TEACHING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
From the Guest Editor: Teaching Public Administration Conference Update
Leland Coxe 
Coxe reviews the main themes of the most recent TPAC conference and introduces the mini-symposium from which the Ni and Stout papers are drawn.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Classroom and Online Learning: Teaching
Research Methods
Anna Ya Ni
The author notes that online teaching in many public affairs programs is on the rise, yet there is a controversy surrounding teaching effectiveness and learning in online education. The article compares student performance measures and assessments of learning experiences from both online and traditional sections of a required graduate public administration research methods course taught by the same instructor.

Delivering an MPA Emphasis in Local Governance and Community Development
Through Service Learning and Action Research
Margaret Stout
Stout describes a unique action-based model for a Master of Public Administration four-course track in Local Governance and Community Development. She discusses the advantages of the model and what students learn from it after completing the courses.


ARTICLES OF CURRENT INTERESTS
Departments of Public Administration and Colleges of Business Administration:
Allies or Aliens?
Lauren N. Bowman and James R. Thompson
The authors examine the repercussions of a trend that some public administration programs face in tough economic times: being merged into schools of business. How have public affairs fared under these arrangements? The authors review and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of two models.


Public Affairs Programs and the Changing Political Economy of Higher Education
Daniel Rich
Rich discusses the new reality of reduced public support for higher education, which he argues threatens the viability of some public affairs programs and challenges the value of public affairs education, research, and service. He then evaluates the strategies available to public affairs programs to respond.

Collaborative Partnerships: The Case of the Executive Master of Public Governance Program in Copenhagen, Denmark
Carsten Greve
Greve looks at an example of how business and public affairs programs can work together, by presenting a case study of the Executive Master of Public Governance degree program in Copenhagen, Denmark. He describes what has worked in the program, and why.


A Public Service Education: A Review of Undergraduate Programs with a Community and Service Focus
Tony Carrizales and Lamar Vernon Bennett
The authors describe how community service and learning is increasingly a major focus and component of many public affairs programs. Their article offers an extensive review of NASPAA schools offering or emphasizing public service education, providing valuable information on what these schools are doing with these service learning programs.


Internships Adrift? Anchoring Internship Programs in Collaboration
Abraham D. Benavides, Lisa A. Dicke, and Amy C. Holt
The authors describe internships as a popular educational option in many public affairs programs. But what do we know about internships in terms of what makes for a successful experience? This article explores this topic.


MPA Program Partnerships With Nonprofit Organizations: Benefits to MPA Programs, MPA Students and Graduates, Nonprofit Organizations, and Communities
Christopher A. Simon, Melissa Yack, J. Steven Ott
The authors highlight the University of Utah’s MPA service learning program, which has established partnerships with many community organizations and non-profits. They describe the benefits of the collaborations to the students, the community, and the university, as well as the barriers that often threaten successful long-term working relationships and integration of the partnerships into the curriculum.
 

Review of The Art & Craft of Case Writing, Third Edition, by William Naumes and Margaret Naumes
Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore offers a positive review of the most recent edition of this classic book.


Review of Harnessing Cultural Diversity to Achieve Good Governance Goals: A Review of Cultural Competency for Public Administrators, edited by Kristin Norman-Major and Susan T. Gooden
Christopher Koliba describes the teaching of cultural competency as a new must for public affairs programs, providing an endorsement of the latest book on the topic.

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About This Journal

The Journal of Public Affairs Education, edited by David Schultz and Kristen Norman-Major, and published by NASPAA, is the leading scholarly light for promoting change in teaching, learning, and quality in public affairs education. JPAE is a source of expertise directed towards professors, administrators, students and practitioners concerned with the preparation of the next generation of professionals in public service.

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