HOW WILL YOU “DO GOOD” NOW?
PUAF 215
INNOVATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE: DO GOOD NOW
Spring 2016
Tues/Thurs 2:00 – 3:15
Classroom: Easton Multi-purpose Room
Instructor:
Susannah Washburn
School of Public Policy
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday after class in Easton and by appointment
Course Description
What issues are you passionate about? How do you work in a team to do good? How do you bring
new ideas to old problems? How can big change come from small solutions? This seminar goes
beyond the traditional lecture course by inspiring students to combine imagination and creativity with
entrepreneurship and innovation. It is team-based, highly interactive and dynamic, and provides an
opportunity for students to generate solutions to a wide range of problems facing our world.
The course is designed for undergraduates who want to develop and implement a social action project.
First, students will be introduced to the concept of social entrepreneurship while exploring the many
mechanisms for and barriers to achieving social impact. Participants will choose an issue, research it,
talk to stakeholders and generate and implement a project to do good. These projects are a laboratory
to implement course topics such as design thinking, strategic planning, project management, teamwork,
fundraising, marketing, leadership, and project sustainability. The course also asks students to confront
issues of power and privilege, develop awareness of their strengths, and think about how these factors
combine to achieve impact.
Group Participation
Throughout the course, much of the work will be completed in teams. Therefore, group participation is
essential. We will discuss group management strategies, and all groups will be required to generate
group contracts and a project management plan to ensure quality work throughout the semester. In
addition, you will each fill out a peer rater form on each of your teammates. These will be submitted at
the same time as the group status reports. If these forms indicate a problem, the teaching team will
work with you and your team to address the problem. If, by the end of the semester, it is clear that you
are not pulling your weight on the team, you may receive a lower grade on team products than other
members of the team.
Students are expected to:
 Work together in small teams to conceptualize, design, execute, and evaluate a major project as
well as compete in and attend the spring Do Good Challenge.
 Be active participants in all team-oriented activities including the presentations of the team’s project;
and
 Engage in the assessments and discussions of your classmates’ projects.
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Written Assignments
Assignment dates and times are specified on the syllabus and in ELMS. Assignments are considered
late if turned in any time after the assigned due date and time. Late assignments may lose a
partial letter grade for each day past the due date. In addition to the syllabus, students will be told
in class and on Elms the due dates for all assignments. More details on the assignments below will be
discussed in class and posted on Elms. Your final letter grade will be determined by the letter grades
(A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or F) you get on the weighted assignments below.
Letter Grade Percentage
A+
A
A−
B+
B
Letter Grade Percentage
B−
C+
C
D
F
97 - 100
93-96
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
70-76
60-69
0-59
Summary of Major Course Assignments
While dates are subject to change here is a schedule of major assignments for the class:
Grade
%
Group or
Individual
Class Participation
15%
Individual
Ongoing
Reading Reflections
5%
Individual
Ongoing – see ELMS
Team Presentations:
● Stakeholder Analysis
● Issue Research & Why It Matters
● Accomplishments & Challenges
● Final Presentation
15%
Group
2/9
2/16
3/29 and 3/31
5/3 and 5/5
Group
3/11
4/1
4/22
Summary of Assignments
Project Status Reports
● Status Report & Peer Rater Review 1
● Status Report & Peer Rater Review 2
● Status Report & Peer Rater Review 3
Team Project Development:
● Stakeholder Interview Results
● Issue Paper
● Mission Statement
● Project Summary
● Group Contract
● Project Proposal
● Final Project Report
○ Final Do Good Project Report
○ Final Class Project Report
10%
35%
Due Dates
Group
2/9
2/12
2/19
2/22
2/25
2/26
4/4
5/10
2
Written Reflection on Do Good Challenge
5%
Individual
4/21
Final Reflection Paper
15%
Individual
5/16
Class Schedule
Class Schedule is tentative and may change due to speaker schedules and class developments.
Final reading selections will be based on the particular needs of students and teams. All
readings will be listed in ELMS. ELMS is your authoritative source for what is due when.
