11.07.2015 Views

journal of public affairs education - NASPAA *The Global Standard ...

journal of public affairs education - NASPAA *The Global Standard ...

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Badgers & Hoosiers:An Interstate CollaborativeLearning Experience ConnectingMPA Students in Wisconsin and IndianaKaren N. KingUniversity <strong>of</strong> Wisconsin-OshkoshCara M. SpicerLegacy FoundationABSTRACTCollaborative learning projects are a widely used instructional strategy in Master’s<strong>of</strong> Public Administration (MPA) classes, because participating in them leads toincreased student learning and helps students develop the ability to work in selfdirectedteams. In this article, researchers report on three collaborative learningprojects involving students <strong>of</strong> graduate-level, <strong>public</strong> administration programs inOshkosh, Wisconsin, and in Gary, Indiana. They describe the projects, assessstudents’ responses to them, and <strong>of</strong>fer recommendations for instructors whomight be interested in implementing similar activities across programs, state lines,or national borders. The authors found that the projects served as a critical bridgeto course concepts by broadening their students’ perspectives on the study andpractice <strong>of</strong> <strong>public</strong> administration, and by challenging them to reflect on their ownactivities and behaviors in a theoretical context.INTRODUCTIONCollaborative learning projects are a widely used instructional strategy inMaster’s <strong>of</strong> Public Administration (MPA) classes. They increase learning across theMPA curriculum, and enhance students’ abilities to work in self-directed teamsbecause, as Schumaker (2005) observes, “the ability to work successfully withothers is one <strong>of</strong> the most important interpersonal skills that one can develop” (p.22).Collaborative learning projects typically involve a group <strong>of</strong> students within agiven class working jointly on projects that had been defined by the instructor.JPAE 15(3): 349–360 Journal <strong>of</strong> Public Affairs Education 349

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