L400 Art of Command: Individual Contribution to Group Learning and an Essay Exam

L400 Block Advance Sheet Appendix A: Assessment Plan

 Your overall grade for this block is based on two assessment instruments: Individual Contribution to Group Learning (CTGL) (30%) and an Essay Exam (70%).

1.     Individual Contribution to Group Learning (30%):

Contribution to group learning is an important part of learning and a focal point for the leadership curriculum and accounts for 30 percent of your L400 final grade. The L400 classes are graduate seminars involving student-driven dialogue guided by a facilitator. Unlike undergraduate courses that involve lectures from a teacher, graduate seminars involve student-driven dialogue guided by a facilitator to achieve the learning objectives.

It is important to note that contribution and participation are different. Participation is simply sharing and taking part in, while contribution is thoughtful, relevant, concise input which assists the group to construct and advance knowledge.

Your ability to communicate clearly, present your point of view in a logical manner, facilitate and enable meaningful group discussions, evaluate and defend your argument with evidence or adjust it based on comments and insights from others is an essential skill for organizational-level leaders.

You must consistently exhibit the behaviors in each class to achieve excellence in a category. Your success in class depends on preparing and actively contributing to the class dialogue with insights that contribute to the learning of your classmates.

Beginning with the first lesson of L400, your instructor assesses your contributions to the staff group’s learning in each lesson based on the quality and consistency of your involvement in the dialogue in class and how well you contribute to the learning of the staff group. As part of this assessment, you complete an Individual Contribution to Group Learning and Reflection Self-Assessment approximately halfway through the L400 block. The behaviors associated with contribution to group learning correspond to competencies and attributes predictive of success as an organizational-level leader.

• Preparation (Develops): Complete, understand, and analyze reading and homework requirements prior to lessons.

• Dialogue (Intellect, Leads, and Develops): Demonstrate an ability to analyze and synthesize readings; link personal experiences to the lesson concept in class discussions; respectfully challenge existing mental models and paradigms, challenge fellow classmates with well thought-out, relevant, and thought-provoking questions, support an argument with relevant evidence and logic.)

• Professionalism (Character, Presence, Intellect, Leads, Develops, and Achieves): Demonstrate leadership, individual self-management and awareness, collaborative behavior which promotes a positive learning environment, influence others through persuasion and sound critical thinking, treat others with dignity and respect, receptive to feedback.) Unprofessional behavior will not be tolerated and will result in a zero contribution to group learning grade for the lesson (day individual demonstrated unprofessional behavior).

 You turn in your individual self-assessment and your instructor provides you with feedback on how well you contribute to group learning based on your demonstrated behaviors in class and your overall self-awareness. This assessment also serves as a tool to facilitate discussions about your individual contribution to learning to help you achieve the learning objectives and informs aspects of your Individual Development Plan (IDP). The contribution to group learning rubric is in the L400 Art of Command content area on Blackboard. Refer to Appendix A, Annexes 1 and 2 of this advance sheet.

2.    Individual Essay Exam (70%):

a.  Essay Exam:

The final exam is an individual requirement. You are not authorized to use AI to complete this assignment. The exam serves as your end-of-block exam and accounts for 70 percent of your final L400 grade. Students completing the base essay exam will submit an analytical essay, consisting of no less than 2750 and no more than 3000 words (words included in the cover page, footnotes, and bibliography are not considered part of the word count), in which you analyze the application of the Art of Command concepts by various senior commanders using the historical case study, “The Eight Army Fights Back.”

You must analyze four of the eight concepts discussed in the L400 curriculum. The exam prompt and case study are available to you now. You will complete and turn in the essay exam in accordance with the CGSOC class schedule.

Your instructor will assess the substance, organization, style, and correctness of your writing in accordance with ST 22-2 and apply the L400 exam grading rubric weighting for each of the rubric categories.

You must acknowledge the use of spell checkers, grammar checkers, and proofreaders IAW CGSC Bulletin 921 paragraph 8 subparagraph a. (3). The final exam requirement and rubric are in the L400 Art of Command content area on Blackboard. Refer to Appendix A, Annex 4 of this advance sheet.

b.  Essay Exam Short Version (TTBM and DL students only)

This final exam is an individual requirement. You are not authorized to use AI to complete this assignment. The exam serves as your end-of-block exam and accounts for 70 percent of your final L400 grade. TTBM and or DL students completing the shorter version of the essay exam will submit an analytical essay consisting of no less than 1300 and no more than 1500 words (words included in the cover page, footnotes, and bibliography are not considered part of the word count), in which you analyze the application of the Art of Command concepts by various senior commanders using the historical case study, “The Eight Army Fights Back.”

You must analyze two of the eight concepts (TTBM), and two of six concepts (DL) discussed in the L400 curriculum. The exam prompt and case study are available to you now. You will complete and turn in the essay exam in accordance with the CGSOC class schedule.

Your instructor will assess the substance, organization, style, and correctness of your writing in accordance with ST 22-2 and apply the L400 exam grading rubric weighting for each of the rubric categories.

You must acknowledge the use of spell checkers, grammar checkers, and proofreaders IAW CGSC Bulletin 921 paragraph 8 subparagraph a. (3). The final exam requirement and rubric are in the L400 Art of Command content area on Blackboard. Refer to Appendix A, Annex 4 of this advance sheet.

The exam and case study material are available during your first AOC leadership lesson (L401) on the date indicated on the class schedule. This essay is your opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the concepts associated with TLOs 6 and 7. You will submit your exam through Blackboard on the date specified on the class schedule. Instructors grade the essay exam using blind grading procedures. Do not include your name on your paper or in the file name of the uploaded document. Annexes 1, 2, and 3 provide specific details on assessment rubrics.

Assessment Instrument Method 

Note: Rubric can be viewed online on Blackboard using the L400 Course link.