To Prepare:

• Review the Resources and examine the Clark Healthy Workplace Inventory, found on page 20 of Clark (2015).
• Review the Work Environment Assessment Template.
• Select and review one or more of the following articles found in the Resources:
  • Clark, Olender, Cardoni, and Kenski (2011)
  • Clark (2018)
  • Clark (2015)
  • Griffin and Clark (2014)

The Assignment (3-6 pages total):

Part 1: Work Environment Assessment (1-2 pages)

• Review the Work Environment Assessment Template you completed for this Module’s Discussion.
• Describe the results of the Work Environment Assessment you completed on your workplace.
• Identify two things that surprised you about the results and one idea you believed prior to conducting the Assessment that was confirmed.
• Explain what the results of the Assessment suggest about the health and civility of your workplace.

Part 2: Reviewing the Literature (1-2 pages)

• Briefly describe the theory or concept presented in the article(s) you selected.
• Explain how the theory or concept presented in the article(s) relates to the results of your Work Environment Assessment.
• Explain how your organization could apply the theory highlighted in your selected article(s) to improve organizational health and/or create stronger work teams. Be specific and provide examples.

Part 3: Evidence-Based Strategies to Create High-Performance Interprofessional Teams (1–2 pages)

• Recommend at least two strategies, supported in the literature, that can be implemented to address any shortcomings revealed in your Work Environment Assessment.
• Recommend at least two strategies that can be implemented to bolster successful practices revealed in your Work Environment Assessment.

Assignment 1.1: Conflicting Viewpoints Essay – Part I
Prewriting
Due Week 3 and worth 30 points

When looking for information about a particular issue, how often do you try to resist biases toward your own point of view? This assignment asks you to engage in this aspect of critical thinking by playing the “Believing Game.” The Believing Game is about making the effort to “believe” – or at least consider – the reasons for an opposing view on an issue.

The assignment is divided into two (2) parts.
In Part I of the assignment (due Week 3), you will first read a book excerpt about critical thinking processes: “The Believing Game and How to Make Conflicting Opinions More Fruitful” at http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/believinggame.pdf. Next, you will review the Procon.org Website in order to gather information. Then, you will engage in prewriting to examine your thoughts.

Note: In Part II of the assignment (due Week 5), you will write an essay geared towards synthesizing your ideas.

Part I – Prewriting: Follow the instructions below for this prewriting activity. Use complete sentences and adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.

1. Select one (1) of the approved topics from the www.procon.org Website and state your position on the issue.
2. From the Procon.org Website, identify three (3) premises (reasons) listed under either the Pro or Con section – whichever section opposes your position.
3. For each of the three (3) premises (reasons) that oppose your position on the issue, answer these “believing” questions suggested by Elbow:
   1. What’s interesting or helpful about this view?
   2. What would I notice if I believed this view?
   3. In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?”

The paper should follow guidelines for clear and organized writing:

• Include an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.
• Address main ideas in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.
• Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
• This prewriting assignment has no page requirement. There is no requirement at this time to include references in the assignment.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Identify the informal fallacies, assumptions, and biases involved in manipulative appeals and abuses of language.
• Create written work utilizing the concepts of critical thinking.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in critical thinking skills and informal logic.

Assignment # 6 – Chapter 8 (7)

Title: Deity: Concepts of the Divine and Ultimate Reality

Instructions: In the following examples, several different interpretations of the Absolute are presented. Read the introduction to each example. Look at the associated reading material and images, and then answer the questions below.

Example 1 – Judaism & Christianity (God):

In the Judeo-Christian scriptures God reveals himself in both the creation and his dealings with his people. Michaelangelo Buonarrotti’s famous fresco on the walls of the Sistine Chapel in Rome depicts the creation of the stars and planets and so emphasizes the power of God. 

Activities:

Read: Psalms 103 and 104 (NIV translation) (Links to an external site.)

View image of Michaelangelo Buonarotti’s Fresco (1511) ” Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants” (Links to an external site.) Double click on the image to enlarge.

Example 2 – Hinduism (Brahman):

In Hindu thought, Brahman is the Absolute. Though beyond immediate sense experience, Brahman is expressed in a multitude of forms that can be perceived by human sense. The most important of these are Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer), and Shiva (the Destroyer). In the passage below Krishna grants the Hindu warrior prince Arjuna a divine vision in which he reveals His spectacular unlimited divine form. Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. 

Activities:

Read verses 9-20: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 11 (Links to an external site.)

View: Vishnu (Links to an external site.), Vishnu surrounded by his avatars (Links to an external site.), Krishna revealing sublime truth to Arjuna (Links to an external site.)

Example 3 – Islam (Allah):

Allah is an Arabic word that means “the God.” Allah is the one and only God, though He has many names. The followers of Islam, known as Muslims, are very careful to avoid making images of God. As a result, their worship places (mosques) have no images or statues, as might be found in other religions.

