How Public and Business Administration Programs Plant the Seed of Learning

• Author: Dennis M. Daley
• Published date: 01 October 1994
• Date: 01 October 1994
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X9401400406
• Subject Matter: Articles

Teaching Methods Used in the Personnel
and Human
Resources Management
General Course
HOW PUBLIC AND
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
PROGRAMS
PLANT
THE
SEED OF LEARNING
DENNIS M. DALEY
A proper assessment
of
students affect educa-
course instruc-
-,
... - .
tional yields as much as
tion entails understand-
does the content of these
·
ing both what is taught
kernels of knowledge.
_
and how
it is
· ’
taught. The
’- ’
This article exam-
content of a course, im-
-
·
·
ines the teaching process
portant as it is, can be
,
-,
·
·
in both the graduate and
diminished in impact or
, ,
undergraduate public
·
utility if it is not properly
and business administra-
transmitted
· ·
to (and thus
’ ’
tion personnel / human
able to be learned and
· · ·
·
· ·
resources management
received by) the student.
,
&dquo;
.
general course. First, it
An agricultural analogy
describes the extent to
seems
appropriate in this
which various instruc-
’
regard. In farming, cast-
tional techniques are be-
ing grain to the winds in
·
ing employed in the
the hope that it will alight
teaching process as of
on fertile soil is a patently
1990-92. Second, it ex-
haphazard approach; the same prac-
amines the similarities and differences
tice in education is just as haphazard
in approaches to teaching general per-
and potentially wasteful. The pro-
sonnel/human resources found be-
cesses by which knowledge is planted
tween and within undergraduate and
and nourished in the minds of our
graduate courses in both the public
39

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administration and business adminis-
tion, and affect feelings about ourselves,
tration disciplines. Specifically, styles
the world at large, and our work lives.
of information presentation, critical
Career development, motivation, or-
thinking skills, action learning meth-
ganizational commitment and job sat-
ods, group relations development, and
isfaction all have been shown to be
objective versus essay testing tech-
affected in important ways by an
niques are examined in contemporary
individual’s life stage (Sheehy, 1976;
public and business administration
Schott, 1986; Johnson and Duerst-Lahti,
courses.
1991).
More specifically, life stages af-
fect adult learning in some quite pre-
LEARNING STYLES
dictable ways. Teaching methods
proven to be effective with children
LEARNING THEORY
and adolescents, or even the younger
In the area of graduate education, the
college students, are not necessarily
introduction of MPA and MBA stu-
appropriate for the education and train-
dents into the managerial profession is
ing of more mature adult learners.
in
While adults
many
respects a nontraditional form
come
to us with an innate
of university education. As a form of
propensity for learning, colleges and
professional education it confronts
other formal organizations engaged in
some of the same problems and diffi-
teaching a significant number of adults
culties that face organizational train-
affect learning through the organiza-
ing and development
tions’ informed choice of curricula and
programs. Both
in-service and pre-service MPA and
instructional methods (Knowles, 1984).
MBA students tend to bring
The
a higher
diversity of learning styles
level of maturity and pre-existing ex-
benefitting adults needs to be consid-
perience-based knowledge to the class-
ered with some
care
in providing gradu-
room than do the traditional, post-
ate professional education and train-
adolescent undergraduate students. As
ing (Sims and Sims, 1991). In addition
to students
a consequence, classroom instruction -
preferring different learn-
- to be maximally effective -- typically
ing styles, teachers and training in-
must
structors have their
go considerably beyond a narrow
own personal
concern over the coverage of reading
strengths, weaknesses and preferences
material to also incorporate
with
a careful
regard to teaching methods.
assessment of the best instructional
Education is a thoroughly inter-
methods for delivering essential course
active process. The teaching/learning
material and developing appropriate
nexus is inescapably interdependent
student skills and abilities (Eble, 1988;
along a number of dimensions. More
Weimer, 1993).
mature learners are much more likely
Many students of human and
to question the value and style of the
personality development suggest that
teaching they are subjected to than are
adults characteristically
less mature learners. Unlike less
pass through
expe-
rienced
a predictable series of life stages. These
students, adults often possess
life stages represent a strong influence
a degree of knowledge as to what
should be done
upon human perceptions and cogni-
by the course instruc-
tor. With regard to most professional
40

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educational courses or management
mat of the college classroom.
training sessions, adult students may
The lecture-discussion format re-
already be &dquo;experts&dquo; on the topics un-
mains the most widely used basic
der discussion. Appropriately address-
method for transmitting knowledge
ing the likely
diversity of
and developing students in the class-
teaching B learning style preferences
room setting (Weimer, 1993: 48-61;
probably requires that personnel
Welty, 1989). However, effective teach-
courses in both public and business
ing in the personnel or human resource
administration incorporate a consider-
management area likely calls for sub-
able variety of teaching methods (But-
stantive refinements and enhance-
ler, 1988).
ments. Fortunately, a number of quite
While the adult learning litera-
appropriate techniques have been de-
,
ture rather directly pertains to gradu-
veloped to supplement the conven-
ate education, arguably it applies in
tional lecture-discussion format
good measure to the undergraduate
(Bonwell and Eison, 1991). Expert
environment as well. The general per-
speakers, either in-person or on video,
sonnel or human
resource
management
can provide practical insights and use-
course is typically offered as an upper
ful analytical perspectives for students.
division elective, hence drawing the
Case studies and role playing simula-
more experienced learners among the
tions can also present students with
general undergraduate student body.
action learning experiences that
In addition, the presence of increasing
cognitively anchor their lessons.
1
numbers of &dquo;nontraditional&dquo; students
Group experiences ranging from brain-
in American higher education guaran-
storming sessions to team projects are
tees that instructional diversity issues
another action learning device focus-
are key to teachers of upper division
ing on the development of cooperative
personnel courses in most American
and intergroup skills (Goodsell, Maher,
colleges and universities (Giczkowski,
and Tinto, 1992; Weimer, 1993: 61-69;
1992).
Wexley and Latham, 1991: 271-272).
Critical, analytical and integrative
thinking (synthesization) can be devel-
THE TEACHING PROCESS
oped and refined through these inter-
active methods, particularly when used
How
well does the general personnel
in combination with more customary
administration or human
resource
man-
student written and oral presentations.
agement course being offered today
Action learning techniques draw upon
itself reflect these tenets of good teach-
cognitive behavior research (Gardner,
ing practice? Since MPA and MBA
1985; Schott, 1991; Sims, 1993) by em-
programs typically feature a strong
ploying a behavioral modeling ap-
representation of more mature stu-
proach to learning.
dents, courses in these programs should
Professionally-oriented educa-
be showing evidence...