The power of collaboration: Reflections on a collaborative approach to teaching research methods in public administration

Mixed methods approaches are increasing advocated for researching complex problems in the social sciences, but they are not widely used by postgraduate students of public management. This article describes a study where qualitative and quantitative methods lecturers worked collaboratively to design and teach both methodology courses in an integrated way to encourage public management master’s students to see the two methods as complementary, and thus possibly be more open to consider using the mixed methods approach in their research. A multi-method research design was used in this study. Students’ prior studies of qualitative and quantitative research methodology were not found to predict their summative course marks significantly on qualitative and quantitative components, respectively, but initial cognitive competence in the study of statistics correlates with summative performance in the quantitative component. Qualitative and quantitative summative scores correlate strongly, with those students with higher qualitative and higher quantitative summative scores tending to score higher on a task where they reflect on the value of both approaches to their own proposed research. However, students with lower scores, who comprise the majority of the sample, are not able to demonstrate appreciation of the possibilities or status of applying both methodologies to their own research. They tend to misunderstand foundational concepts when applied to their research design and/or show limited ability to apply their understanding to design their own work accurately or in a workable way. This study suggests that, where postgraduate students have prior limited exposure to research methods, improving the quality of student research and their engagement with mixed methods may require more mastery of both methods and methodologies than the scope and pacing of taught master’s programmes usually allow.

Section: Teaching Research Methods In Public Management and The Socia...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparing public management students for mixed methods research

Hewlett

Werbeloff

2022

“…This provides guidance for students giving "temporary, responsive support that enables a student to engage with a task that she or he would not otherwise be able to complete" (Calder, 2015(Calder, : 1122. The literature highlights the benefits of active learning and supporting direct instruction with project-based scaffolded learning (Calder, 2015;Sarter, 2020). The "mini-capstone" coupled with in-class instruction presents a balance of both.…”

Section: Scaffoldingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ability to gather, organize, and collect information is central to the success of the project (Lowery, 2007) and is an important skill to have for the second-year capstone project and a potential job in the public sector. Providing students an opportunity to learn research skills is crucial as it can increase employability (Sarter, 2020).…”

Section: Data Collection and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

How to implement project-based quantitative classroom projects while supporting curricular design: A case study from a quantitative methods course in a public affairs program

Cordova

Lahey

Taghiyeva

2022

This article outlines how Master of Public Administration (MPA)/Master of Public Policy (MPP) programs can integrate a project-based learning opportunity to study curricular design and accreditation needs in their quantitative courses. Bridging together theory and the practical implications of data collection and analysis is important for students’ long-term professional development. We provide case study examples of recent project-based learning opportunities in an MPA/MPP program in the United States in which students collected data on employer needs for MPA/MPP graduates. The projects provide an evidence base for program assessment and improvement. Focus groups conducted with project participants, including alumni and current students, demonstrate that they valued this opportunity because it provided them with important technical and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in their capstones, internships, and future jobs. We provide scaffolding assignment examples and recommendations for professors interested in implementing similar projects in their own courses.

“…In the case of the human resources class, a deliverable was an advertisement for hiring a new employee, which was followed up with interviews and a decision on the best candidate for the position. There was potential for embedded work, where students engaged with local HR organizations in public contexts, and worked to develop collaborative solutions that may have benefit beyond the classroom (Sarter, 2019). Complexity approximating real-world public administration activity was introduced by the tasks assigned, which required that the student see the process from both the perspective of the applicant and as a public sector HR professional, evaluating candidates.…”

Section: The Courses: Human Resources Public Budgeting and Public Procurementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Significant learning and public administration education: The impact of short-term courses

Atkinson

2020

This paper considers online courses in human resources, public budgeting, and public procurement, within a public administration program, developed and taught during one calendar year at a public regional university in the southeastern United States. Each course had an underpinning of required reading, but also included individual and collaborative role-playing and simulation activities. The effect of shorter term online classes on the potential for significant learning, in public administration programs or otherwise, has not been fully explored. The research question is: What impact do short-term classes have on the potential for significant learning? A survey of students was conducted, and the resulting corpus was analyzed, using a two-cycle coding strategy. It is concluded that short-term classes may limit the ability of students to fully gain knowledge transfer and applied skill. There are specific concerns raised by study participants about work expectations that are voluminous, even given the accelerated nature of programs, and how this might undermine the potential for quality learning outcomes. At minimum, short-term courses raise significant potential learning-related issues, and show gaps between the expectations of a knowledge-transfer-centered program and the added value of significant learning opportunities.