b'GROUP BRYAN COHEEwas juggling his usual responsibilities back in Januaryas a husband, father, battalion chief with Jackson County Fire District 3, and student in SOUs Innovation and Leadership Program. A phone call resulted in yet another role, with both opportunities and challenges for Cohee: it was an offer to serve as co-leader for a deployment of southern Oregon firefighters to help battle the historic Los Angeles wildfires.because Cohee had worked with some but not all of the personnel from the five southern Oregon departments that sent members on the deployment, and effective firefighting is dependent on the confidence that comes from close working relationships.The Group Dynamics material allowed me a deeper understanding of the root of the Bryan Cohee (left)difficulties, which will lead to during his deployment. a change in how I will address similar situations moving forward, Cohee said.Participation was voluntary,Program (INL). His winter termmade the connection betweenKnotts said the INL program but the nature of the assignmentschedule included PsychologyGroup Dynamics and hisworked as it was designedit required a quick decision, and438, Group Dynamicsa five- experience fighting fires. Onceincorporated and drew from there were balancing acts beyondweek, accelerated course withhe shared the parallels he waspractical experience to enhance those on the domestic frontone class session per weekandexperiencing, I worked withthe classroom experience. to consider. Cohee is on whataccepting the deployment wouldhim to shape an assignment soHands-on learning and he calls his third crack at acause Cohee to miss one or twohe could apply course conceptsreal-world application make bachelors degree. He lacked focusof the classes, depending on howto his real-world experience ineducation more meaningful, during his first attempt followinglong the firefighters remained ina meaningful way. and as an instructor I personally high school, then about 15 yearsLos Angeles. Cohee and Knottstry to create those opportunities later was doing well with hisHe immediately contactedcollaborated on a planhewhenever possible, Knotts said. second attempt until a kitchenSOU senior instructor Ericawould go about his deploymentOf course, normally we have remodel caused him to take aKnotts, who teaches the Groupwith group dynamics in mind,more time to plan and structure DYNAMIC term offwhich turned intoDynamics course. I oftennoting learning momentsthese kinds of experiencesseven years. encourage students to bring theirand other situations worthbut sometimes unexpected Cohee didnt want to jeopardizeown initiatives into the learningdiscussing with his classmates.opportunities arise, even in his current standing as a senior inspace, Knotts said. In BryansFor example, trust andchallenging and devastating SOUsInnovation and Leadershipcase, he was actually the one whoaccountability became issuessituations like these fires.I often encourage students to bring their own initiatives into the learning space. In Bryans case, he was actuallythe one who made the connection between Group Dynamics and his experience fighting fires. Erika KnottsTHE RAIDER|SPRING 202515'