WEEK 1: Introduction, Historical Context, and Getting Started
CLASS 1: JANUARY 26
 Course overview
 Project group meeting
CLASS 2: JANUARY 28
 Discuss social entrepreneurship
 Finalize teams, get into your teams, do some brainstorming about what you want to do
Readings (on ELMS):
 Read syllabus thoroughly before class
 Bornstein, D. (2007). Preface and Chapter One. In How to change the world. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Assignments Due:
 Reading reflection on Social Entrepreneurship
WEEK 2: LEARNING FROM STAKEHOLDERS, THE LEGACY OF PRIVILEGE, AND SELF AWARENESS
CLASS 3: FEBRUARY 2: WHO ARE THE EXPERTS? HOW CAN YOU LEARN FROM THEM ? HOW DOES YOUR
BACKGROUND IMPACT YOUR POINT OF VIEW ?
Readings (on ELMS):
 Ted Talk: “Want to Help Someone? Shut Up and Listen!”
http://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen
 Ted Talk: “Jane Chen: A Warm Embrace that Saves Lives.” Available at:
http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_chen_a_warm_embrace_that_saves_lives.html
 “Embrace: Defining a Point of View” available at http://vimeo.com/11283910
 Ted Talk: “The Power of Privilege: available at :
https://myelms.umd.edu/courses/1181243/modules/items/8429568
CLASS 4: FEBRUARY 4: WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOW YOU WORK WITH OTHERS? HOW
CAN YOU MAKE CHANGE?
Assignments Due:
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

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. Gallup Press. 2007.
Bring to class your answers to the discussion questions (in ELMS)
WEEK 3: Refining Point of View, Team Building, and Defining the Issue
FEBRUARY 8: Do Good Challenge opens.
CLASS 5: FEBRUARY 9:
Readings:
 Switch Chapter 1
 Watch Do Good Challenge Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1q9UrTTtkc
Assignments Due:
 Reading reflection on Switch
 February 9: Interview results
CLASS 6: FEBRUARY 11: GROUP DYNAMICS AND DEVELOPING YOUR PROJECT
Readings (on ELMS):
 Patrick Lencioni, “The Five Dysfunctions of Team",
http://flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu/pdfs/Five%20Dysfunctions%20of%20a%20Team.pdf
 Northouse, P. G. (2011). Establishing a Constructive Climate. In Introduction to leadership:
Concepts and practice. Washington: Sage Publications.
 Anderson, C. (2013, June). How to Give a Killer Presentation. Harvard Business Review.
Assignments Due:
 February 12: Issue Analysis group paper
WEEK 4: Presenting your Issue and Mission Statements
CLASS 7: FEBRUARY 16: STUDENT PRESENTATION ON ISSUES
Assignments Due:
 February 16: Issue presentation
CLASS 8: FEBRUARY 18: MISSION STATEMENTS
Assignments Due:
 February 19: Mission statement
WEEK 5: More Project Skills: Budgeting, Project Planning, and Recruiting Volunteers
CLASS 9: FEBRUARY 23
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Reading:
 Switch, Chapters 2-4
 Gant chart examples (on ELMS)
Assignments Due:
 February 22: Project Summary
 February 23: Turn in reading reflection on Switch via ELMS
CLASS 10: FEBRUARY 25: VOLUNTEERING
Assignments Due:
 February 25: Sign up for Do Good Challenge
 February 25: Student contract signature sheet to be turned in hard copy in class.
 February 26: Final proposal
WEEK 6: LAST DATE TO START YOUR PROJECTS! and.. Fundraising, Marketing and Social
Media
CLASS 11: MARCH 1: FUNDRAISING
Readings (on ELMS):
 Neal, N. (n.d.). Principled Fundraising 101: A Workbook for Learning the Basic Facts About
Fundraising. College of Fundraising Knowledge.
 Narayandas, Das, Kerry Herman, and Noah Fisher. "Cycle for Survival (A)." Harvard Business
School Case 514-076, May 2014.
Assignment Due:

“Cycle for Survival” reading reflection
CLASS 12: MARCH 3: MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Readings (on ELMS):
● “How to Use Social Media for Social Change”. Dorie Clark. (April 2012). Huffington Post. (blog)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dorie-clark/social-media-social-change_b_1416333.html
●
“7 Tips for Upping Your Social Media Game in 2015.” Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick. (January
2015). TIME: Ideas Technology (blog)
http://time.com/3662041/7-tips-for-upping-your-social-media-game-in-2015/
●
“Social Media Strategy: How Much Time Does a Good Strategy Really Take?” Kevan Good. (July
2014). Buffer Social (blog).
https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-strategy

“How Nonprofits Can Leverage Social Media to Increase Impact,” Cameron Uganec, HootSource.
