preparation for the essays and pitches.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
As I mentioned earlier, I've definitely learned some things from this module such as the various theoretical frameworks to study leadership and some practical experience doing leadership pitches. However, there're still some parts of the module that make me wonder if I'm still in the process of learning after the module has ended. Prof Aaron's character made this module a one-of-a-kind experience that was unique among the USP inquiries I have taken, and he has made me become more reflective about not just leadership but also the process of teaching and learning. Given the unique nature of this module, I may or may not follow up on this review with a Google doc link (like I did with Developing Meaningful Indicators). Still, if anyone wants to know more about this module or Prof Aaron, or just wants to talk, feel free to message me!
About the Instructor:
"I think Prof Aaron had clear learning objectives in mind when he designed and taught this module, though they're not always clear to us at the moment. This means the module experience can be a rather strange one.
He facilitates class in a relatively hands-off manner, so most classes consist of us students sharing our thoughts and responding to each other, while he gives brief comments during the class discussion and towards the end of the class. While it makes for a good environment for students to share whatever's on their mind, sometimes I feel that I could've learned more in the class had the discussion been more structured. Despite that, I feel that regardless of how much or little we discussed, we always ended classes having achieved the learning objectives that Prof implicitly set for us anyway. It's quite a mysterious feeling of ""I'm learning something, but I'm not sure what"". Prof does emphasise that learning doesn't always take place immediately and some learning points from this module may only be apparent years into the future, and this module could be designed with this learning philosophy in mind.
Because of this method of conducting the module, while Prof is very friendly and open to suggestions and feedback on his teaching, some things are non-negotiable in the class because they're implemented specifically to achieve certain learning objectives. Still, all these issues are made clear throughout the module, as Prof will explain clearly why and how the module is designed the way it is.
That being said, Prof Aaron does a great job at creating a comfortable environment in class for students to freely express themselves. Since our learning depends on each other's class participation, he encourages us to relate personally to the content taught in class and share our thoughts, which makes for a welcoming learning environment."