Journal of Public Affairs Education

Transformational Service and Action Learning
commitment to the financial transparency of civic engagement. It delineates
baseline information necessary for public service organizations to consider
when assessing their ability to garner funds in support of their missions.
Over time and through word of mouth, new and established community
organizations have come to employ the FRO in building their monetary resources
and developing rewarding service-learning opportunities for students. Before
moving on to a detailed explanation of the FRO, it is imperative that the reader
gain a better understanding of the theoretical tenets underlying its framework.
Review of Pertinent Literature
This section of the article explains why the literatures of transformational
service and action learning are fundamental in the creation of the FRO. It begins
by briefly defining the theoretical concept of transformational service, which
highlights a need for educational tools that assist public servants in working with
their constituents and clients. It proceeds to the literature on action learning,
which addresses how performance improvement is based on real-world challenges
and successes, not imaginary or simulated circumstances. Finally, the section
concludes by discussing how a shared reliance on reflection, co-facilitation, and
communication connects the literatures of transformational service and action
learning into a rationale for the FRO.
Transformational Service
Transformational service advocates that public service depends on both expertise
and experience. It attempts to alter the prevailing viewpoint that one mode of
administration, be it through expertise or experience, is superior to the other.
For example, novice public servants who proceed directly from undergraduate to
graduate education have the book smarts associated with the conditions laid out
in a textbook, but no understanding of how to deal with unforeseen circumstances
that happen on a daily basis. Transformational service attempts to combine
“technical proficiency with . . . the wisdom gained from common sense and
personalized observations” (Zanetti, 1998, p. 112). The ability to see oneself and
others without being overly critical allows public servants to communicate within
and as part of their communities. These are critical assets for a public servant who
assumes the role of facilitator in developing the skills and perspectives of citizens
who, in turn, help generate alternatives for addressing the challenges of today
and tomorrow. As such, “Public servants walk a fine line—they are citizens, yet
still accountable to the citizenry” (King & Zanetti, 2005, p. 119).
Action Learning
Action learning is a process predicated upon an ability to question past
knowledge, listen to others, and implement solutions with actual consequences.
It “emphasizes questions and reflection above statements and opinions” and has a
28 Journal of Public Affairs Education