JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION - naspaa

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Badgers & Hoosiers: An Interstate Collaborative Learning Experience Connecting MPA Students in Wisconsin and Indiana asking “canned” questions. Given the objectives of the project, students could come up with the right questions and ones that would intrigue them as well. 8. Use technology to implement collaborative learning projects in classes separated by time and space. The projects we implemented in the 2007- 2008 academic year were completed entirely via telephone and the Internet. Although conducted within the United States, there is no reason why, using current communication technology, these could not have been conducted between similar programs in different countries. CONCLUSION The IUN-UWO collaborative learning projects in the fall 2007 and the spring 2008 semesters provided unique benefits to approximately 100 student participants. In addition to broadening their perspectives on the study and practice of public administration, components of the two projects served to bridge course concepts by challenging students to recognize their own activities and behaviors in a theoretical context. These projects also helped them develop the interpersonal communication and teamwork skills that are essential to a successful career as a public administrator. The two projects described in this article generated a high level of energy in both students and instructors. We attribute this effect to several factors. The first one is the novelty of students connecting with their counterparts in similar programs at different institutions. This is not a typical experience for MPA students and, as mentioned earlier, nothing similar has been found in the literature on collaborative learning projects. The second factor was the collegial rivalry that emerged between the two groups, and appeared to encourage full project participation. Finally, the project inspired instructors to look at course content in a new light, and challenged them to present a valuable learning experience for their own students, as well as their counterparts in the partnering school. As the world grows smaller, and as networks continue to gain dominance as an important form of organization, we believe that some components of collaborative learning between programs and institutions can enhance the learning experience in many disciplines, but is especially valuable in public administration programs. REFERENCES Barkley, E., Major, C.H., Cross, K.P., & Angelo, T.A. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2003). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass. 358 Journal of Public Affairs Education
Badgers & Hoosiers: An Interstate Collaborative Learning Experience Connecting MPA Students in Wisconsin and Indiana Fink, L. (2004). Beyond small groups: Harnessing the extraordinary power of learning teams. In L. Michaelsen, A. Knight, & L. Fink, (Eds.), Team-based learning: A transformative use of small groups in college teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. International City/County Managers Association (2008). Managing local government: Cases in effectiveness. Washington, DC: ICMA Press. Matthews, R.S. (1995). Collaborative learning: Creating knowledge with students. In R. Menges, M. Weiner, & Associates, Teaching on solid ground: Using scholarship to improve practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Morgan, G. (2006). Images of organization (updated edition). Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Schumaker, Alice. (2005). In search of a model for effective group projects from the MPA student perspective. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 11(1), 21-34. Dr. Karen King is a graduate of the Urban and Public Affairs Program at University of Louisville (Kentucky), and has been a professor for 14 years. Currently, she is an associate professor of public administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Her research interests include nonprofit management, human resources management in public sector agencies, and teaching public administration for adult learners. She is active on many nonprofit boards in her community. Cara Spicer, MPA, is the Grants and Communication Officer for the Legacy Foundation, a community foundation serving Lake County, Indiana. She is a graduate of the School for Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University Northwest, and has served as an adjunct professor in the SPEA graduate program. Her professional background includes executive positions in the private and nonprofit sectors, as well as extensive involvement with voluntary organizations. Journal of Public Affairs Education 359
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