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pa_6631assignment_readings_added_for_week_2_8-3-10_21_0 pa_6631-xtib_2010_t1_syllabus_hall_rvsd_8-2-2010_11_1
analyze and review the performance measurement criteria for elementary and secondary education administration( MY FUNCTION is in HR for the atlanta public school system) your job function as contained in the SEA Reporting Overview. There are reports concerning 12 government service functions and some of the reporting criteria they have been looking at. You will also be expected to look at specific questions that should be included in a performance evaluation for this function. You need to think in terms of both quantitative and qualitative measurement criteria
Assignment readings added for week #2
8-3-10
Here is the additional readings assignment. I hope you first read the assigned chapters in Rossi and then negotiate through the following.
Go to
www.gasb.org
and click on “Other Information”
Then select SEA Reporting and read the brief intro.
Follow by clicking on SEA Reporting Project in the left column.
Review the History of SEA Reporting Initiatives.
Click on “Research Reports” in the right column
Then from this page first click on Overview and read.
Back up to the previous page and then click on Service Areas and read through the information casually.
The complete reports for the service areas are now available on-line and I would strongly suggest you look in depth at the service area closest to your employment.
Understand this project has been a monumental undertaking that focuses on sound and legitimate performance measurement criteria. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has had this project as a goal since GASB was founded in 1987. The problem I first looked at was how they had intended to add this information as a part of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) with the endorsement of the Government Finance Officers’ Association (GFOA).
The CAFR is the final audited report for a state or local government entity. My research found that all too often these reports are not completed and available on an average of more than a calendar year after the end of the Fiscal Year (FY) for which the audit was made. That means information going into the official record and for public information would be more than a year old when made available.
Another serious issue is the complexity of the audited comprehensive annual financial reports, well beyond the understanding of all but a narrow group of government accountants and finance professionals. Yet the information is intended for the general public.
I first started my PhD dissertation looking at how to incorporate the SEA project into a usable report for the public and was stonewalled by the GFOA when I suggested the CAFR needed to be in plain English for the public. So I then stepped back and looked at the CAFR and its uses, distribution, and understandability.
The point is that the SEA Project intends to do what our course is about. That is to develop sound and legitimate performance measurement criteria to be used in Program Evaluation.
I believe an understanding of the SEA Reporting Project will put you far ahead of where Rossi is heading. It may help you frame a better perspective on how all of this fits together.
College
of Arts and Sciences
Political Science Department
Master of Public Administration Program
eCampus
PA66
3
1
PROGRAM EVALUATION
COURSE SYLLABUS
Term 1 –
2
010 (August 9 – October 10, 2010)
A course syllabus is posted prior to the beginning of the term. Instructors reserve the right to make changes prior to or during the term. Students will be notified, via e-mail or Blackboard announcement, when changes are made in the requirements and/or grading of the course.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Doug Hall, Jr.
Mailing Address: 399 Tiny Town Road, Clarksville, Tennessee 37042
Contact Phones: (O) 1-931-431-9828
(H) 1-615-763-0882 Call any reasonable hour.
FAX: 931-431-9865
Troy Email Address: dhall3518@troy.edu
Electronic Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00 am CT – 5:00pm CT (Clarksville)
Please use email to contact me at all other times and include phone number if necessary.
Troy instructors are required to respond to student messages within 24 to 48 hours.
You may send an email at any time. If you have a general question that would benefit the entire class you may post it on Discussion Board Forum #1 “Questions for Dr. Hall” or if the matter is personal in nature email me directly any questions or concerns. I will respond to your email within 24 hours. Please be very specific in your email as to the nature of your contact; put PA6631-XTIB in the subject line and your complete name in the body of the email. Troy University now requires all faculty to student OR student to faculty email communication to be through Troy email account addresses. Students can only use their Troy email address to access Blackboard or obtain access to the library electronic database. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT!
Note that direct email should be reserved for personal communication and transmission of assignments. Of course, such questions should only be posed if not answered by a review of the syllabus, assignments, and announcements. Assignments are to be submitted via email as unzipped attachments, NOT the Digital Drop Box of Blackboard.
Instructor Information: Instructor information (resume) is available in Blackboard.
COURSE INFORMATION
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course. However, I do recommend the research methods, foundations, and public policy courses be completed. Program Evaluation would be a good course to follow Strategic Management (PA6630).
