PADM 6620

Public Administration and Ethics

Fall 2008

Critical Self Evaluation Project

During this course students are expected to contribute to their learning through reading assignments, class room attendance, class discussions, external research, and significant critical thinking processes.  This project allows students to bring all of those factions together in a comprehensive self evaluation instrument.   

 

Socrates said that a life unexamined is not worth living, so it is in that spirit that the critical self evaluation becomes so important.  Your ultimate grade will depend on your ability to define your knowledge and prove mastery at the appropriate level.  The following materials may help you in that quest:

 

Item 1: The Baseline of Knowledge

 

A critical self evaluation begins with the recognition of a baseline of knowledge.  What do you know about the subject before you begin the class?  In some instances, what you know dictates what you learn.  Establish the baseline of knowledge so that you can measure your learning during the class.

 

Remember, having knowledge prior to class is not a bad thing.  In fact, when you believe you know something then hearing/reading it again may support the prior understanding or knowledge.  The important aspect in this situation is that you have also identified the methods for confirming knowledge.  In many instances the confirmation of knowledge is just as important as learning new material. 

 

Item 2: Identifying New Knowledge

 

Knowledge is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as (i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. 

 

What new knowledge have you gained from this class?

 

In this class you are likely to find three types of knowledge.  The first is factual knowledge, the type that you gain in learning new facts.  An example is the term “Allegory of the Cave.”  It is factual knowledge that allows you identify the allegory and recite the many iterations that abound.  This factual knowledge allows you place the event within the historical framework.  Factual knowledge allows us to identify items and to define characteristics.  In identifying factual knowledge you are highlighting certain characteristics to support the ability to recognize and classify something. 

 

The second type of knowledge is theoretical knowledge.  A theory is a coherent set of general propositions used to explain the apparent relationships among certain observed phenomena (Zikmund, W. G. (2003). Business Research Methods (7^th Ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western).

 

Put another way, a theory is a set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena (American Heritage Dictionary). 

 

Ethics is full of theories, many of which deal with the construction and application choice.  It is important that you identify the theory itself but equally important that you can apply the theory.  In a critical self analysis of this type the ability to identify the knowledge is the first step in explaining your learning.  The next step is to show that you can also apply the theory. 

 

The third type of knowledge common is practical knowledge.  This is the knowledge of facts and holdings arising from legal opinion or orders.  In many instances we may combine the first two types of knowledge as we establish this third type.  Practical knowledge is a combination of factual knowledge, theoretical, and reasoning. 

 

Consider each of these types of knowledge as you contemplate your learning in this class.  The purpose of this exercise is to show your knowledge and by identifying the type of knowledge you may be able to better identify your learning. 

 

Item 3: Proving Validity of Knowledge

 

In education we often use testing or other measurable methods to prove the validity of knowledge gained by a student.  In this project the proof of validity rests on the student.  Unlike an exam, the type and degrees of knowledge to be proven are all chosen by the student.  Rather than have the professor select questions or methods of testing knowledge it will be up to you to devise the method of proof. 

 

During the semester the professor has provided lecture, reading assignments (book and article) and theoretical explorations.  All of the material is considered important, and the presumption is that students who attend class will gain some knowledge.  It also presumed that students who read the book will gain knowledge as well.  The proof of that knowledge, though, will be in the product presented by the student at the end of class. 

 

Item 4: Length, Breadth and Application

 

There is no minimum or maximum length on the document or other item used to establish proof of knowledge.  There are, however, some reasonable expectations to consider in developing the proof necessary.  As noted, the student should be prepared to show that they have all three types of knowledge.  The breadth of the knowledge is actually more important than the length of the proof.  What this means is that the student should demonstrate that they understand the material from this class to a degree greater than or equal to the level of the class.  In other words, prove the knowledge of ethics to a level that is appropriate for a professional holding a masters degree in public administration. 

 

Most students will elect to submit a paper to prove their level of knowledge.  It is not expected that the submitted work be of book length; however, it is expected that the length of the work is sufficient to show both knowledge and understanding.  To that end it would hard to imagine that a major project of this type could be contained in mere half-dozen or fewer pages.  So take the time stretch your intellectual legs and see where it takes you. 

 

The work should be well developed and meet the standards for an academic work at this level.  It should be well written and presented in an orderly fashion. Points will be deducted from the final grade for poorly written work.