A Historical Approach to Innovative Teaching Strategies:
Are We Really being Innovative or Just Failing to Build on Lessons Learned?
Pamela Dunning and John Dunning – Troy University
This paper is a qualitative study reviewing 25 years of innovative practices designed to improve teaching and learning as presented at the annual Teaching Public Administration Conferences. The paper and the presentation will be in three parts. The first presents a classification of innovative practices showing the number of presentations in each category given over a 25 year period. This is further refined by the presentations that included measurable results regarding their effectiveness. The second part of the paper will discuss the relationship of the papers being presented at the 38th Annual Conference and the number of previous presentations on the same topic over the past 25 years. The third part of the paper will introduce the integration of a researchable TPAC data base in the SPAE web site. While the data base will provide a historical record of the conferences, it will also enable our members to build on past lessons learned and be truly innovative.
Myths, Learning Legends, & Neuroscience
Matt Barclay – Franklin University
Some long-time “best-practices” in teaching and learning continue to be cited as indisputable means to help learners succeed when in truth they are unsubstantiated. What is worse, they distract us from the serious work of helping students reach greater heights of knowledge and skill. This presentation will expose some of the well-entrenched myths about learning. It will also share some of the findings from neuroscience that enlighten our understanding about brain functionality with respect to learning.
The Coming of Age of Public Affairs Teaching Research
David Schultz – Hamline University
This talk examines trends in public affairs teaching and research found in the Journal of Public Affairs Education (JPAE). Emphasis will be upon what has been published, scholarly trends, areas of potential publication, and what JPAE looks for in terms of manuscripts.
Room: Phillips Hall 233