Course Description:
An overview of the theoretical foundations and techniques of program evaluation including need assessments, outcome evaluations, surveys, program outcome(s) and impact evaluation(s).
Course Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the diverse purposes that program evaluation can serve and the wide range of environments in which evaluations are conducted.
2.
Develop capabilities to critique and assess program evaluations.
3. Understand the conceptual issues and primary methods (including both quantitative and qualitative) for conducting evaluations.
Desired Competency:
Students will be able to identify, design and interpret program evaluations conducted in a public setting using qualitative and quantitative designs.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
This is an eCampus class. It is structured and assignments are paced, with due dates.
It is
not
a “correspondence course” in which a student may work at his/her own pace. Each week there will be assignments, on-line discussions, and/or exams with due dates. Refer to the schedule at the end of this syllabus for more information.
The Blackboard course management system will be used to deliver this course. To learn how to log in and to use Blackboard, visit the eCampus web page at
www.troy.edu/ecampus
and click on the Blackboard link.
Useful Web Sites for This Course:
See the “PA Organizations” and “Advocacy Groups” links sections in Blackboard. There are also important instructional “Library Resources” on Blackboard for this course.
TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS REQUIRED: NOT having textbooks is not a valid excuse. You can use the book voucher program. If you plan to wait until financial aid arrives before ordering textbooks, please drop this idea or drop the course.
The textbook provider for the eCampus of Troy University is MBS Direct. The Web site for textbook purchases is
http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/troy.htm
.
Rossi, Peter H., Lipsey, Mark W., and Freeman, Howard E. (2004). Evaluation: A Systematic Approach, 7th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN: 0-7619-0894-3.
Students should have their textbooks for the first day, of the first week of class. Not having your textbooks will not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should refer to the “Late Registration” section for further guidance. Please overnight your textbooks if registering late.
Recommended Additional Reading: Additional works relating to the subjects and authors.
Required Additional Readings: Consult the Assignments Schedule and Blackboard for instructions. The assignments for the readings concerning the Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s Service Efforts and Accomplishments Reporting Project are detailed under “Assignments” on Blackboard. The SEA readings are available free to download.
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:
Absolute Requirements
Students must have:
·
A reliable working computer that runs Windows XP or Windows 7.0 (XP is preferred).
·
A TROY e-mail account that you can access on a regular basis (see page 1 and “eCampus Policies” Section)
·
E-mail software capable of sending and receiving attached files.
·
Access to the Internet with a 56.9 kb modem or better. (High speed connection such as cable or DSL preferred)
·
A personal computer capable of running Netscape Navigator 7.0 or above, Internet Explorer 7.0 or above or current versions of Firefox or Mozilla. Students who use older browser versions will have compatibility problems with Blackboard. This requirement may be changing to meet the systems requirements for the Remote Proctor device so be alert for announcements on this subject.
·
MS Word software: (I cannot grade anything I cannot open! This means NO MS-Works, NO WordPad, and NO WordPerfect). [See version compatibility issue below!]
·
Virus protection software, installed and active, to prevent the spread of viruses via the Internet and e-mail. It should be continually updated! Virus protection is provided to all Troy students free of charge. Click on the following link
https://it.troy.edu/downloads/virussoftware.htm
and then supply your e-mail username and password to download the virus software. . It should be continually updated! NO ZIPPED FILES AS THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO GET OR TRANSMIT A VIRUS.
MS WORD VERSION COMPATIBILITY ISSUE:
MS Word versions 2003 and older cannot open files saved in MS Word 2007. Word Perfect can open the older versions of MS Word but not version 2007. If you have a new computer with MS Word 2007 I require you to save documents using the “Save As 2003″ option so that anything we may want to share will be compatible for everyone! It is REQUIRED that any file that may be sent to the instructor be saved and sent in MS Word 2003. Look at the ending on a MS Word file from your computer. If the ending is “docx” rather than the old “doc” I cannot open the file. I have my office laptop set to default with MS Word 2003 so everything I need to share will be fully compatible with any version of MS Word a student may have.
The Troy University IT Department has now installed MS Word 2007 and will be installing MS Word 2010 on Troy computers. If you are planning on buying a new computer in the next few months I strongly urge MS Word’s newer versions or upgrading older versions with the download available and for the operating system XP or MS 7.0. There are too many problems with VISTA, the MS Word compatibility issues, and some other programs you might need during your MPA program studies may not run well or at all on VISTA. Hopefully the new MS 7.0 now out has provided a remedy for the VISTA issues.
