*Instructions for Journal Assignments
The Journal Assignments requirements are in bold below followed by an explanation for each. I encourage you to read both but at a minimum review the items in bold for the assignment requirements.
These instructions describe both how to prepare your Journal Assignments each week and what knowledge and skills we are trying to have you learn from these assignments. Please review this information carefully and fully. NOTE: Your grade for the assignment will be based, in part, on how well you are following the instructions and whether you seem to be acquiring the knowledge and skills we have outlined for this assignment.
The Journal Assignment serves two important purposes. The first purpose is to help you learn the concepts/ideas and the skills we think are important to learn for this course topic. The second purpose is to allow you to demonstrate that you have indeed acquired those skills and knowledge.
Each of the requirements associated with the Journal Assignment is either helping you learn what we want you to learn or letting you demonstrate that you have done so. Sometimes the requirement is doing both things.
In the weekly Journal Assignment, respond to each of the Discussion questions using brief notes, phrases, bullet points, etc., and include the Learning Material title in bold above the notes.
The first requirement is that you respond to a specific discussion question for each assigned Learning Material item. For each unit, we have identified significant concepts or skills that we think students should learn related to the unit topic. For each, we have located specific Learning Materials (articles, short web-based items, videos, podcasts, etc.) that explain those concepts or help you learn the skills we think are important. The only way I have found that helps ensure that students do review those materials is to have them report on each one in writing. The time and responsibility pressures that students face each week make it difficult for them to “make themselves” do the assigned readings unless there is an assignment that requires them to do so. Hence, the Journal assignment.
The requirement that each item in the Learning Material list be identified as a bold sub-heading in the Journal serves several purposes. First, it makes it easy for me when grading to see that each item assigned was included in the Journal. Second, it helps you to see that you are not missing any of the Learning Materials assigned. Finally, it makes it easier for you during the discussion to locate your notes on particular learning materials.
Journal Assignments are due before the day/time of the weekly meeting at which they will be discussed.
A third Journal Assignment requirement is that they be completed and submitted prior to the weekly meeting at which they will be discussed. I have this requirement because the weekly discussion meetings are a chance for students to learn from one another and to hear the most diverse perspectives possible from their classmates. If the Learning Materials are not reviewed and thought about before the discussion meetings the chances are higher that students will attend without having reviewed at least some of the materials. That disadvantages their classmates who do not then get the benefit of hearing from others how they understood the Learning Materials.
Journal entries should be prepared as brief notes including phrases, words, bullet points rather than complete sentences or long paragraphs. They do need to be detailed enough to serve as reminders to you of the point you thought important for the discussions and for me to be able to see that you are reviewing the materials. However, they should not be written out answers to the prompts that you are then likely to read aloud during the discussion or find it difficult to use to prompt your memory because the notes are full sentences/paragraphs.
Also, please do not summarize the learning material items — your notes should highlight the main points and anything interesting that you want to be sure to remember and/or to add to the discussion.
One of the more unique requirements for the Journals in my courses is the focus on using brief notes on the important points you want to make in response to the discussion prompts for each Learning Material assigned. In most courses, discussion responses are supposed to be written in complete sentences and using strong paragraph structure. I do not have that requirement for this course and the Journal Assignment. Rather I want students to learn how to articulate the points they are learning in their own words and in a more conversational interesting way during the discussions. If the students’ Journals are written in complete sentences, they tend during the discussion meetings to simply read their journals to the group. This then is more likely to result in a meeting where everyone reports in rather than encouraging a real discussion about the concepts. The ability to present information in a small group meeting in a way that is interesting for other participants and fosters more group discussion is an important skill for students to learn. Preparing Journal entries in the form of brief reminder notes helps develop that skill. Additionally, putting brief notes into one’s own words during a discussion is more likely to result in an integration of the learning with other concepts they already know.
Preparing the Journals in this way (brief notes) also makes it easier for me to quickly see that students are identifying the important points from the various Learning Materials. I don’t have to try to wade through all the “extra” words to pull out the main points as I often do when discussion posts are written out as in the asynchronous discussion assignments.
Journal Formatting
Please make it easy for the instructor to read by single-spacing and using sub-headings with a blank line after each sub-heading and between paragraphs. NOTE: Though the content will be reflective and partly personal rather than formal and “academic,” there should not be typos, misspellings, or wrong word usage. There are no specific requirements for citations and references except to ensure that any direct quotes (which should only be included sparingly) are properly indicated as such by quotation marks and a page(s) number.