Activities:

Read the Qur’an Chapter 2 (The Heifer), verses 255-258, 268-269, 284: The Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Links to an external site.)

Read: The Islamic conception of God (Links to an external site.)

Example 4 – Daoism/Taoism (Dao/Tao):

In the ancient Chinese religion of Daoism, also  now known as Taoism, the Dao (Tao) is the Divine “force” which creates through non-creation and holds the universe together through “non-action” or “actionless action” The passage below describes the nature of the Dao.

Activities:

Read the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) Chapter 14: Dao De Jing, Chapter 14 with commentary (Links to an external site.)
This link provides an English translation of the text followed by an explanation of the text and an alternative translation.

For some background on Daoism read: What is Daoism (Taoism)? (Links to an external site.) and What do Daoists believe? (Links to an external site.)

Question:

6.1. From your reading of the religious texts above, describe in detail the different ways in which the Absolute is described in each of the religions. (16 points)

Instructions: Study the connections between the concept of the Divine and the ways religions deal with the problems of evil and suffering. Read the introductions, study the materials, and answer the questions below.

One of the main concerns of most religions is dealing with the interrelated problems of suffering and evil. Suffering often is seen as occurring in two forms: (1) there is “natural” suffering which is simply a part of living (i.e., disease, aging, etc.); (2) there is “caused” suffering which occurs because of the misdirected intentions of human action, thought, or desires (i.e., greed, warfare, gluttony, murder, etc.). 

Example 1 – Judaism: 

Job is a poetic text in which suffering and evil is explored. Most religions, including Judaism, offer a variety of answers to the question of the origin of evil. How to understand suffering, how to face evil and suffering, and what is required from the faithful, righteous believer in God are central questions in the book of Job.

Activities:

Read the Hebrew Bible: Job 1:1-2:13 (Links to an external site.)

Read: Genesis 3:1-19 (Links to an external site.) and review: Genesis 1:1-2:3 (Links to an external site.) 

View:  Albrecht Dürer. Job and His Wife (c. 1504), Oil on panel (Links to an external site.)

Question:

6.2. In Genesis 1:31 God looks at creation before the Fall of Adam into sin (Genesis 3) and finds it to be very good. Since the Fall, evil and suffering are a reality. What do the passages from Genesis 3 and Job 1-2 tell us about how evil and suffering came into the world? (6 points)

6.3 How is the presence of evil in the world compatible with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing God? Explain your answer. (6 points)

Example 2 – Daoism/Taoism:

The following is a well-know story from Taoism, which puts a different slant on the question of suffering. In reading it, you should not understand “the Creator” as the personal, willful, active Creator God found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Instead, this is the unknowable, mysterious, impersonal, “passive” Tao.

Activity:

Read: Excerpt from Chuang Tzu. Basic Writings (Links to an external site.)

Question:

6.4. What is the origin of suffering in the passage from the Chuang Tzu? Is suffering related to evil in this passage? Explain your answer. (6 points)

Week 5 – Final Capstone Research Project

Final Capstone Research Project

Write a twelve- to fifteen-page paper (excluding title and reference pages), citing a minimum of eight academic sources. Include at least two primary sources, along with relevant scholarly articles, chapters, and books. The Final Capstone Research Project must include an analytic thesis statement and address contemporary discussions among historians on one of the selected topics below:

• Belief systems in historical context
• Colonialism or decolonization
• Empire or imperialism
• Gender roles and relationships in historical context
• Nationalism
• Revolution (social, political, cultural, or economic)
• Social traditions or social change

Writing the Final Capstone Research Project
The Final Capstone Research Project:

• Must be 12 to 15 double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style (Links to an external site.) or according to the Chicago Manual of Style (Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
• Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
• Must address historiography relevant to the topic.
• Must end with a formal conclusion that reaffirms (but does not merely repeat) the key main points and the thesis.
• Must use at least eight scholarly resources. Of the eight sources, at least two must be primary sources. Students are encouraged to research scholarly articles (i.e. JSTOR) and scholarly books (i.e. Ebrary) using the Ashford University Library, in accordance with university policy on acceptable source use.
• Must document all sources in APA style (Links to an external site.) or according to the Chicago Manual of Style (Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style (Links to an external site.) or according to the Chicago Manual of Style (Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).

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

5-1 Discussion: Juvenile Court vs. Adult Court

Review the articles Judge to Decide on Moving Teen’s Murder Case to Juvenile Court and Teen Seeks Juvenile Trial In Georgia Baby Killing.

In your post, apply case law to construct arguments that answer the following questions:

1. If you were the judge, would you transfer either of the above cases to juvenile court? Why or why not?
2. Analyze the scenarios using the mitigating circumstances and risk assessments detailed in your text; what factors or circumstances influenced your rationale in answering the question in part a?

In response to your peers, support or challenge their responses with one additional evidence-based point of rationale. Ensure your response highlights prevailing juveniles’ constitutional rights.

To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric document.