SO543 Constructivism in practice: learning, conflicts, community

Faculty of Education
Spring 2025

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Miroslav Filip, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Barbara Strobachová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Barbara Strobachová, Ph.D.
Department of Social Education – Faculty of Education
Supplier department: Department of Social Education – Faculty of Education
Timetable
Thu 16:00–17:50 kancelář vyučujícího
Prerequisites
The course assumes basic theoretical knowledge of the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) method. We will not be revisiting the basic concepts and principles of this method during the course. It is possible to supplement your knowledge before the course by reading some of M. Rosenberg's books on NVC; futrher sources: https://nenasilnakomunikace.org/ https://nenasilnypodcast.cz/
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
Course objectives
In helping professions, we naturally encounter polarizing or conflicting situations: within a professional team, in contact with clients, and even between clients themselves. Individual conflicts often have an intergroup dimension: for example, a client who belongs to a minority may have an aversion to other minorities. The ability to analyze and mitigate conflicts is crucial in these situations. The aim of the course is to introduce a constructivist approach to conflict mitigation. The course will provide students with tools to map, analyze, and handle conflicts both on an individual level and in a societal context (e.g., opinion polarization). Students will become familiar with the constructivist theory of G. Kelly, the method for assessing social interactions based on it, the "perceiver-element-grid" (H. Procter), and the mediation approach of M. Mascolo. These approaches will be compared with the relatively well-known Nonviolent Communication approach. In addition to the constructivist approach, we will focus on other principles aimed at reducing conflicts and polarization: empathy, perspective-taking, and social identity. The course is not primarily experiential, but students will have the opportunity to reflect on and share their experiences with conflicts to the extent they need.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to apply the constructivist approach to conflict mediation: - They will master basic concepts and approaches related to the emergence and resolution of conflicts (on a general level). - They will master the basic concepts of personal construct theory. - They will be able to analyze conflicts (personal, group, intergroup) in terms of personal construct theory. - They will be able to analyze conflicts (personal, group, intergroup) in terms of NVC (Nonviolent Communication). - They will be able to map a conflict (within a dyad, small group, or society) using the "perceiver-element-grid" method. - They will master the constructivist approach to mitigating (reducing) conflicts. - They will try and master the 4-step approach to conflict resolution within NVC. - They will deepen their reflection on situations in which they personally encounter conflicts. - They will become familiar with research on conflict mitigation.
Syllabus
I. INTRODUCTORY THEORETICAL CONCEPTS AND MAPPING THE CONCEPT OF "CONFLICT" 1. Course content, expectations, clarification of the "constructivist" teaching style. "Exploring" the topic of CONFLICT – within personal stories and experiences. 2. Conflict theory, affective polarization. What can resolve or mitigate conflicts? Empathy, compromise, perspective-taking, social identity, and what research says about them. Empathy and perspective-taking questionnaires. 3. Personal constructs I (PCP): the concept of "construct" and "constructing," constructivist teaching, constructive alternativism, personal construct, construct system, validation and invalidation of the construct system. 4. Personal constructs II: PCP concepts related to conflicts: invalidation, anxiety, hostility – examples in individual and intergroup contact. Relational constructing and sociality. 5. Personal constructs III: Reflection and self-experience – personal constructs and conflicts in stories, fairy tales, dreams. 6.The NVC method – Nonviolent Communication as a starting point for conflict resolution. II. PRACTICAL METHODS AND APPROACHES based on PCP and NVC that students will try out 7. NVC – conflict resolution using stories. 8. NVC – the "4 steps to conflict resolution" method. 9. The "perceiver-element-grid" method for assessing conflict situations. 10. Mediation approach of M. Mascolo, its individual steps. Assignment for the final paper: Analysis of real conflicts and their mitigation. 11. Final project presentations I. 12. Final project presentations II. 13. Course closure.
Literature
  • Sarangi, S., Canter, D., Youngs, D. (2013). Themes of radicalisation revealed through the personal constructs of Jihadi terrorists. Personal Construct Theory & Practice, 10, 40- 60.
  • Strobachová, B., & Filip, M. (2016). School is our common world - A constructivist-phenomenological study of the construing of the Roma pupils ... In D. Winter, N. Reed (Eds.),The Wiley handbook of personal construct psychology, pp. 388-396.
  • Dimaggio, G., Hermans, H.J.M., & Lysaker, P.H. (2010). Health and adaptation in a multiple self. Theory & Psychology, 20, 379-399.
  • Hermans, H. J. M. (2006). The self as a theater of voices: Disorganization and reorganization of a position repertoire. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 19, 147-169
  • Lysaker, P. H., & Lysaker, J. T. (2004). Schizophrenia as dialogue at the ends of its tether: The relationship of disruptions in identity with positive and negative symptoms. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 17, 105-119.
  • Filip, M., Lukavská, K., & Poláčková Šolcová, I. (2019). Dialogical and integrated self in late adulthood: Examining two adaptive ways of growing old. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 1-26.
  • Byl jednou jeden konflikt / Tom Leimdorfer ; z anglického originálu Once upon a conflict ... přeložila Viola Somogyi . Brno : NaZemi, 2019 76 sttan
  • ROSENBERG, Marshall B. Nenásilná komunikace ve škole. Translated by Kateřina Pietrasová. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2023, 151 stran. ISBN 9788026220060. info
  • ROSENBERG, Marshall B. Nenásilná komunikace : řeč života. Translated by Norma Garcíová - Miroslav Záleta. Revidované a doplněné vyd. Praha: Portál, 2022, 239 stran. ISBN 9788026217855. URL info
  • ROSENBERG, Marshall B. Nenásilná komunikace v praxi. Translated by Hana Antonínová. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2020, 262 stran. ISBN 9788026216513. info
Teaching methods
"Flipped classroom," team preparation and presentation of the final paper, group discussion, literature study, practical work with methods, simulations, demonstration of conflicts.
Assessment methods
attendance, submission of 3 short assignments/preparations for the seminar – these can be theoretical or experiential, final analysis and presentation of a conflict
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2026.
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2025/SO543