Postgraduate Course: Digital leader: leading self, others and the organisation (HEIN11087)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Effective leadership is critical to achieving the digital transformation of health and social care. This course is designed to equip students with the tools and theoretical knowledge to critically evaluate approaches to leadership and to reflect on their own practice as a digital leader. It will also serve to inform students continuing personal and professional development. |
| Course description |
1) Academic description
Developing as a leader is an ever-evolving process. This course is designed to support students on their journey as digital leaders in health and social care through critical engagement with relevant leadership theories, principles and frameworks, alongside a systematic and evidence-based approach to developing their self-awareness as a leader and evaluating their own practice. This exploration of leadership will be framed within the context of the current complex challenges involved in leading digital transformation in health and social care in Scotland and beyond.
2) Outline Content
Building on the content of the Year 1 compulsory course in this programme Fundamentals of Leading Digital Transformation, this Year 2 elective course revisits key theories and concepts associated with leadership in the context of the digital transformation of health and social care services. The emphasis will be on students developing self-awareness, relating theories and frameworks to their own practice and their impact on teams and the wider organisation, and formulating a robust and informed plan for their own ongoing leadership development. A key feature will be the inclusion of action learning methodology which will enable students to bring their own practice into the course context.
Key topics will include:
- Leadership theories, principles and frameworks, including a focus on strengths-based approaches
- Leadership communication
- Leading transformational change
- Leading self, others and the organisation
- Working strategically for a digitally enabled future
3) Student Learning Experience
Students will engage with a range of online activities throughout the course. This will include:
- Accessing and contributing to weekly content in the form of written and video material, quizzes, and recommended readings
- Participating in reflective exercises, discussion board activities and weekly live masterclasses
- Completing a weekly reflective log to bring together theory with practice and to work towards their leadership development plan
- Working with fellow participants in an action learning set to explore and address current leadership challenges (90 mins per week)
Students will learn from experts who work in or teach leading digital transformation in health and social care. They will be guided through the weekly activities, including the action learning sets, by experienced tutors. As part of the course activities, students will also be expected to engage with their Executive Sponsor within their organisation.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
| Course Start Date |
06/01/2025 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 1,
Online Activities 35,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5,
Formative Assessment Hours 5,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
46 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Video presentation |
| Feedback |
Students will gain feedback from course tutors from their contributions to weekly discussion boards and on their weekly reflective logs. Feedback will also be offered on a draft of their leadership development plan through a group coaching session in week 5.
In addition, students will gain feedback from each other and from course tutors through their participation in weekly action learning sets. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically discuss and reflect on selected leadership theories, concepts, and principles and their application to the context of leading digital transformation in health and social care.
- Critically evaluate their leadership practice in terms of mindset, individual capabilities, and impact on others, organisational culture and ethics.
- Apply leadership knowledge and skills to supporting fellow professionals through participating in an action learning set.
- Demonstrate effective communication and influencing skills in presenting to Executive level within their organisation.
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Reading List
Recommended reading will include:
Alvesson, M.,& Spicer, A.(2014). Critical perspectives on leadership. In The Oxford handbook of leadership and organizations (pp.40-56). Oxford University Press.
Dougall D, Lewis M, Ross S (2018). Transformational change in health and care: reports from the field. London: The Kings Fund. Available at: www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/transformationalchange-health-care (accessed on 15 May 2018).
Edmonstone, J. (2019). Systems leadership in health and social care. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, Ny: Routledge.
MacKie,D. (2017). Positive approaches to leadership development. In The Wiley Blackwell handbook of the psychology of positivity and strengths-based approaches at work (pp.297-316). Wiley.
McCarthy, P., Sammon, D. and Alhassan, I. (2021). Digital Transformation Leadership Characteristics: a Literature Analysis: Journal of Decision Systems, pp.1-30. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/12460125.2021.1908934.
Roarty, M., & Toogood,K. (2014). The strengths-focused guide to leadership: Identify your talents and get the most from your team. Pearson.
Schiuma, G., Schettini, E., Santarsiero, F. and Carlucci, D. (2021). The transformative leadership compass: six competencies for digital transformation entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 28(5), pp.1273-1291. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2021-0087.
West, M.A. (2021). Compassionate leadership : sustaining wisdom, humanity and presence in health and social care. London: The Swirling Leaf Press.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1) Mindsets
Enquiry and lifelong learning
Students on this course will promote personal commitment to continuing professional development. They will be encouraged to seek out ways to develop their expertise in leadership and change management through exploration, challenging, reflecting, and practicing existing and acquired knowledge and skills. They will also be encouraged to strive for excellence in their professional practice and to use knowledge, evidence, and research as integral to their decision making, as it relates to developing, planning, and implementing digital transformation.
Aspiration and personal development
Students will be encouraged to draw on the quality, depth, and breadth of their experiences to expand their potential and identify areas they wish to develop and grow. They will promote the recognition of the skills and capabilities of the informatics workforce in the health and care services. Students will also be encouraged to understand their responsibility within and contribute positively, ethically, and respectfully to the health and care community while acknowledging that different students and community members will have other priorities and goals.
Outlook and engagement
Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning. Students will be asked to use their initiative and experience, often explicitly relating to their professional, educational or experience to engage with and enhance the learning of other students on the programme. Students will also be asked to reflect on the experience of their peers and identify opportunities to enhance their learning.
2) Skills
Research and enquiry
Students will use self-reflection to seek out learning opportunities. Students will also use the newly acquired knowledge and critical assessment to identify and creatively tackle problems and assimilate the findings of primary research and peer knowledge in their arguments, discussions, and assessments.
Personal and intellectual autonomy
Students will be encouraged to use their personal and intellectual autonomy to critically evaluate learning materials and exercises. Students will be supported through their active participation in self-directed learning, discussion boards and collaborative activities to critically evaluate concepts, evidence and experiences of peers and superiors from an open-minded and reasoned perspective.
Personal effectiveness
Students will need to be effective and proactive learners that can reflect and articulate what they have learned, and have an awareness of their strengths and limitations, and a commitment to learning and reflection to complete this course successfully.
Communication
Effective leaders in the health and care services require excellent oral and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. The structure of the interactive (reflective exercises, problem-based learning examples, discussion boards and collaborative activities) and assessment elements incorporate constant reinforcement and development of these skills. |
| Keywords | Digital Transformation,Leadership,Change Management,Critical Reflection,Collaboration |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Miss Michelle Evans
Tel: (0131 6)51 5440.
Email: michelle.evans@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Matthew Newlands
Tel:
Email: Matt.Newlands@ed.ac.uk |
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