Please put your name. the submission date, and the assignment title on the top of the first page. Use a regular-sized font (11 or 12) and normal sized margins.
*Live Discussion Requirements and Instructions
Before the discussion meeting, students should review the meeting agenda and think in advance about any icebreakers or other questions to be addressed at the meeting.
Students must have reviewed the assigned Learning Materials in the y Unit and must have submitted their written Journal Assignment just before the scheduled weekly live discussion meeting they attend. You will be asked to confirm that you have done so at the meeting.
Bring your Journal assignment notes with you to the meeting. However, they are for your reference not be read aloud – use them to prompt you to remember the important elements of the learning materials so your contributions are more conversational and natural.
To receive full credit for the discussion, students are expected to attend the meeting from beginning to end and to be active, engaged participants in the discussion. That includes offering comments, thoughts, and reflections on the discussion prompts and being active listeners when others are offering their ideas and comments.
*Unit 1 Course Introduction & Ethics and Public Service (Week 1: July 8 – July 15)
Below is a list of the Learning Materials for you to read before the first discussion meeting OR before you submit alternative discussion assignment.
Required Assignments & Activities:
1) Read the syllabus, instructions for Journal assignments, and the instructions for live (or alternative) discussion participation. Plus, review all of the other materials related to writing skills and other topics to help you succeed in this course. Here is a link to those materials: Unit 0: START HERE!!! Getting Started, writing resources, AND COURSE INSTRUCTIONS
2) Read/review ALL of the Learning Materials related to the course content that are listed for Unit 1 and submit your Unit 1 Journal. Be prepared to discuss the listed items including articles/videos at your first live discussion meeting or in the written discussion forum.
3) Participate in either one of the live discussion meetings or make alternative arrangements with the instructor. (NOTE: Your Journal is due before you attend one of the live discussion meetings or based on arrangements with the instructor.)
Learning Materials for Unit 1
For each assigned Learning Material listed below, there is a discussion prompt that should guide the notes you prepare for your Journal assignment. IMPORTANT NOTE: Follow the instructions for preparing your Journal Assignment. DO NOT write full answers to the discussion prompts below as your Journal Assignment. Instead, write brief notes that you can use to remind you of the important points you want to make about the discussion questions below.
Start by reviewing all of the materials in the Introductory Materials (see menu item). Unit 0: START HERE!!! Getting Started, writing resources, AND COURSE INSTRUCTIONS
Discussion Question: In your Journal, list the Learning Materials you reviewed and note anything you thought particularly relevant or interesting in the book.
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2. Read the Introduction to the textbook (from Ethics and Integrity in Public Administration, page 1)
Discussion Question: What is important in the Introduction is not the distinction that the authors make between European and American use of the terms “integrity” and “ethics.” Instead, think about the two types of ethical codes described – legalistic codes (maintaining status quo) and aspirational/normative codes (future-focused). What are the implications of that distinction for how we define the “proper” role of public servants? A conflict between how the two types of codes are viewed can significantly influence outcomes. For example, consider an employee who views ethical behavior in terms of doing what would improve the status quo making suggestions to a supervisor who views ethical behavior as maintaining the status quo.
3. Read Overview to Part I: Ethical Foundations and Perspectives (from Ethics and Integrity in Public Administration, page 1)
Discussion Question: How does the framework described in the overview define what constitutes ethical behavior for public administrators? What are the challenges to those behaviors? For example, the framework described indicates that factual information should be used to make ethical decisions. One challenge is not having the time to gather facts about circumstances or situations. What is at least one additional challenge?
4. Watch TED Talk: “Science can answer moral questions”
Discussion Question: What characteristics/behaviors do public administrators need in order to effectively integrate Sam Harris’ view about science and moral questions into our decision-making?
5. Read the American Society for Public Administration’s Ethics Code.
https://www.aspanet.org/ASPA/ASPA/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics.aspx
Discussion Question: Which of the principles in the Code do you think would be the most difficult to follow?
6. Review the guide “Implementing the ASPA Code of Ethics: Workbook and Assessment Guide”
https://www.aspanet.org/Common/Uploaded%20files/ASPADocs/Resources/Ethics_Assessment_Guide.pdf
Discussion Question: What did you find interesting/concerning about the guide?
7. Review the MPA Student Learning Outcomes and note how what you learned in this unit applies to any of those outcomes. MPA Program Student Learning Outcomes and Program Values.html
8. Journal Assignment 1.1: Be sure to submit your notes on the Discussion Questions above before the live discussion meeting OR before your initial post in the written discussion forum. Journal Assignment Instructions
