A Unique Approach to Problem Solving Skills with the Public Policy Analyst

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• A Unique Approach to Problem Solving Skills with
  the Public Policy Analyst
• Tech Ed
• 2010 Conference
• April 13, 2010 10301130 a.m.

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• A Unique Approach to Problem Solving Skills with
  the Public Policy Analyst
• Presenter
• James J. Carroll, Ph.D.
• Research Associate Professor
• Syracuse University
• Maxwell School

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• What does
• a good car
• mechanic have in
• common with a
• good physician?

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• Good car mechanics and good physicians have to be
  good

Problem Solvers
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• The PPA Process
• Define the Problem
• Gather Evidence
• Identify Causes
• Evaluate Existing Policies
• Develop Solutions
• Select Best Solutions

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• What Do These have in Common?
• e

Hunger
Terrorism
Racism
Acid Rain
STD
Gun Violence
Teenage Obesity
Global Warming
Illiteracy
Crime
HIV Aids
Child Abuse
Pollution
Poverty
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• What Do They have in Common?
• e

They are all Social Problems that your students
can analyze and solve using the Public Policy
Analyst
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The Public Policy Analyst (PPA)

• A Problem-Based Learning Tool Developed by
• Jim Carroll, Ph.D.
• Syracuse University
• Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

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• Are Any of You Public Policy Makers?

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• Public Policy is
• Any government action
• legislative, executive, judicial

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• Faculty Create Rules (public policies
  legislative),
• Enforce Rules (executive),
• and Interpret Rules (judicial)

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• Which students do you mainly teach?
• Graduate Students
• Undergraduate Students
• High School Students (9-12)
• Elementary Students (K-8)

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• Have You Ever Used Problem-Based Learning?
• Yes
• No

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Workshop Overview

• Overview of Problem-Based Learning
• Overview of The Public Policy Analyst
• Using the PPA to Analyze a problem
• Examples of WebQuests Using the PPA

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• The principal idea behind PBL is that the
  starting point for learning should be a problem,
  a query, or a puzzle that the learner wishes to
  solve.
• Boud, D. (1985) PBL in Perspective. In PBL in
  Education for the Professions, D. Boud (ed) p.
  13

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• True learning is based on discovery guided by
  mentoring rather than the transmission of
  knowledge.
• John Dewey

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What are the Common Features of PBL?

• Learning is initiated by a problem
• Problems are based on complex, real-world
  situations
• All information to solve the problem is not
  initially given
• Students find and use appropriate resources
• Students work in groups
• Learning is active, integrated and engaged.

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• The PPA is a PBL tool used in
• Project TIPS (1999-2005) a 7M USDOE Technology
  Challenge Grant (Bronx)
• Project CRITICAL(2004-2010) a 3M Gifted
  Education Grant in Harlem
• Project CHARACTER a 3M Character Ed. grant in
  Harlem 200206) and a 3M grant in
  Yonkers(2008present)

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• The PPA is a PBL tool used in
• Scaling-Up Project CRITICAL(2008-Present) a 3M
  Gifted Education Grant in Harlem
• Project HISTORY a 1.8M USED Teaching American
  History Grant for Central NY
• Numerous NYSED Learning with Technology Grants in
  NYS (2002present)

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• Lets use the PPA to analyze a problem in most
  colleges
• Grade
• Inflation

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• The PPA Process
• Define the Problem
• Gather the Evidence
• Identify the Causes
• Evaluate Existing Policies
• Develop Policy Solutions
• Select the Best Solution

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• Colleges award too many As
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Uncertain
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

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PPA Step 1Define the Problem

• As faculty members at your college, you feel that
  too many students receive

As today compared to years ago.
You feel that Your College has Grade Inflation!
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PPA Step 1Define the Problem

• Lets share
• some definitions
• of the problem
• from our groups

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• PPA Step 2 Gather Evidence
• What type of evidence can you
• gather to support your social
• problem that your college has
• grade inflation!
• Go to Step 2

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• PPA Step 2 Gather Evidence
• Lets share
• some evidence
• of the problem
• from our groups

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• PPA Step 3 Identify Causes
• What are the causes or factors that contribute to
  Grade Inflation at Your College?
• Go to Step 3

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• PPA Step 3 Identify Causes
• Lets share some causes or contributory factors
  of the problem from our groups

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• PPA Step 4Evaluate Existing Policy
• Princeton recently enacted a policy to confront
  its grade inflation problem.

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• PPA Step 4 Evaluate Existing Policy
• Since Your College does
• not have an existing policy,
• lets evaluate Princetons in
• this video clip
• www.udel.edu/inst/jan2005/facsenvideo.ram

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• PPA Step 4 Evaluate Existing Policy
• Lets share some evaluations of the existing
  policy from our groups

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• PPA Step 5 Develop Solutions
• State 3 public policy
• solutions for Your Colleges
• Grade Inflation problem

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• 6 Select Best Solution
• Select the best public policy solution for your
• colleges Grade Inflation problem based on
• feasibility and
• effectiveness

Taking away his car is a policy with high
effectiveness (for it solves the parking
problem), but low feasibility for him
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EFFECTIVENESS HIGH MEDIUM LOW
HIGH
MEDIUM
LOW

FEASIBILITY
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• Project TIPS teachers use the PPA with their
  students through incorporating it into WebQuests

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• Any Questions?
• Jim Carroll, Ph.D.
• Syracuse University
• jcarroll_at_syr.edu
• http//www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/index.htm