Available at: http://blog.hootsuite.com/nonprofits-leverage-social-media-increase-impact/
 TED Talk, Melinda Gates: “What nonprofits can learn from Coca-Cola.” Available at:
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http://www.ted.com/talks/melinda_french_gates_what_nonprofits_can_learn_from_coca_cola.html
WEEK 7: Strategic Planning and Beginning with the End in Mind
CLASS 13: MARCH 8: LOGIC MODELS, SWOT, AND METRICS
Readings
 Switch, Chapters 5 – 7, Motivate the Elephant
 See ELMS for examples of tools and models
Assignment:
 Switch reading reflection
CLASS 14: MARCH 10: MEASURING IMPACT
Readings (on ELMS):
 Sawhill, J., & Williamson, D. (June 2001). Measuring What Matters Most. McKinsey Quarterly.
Assignment Due:
 March 11: Turn in Status Report 1
WEEK 8: Spring Break
WEEK 9: Welcome Back! Six weeks left to complete your projects and one week to create your
third in-class presentation
Class 15: March 22: Regrouping and More Presentation Training
Readings (on ELMS):
 Amy Cuddy TED talk
 Genard, G. (2005, January 1). Picture It: The Power of Visual Speaking. Harvard Business Review.
Class 16: March 24: Work Day
Work on your presentations
WEEK 10: Student Presentations
CLASS 17: MARCH 29
 Accomplishments and Challenges Presentation part one
CLASS 18: MARCH 31
 Accomplishments and Challenges Presentation part two
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Assignments Due:
 March 29: Student Presentation slides
 April 1: Status Report 2.
WEEK 11: Overcoming Hurdles, Project Consultations and Coaching
CLASS 19: APRIL 5
Reading:
 Switch Chapters 8-11
Assignment:
 Switch Reading Reflection
CLASS 20: APRIL 7
Assignments Due:
 Do Good Challenge Reports due April 4 on website
WEEK 12: Storytelling AND TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING CHANGE
CLASS 21: APRIL 12: WHY IS CHANGE SO HARD?
Readings (on ELMS):
 Brooks, D. (2014, September 15). Goodbye, Organization Man. New York Times.
 Gawande, A. (2013, July 29). Slow Ideas: Some innovations spread fast. How do you speed the
ones that don’t? New York Times.
Assignment:
 Turn in reading reflection on this week’s readings
CLASS 22: APRIL 14: STORYTELLING
Readings (on ELMS):
 McCrea, J., Walker, J. C., & Weber, K. (2013). Connecting Through Narrative. In The Generosity
Network: New transformational tools for successful fund-raising. New York: Deepak Chopra.
 Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Introduction. In Made to Stick: Why some ideas survive and others
die. New York: Random House.
WEEK 13: Do Good Challenge
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CLASS 23: APRIL 19
 No class – mandatory attendance at DGC in the evening
CLASS 24: APRIL 21
 Reflect on Do Good Challenge
Assignments Due:
 April 21: Do Good Challenge – turn in individual reflection by 1:00 pm on ELMS
 April 22: Status Report 3– one status report per group – each person turn in individually on ELMS
by 11:59 pm. Each student must also submit a review of each of your peers.
WEEK 14:
CLASSES 25 AND 26: APRIL 26 AND 28:
WEEK 15: Final Student Presentations
CLASS 27: MAY 3
 Final Student Presentation part one
Assignments Due
 May 3: Final Student Presentation slides
CLASS 28: MAY 5
 Final student presentation part two
WEEK 16: Scaling Your Impact
CLASS 29: MAY 10 – Last Class
 What are you going to do to continue your hard work?
Assignments Due:
 May 10: Final Class Project Report
Exam Week
 May 16: Final Reflection Paper due.
Final Exam:
Pitch competition across the sections will take place during the final exam time for this class.
Do not schedule anything else during the final exam time. Attendance is mandatory. Exam will
likely be 10:30 -12:30 on Monday May 16.
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