Action learning projects for Masters study in public management

This unpanel contribution will be a focus on the 'action learning' principles used to design a course and People and Public Sector Organisations for Victoria University's Master of Public Management. With a group of 30... [ view full abstract ]

This unpanel contribution will be a focus on the 'action learning' principles used to design a course and People and Public Sector Organisations for Victoria University's Master of Public Management. With a group of 30 students, this programme has three one day modules over three months. About a third of the class are international students, most from South East Asian countries and supported by scholarship from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. About six students work in different parts of New Zealand and travel to the modules, the majority of the class are based in Wellington, New Zealand's capital, where classes are held. A 'blended learning' strategy has been adopted to prompt students to read and research before modules so a maximum amount of time is spent on discussion and debate rather than lecture based knowledge transfer. The learning support system Blackboard enables students to exchange their growing understanding of the subject, and to share their work on individually relevant action learning projects which start with a one page proposal and finish with a 4000 word report than combines field work and insights from theory and research. The contribution to the panel will be reflections on the learning method and examples of ways in which this course design can engage students and contribute towards practical problem solving for the organisations which are supporting their students in their study.