Milestone 4

HEA 630 Milestone Four Guidelines and Rubric: Analyzing Communication Strategies to Influence Change In real estate, the key is “location, location, location.” In change, one might say the key is “communication, communication, communication.” Perhaps you have already pondered the question that if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, did it actually make a sound? This analogy can be applied to change initiatives. If you have an innovative idea, but you do not communicate it, nothing will happen. Communication strategies are key to every stage of the change process and every member of the university constituency affected. Without effective communications along every step of the process, the initiative may not get off the ground, may stall, or may fail altogether. While institutional context and leadership are influential to change, communication strategies are even more critical. Consider your experiences with change initiatives as a higher education administrator or as a student to guide your ideas about the importance of communications as an influential factor in change. Prompt: In Module Five, you will continue to provide support for the change effort by focusing on communications that will be important in every stage of the change process. You will assess the impact, influence, and importance of communication strategies on change. As part of the final project, for your selected case, critique the communications strategies used to influence and manage the change. Think about what has been done, what has not been done, and what should be done. Recommend effective communication strategies that would make a positive impact for change at the institution outlined in your selected case; explain how the strategies could be implemented to support student success, retention, and persistence. Think about who should be communicating and to whom, how, when, where, and why. Predict how communications strategies can be used to build collaboration and support of the change at your institution and consider why this could be critical to successfully implementing the plan. Predict also how institutional culture influences what communications strategies will be most effective and consider why you have come to those conclusions. Illustrate how recommended communication strategies would support the change and possibly strengthen the culture of the institution. This milestone submission addresses critical element IV, section C (implemented communication strategies) and section E (communication strategies support change) of the final project, and it serves as an initial draft for these elements. Substantial instructor feedback will be provided for foundational support of the final project. As you consider the case study you selected and work through course content, identify ways to build on this milestone submission to expand your analysis, assessment, and application of these pieces of the project for your final submission in Module Nine. As you work on your milestone submission, it is important to note that not every critical element of the final project will be addressed by your milestone submission. When preparing your milestone and final project submissions, be sure to support your work with supplemental information and additional resources beyond the required resources and readings. The following critical elements must be addressed in your paper:

 Implemented Communication Strategies: Recommend effective communication strategies that would make a positive impact at the institution. Be sure to explain how they could be implemented at your institution, supporting student success, retention, and persistence. You might want to think about how institutional culture informs the use of communication strategies.

 Communication Strategies Support Change: Illustrate how your recommended communication strategies would support change across the institution. Be sure to explain how communication can strengthen a culture of change.

Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted and formatted as per the APA Manual, as a two-three-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least three sources cited in APA format. Ensure you have a cover sheet and reference sheet. Cover sheet and reference sheet are additional pages.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Implemented Communication Strategies

Recommends effective communication strategies and explains how they could be implemented at the institution, supporting student success, retention, and persistence

Recommends effective communication strategies but details either lack explanation of how they could be implemented at the institution or are too general

Does not recommend effective communication strategies and explain how they could be implemented at the institution

40

Communication Strategies Support Change

Illustrates how the recommended communication strategies would support change across the institution

Illustrates how the recommended communication strategies would support change but details are inaccurate or over-generalized

Does not illustrate how the recommended communication strategies would support change

40

Articulation of Response Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

20

Earned Total 100%