Internet Access:
This is an on-line class. Students must have access to a working computer and access to the internet. Students can use the TROY computer labs, a public library, etc., to insure they have access.
Not having a computer” or “computer crashes” or lost thumb drives or viruses or family members deleting files or voltage surges, among other problems, are not acceptable excuses for late work. Have a backup plan in place in case you have computer problems. Back-up your work to another media. I do not want to hear about either your mother or your daughter [I got both of these excuses in 2008/Term 1] or any other member of your family getting a virus on your computer from MYSPACE or YOUTUBE. If this happens it is your problem, not mine. You will then need to do one of two things: (1) Withdraw from the class. (2) Buy a new computer which might be quicker than waiting to get your old one back from the “Geek Squad”.
Lost, stolen, corrupted, or destroyed thumb drives are not an excuse. Back up your files regularly.
I want things on time, no excuses.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
A complete schedule of course assignments and due dates is at the end of the syllabus. For purposes of this schedule the week runs from Monday through Sunday, with assignments, except as specifically noted otherwise, due by 10:00pm CT on Sunday evening of the week assigned.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Assignments and their due dates are listed in the course schedule with a brief explanation. Complete details, including expectations, will be listed under the “Assignments” button in Blackboard. Grading point maximum values are listed under “Grading Criteria” in this syllabus.
There are basically three written assignments plus the final exam.
Grading of the Discussion Board participation is based upon both quantitative and qualitative participation. As a result, a subjective assessment will be made at the end of the term after the last Discussion Board forum has closed.
Discussion Board: Discussion Board Forums provide a method for us to overcome the inability to meet as a group and are intended to supplant actual class discussions. Some forums will be provocative and are intended to promote a good conversation and responses. This will be limited free speech. Say what you want but no profanity or personal attacks. Questioning decisions, policies, and decision-making processes is legitimate. For example, I respect our Presidents but if a decision is plain stupid or idiotic I believe it is fair game to say so. If you think an evaluation criteria is idiotic then say so, but include the why.
Regular weekly participation is required. This also includes reading the postings of your classmates and putting some thought into your remarks. There are further details, explanations, and participation dates for each forum included on Blackboard. The first three forums are used in eCampus classes and are explained at the end of the opening “Welcome Announcement” for you to follow. Our regular discussion forums begin with number 4 assigned for Week #1. Remember if you get behind you may find the Forum closed. Instructors can close or open any or all at will. Look closely as I have set opening and closing dates for each forum. This forces your regular participation and does not allow for procrastination.
NOTE: Blackboard has a function for faculty called “Course Statistics” which provides faculty members with more information than you can get from a government spy program. This function tells me what you look at, the day you look at it, and how many times you look at a function of Blackboard on any given day or in total. The point is that with the Discussion Board Forums I do know when you read your classmates comments even though you may not make a specific response.
Proctored Final Examination: The Troy University Graduate School requires a proctored exam in every graduate course. The proctored final exam may be taken using the remote proctor device
OR
it must be proctored by an independent observer. This is explained in greater detail within information contained in the Blackboard “Proctored Exam” button files. This assignment focuses on demonstrating the ability to analyze complex public sector issues, identify potential solutions, and defend courses of action using case analysis methodology. It also provides the opportunity to demonstrate how conflicting ideas can be resolved constructively. The proctored final exam includes a case analysis. Study guidelines for the exam are posted in Blackboard. Students are not allowed to use notes, texts, or any other material during the proctored exam. The proctored final exam is scheduled for Week #9 and listed in the course schedule at the end of this syllabus.
eCampus has implemented a stronger proctoring policy that will improve the validity of our claims related to student authentication and enforcement of the instructor’s requirement for a standardized testing condition. The policy requires the student to use one of the following four options: (1) use the Remote Proctor device; (2) go to a third party certified testing center, such as Sylvan or Prometrics; (3) use an approved Military Education Office; or (4) use a Troy University workstation testing center located at one of our University sites. The Remote Proctor device is found on the
MBS website
. (Select “eCampus Graduate” or “eCampus Undergraduate” and then select “Remote Proctor” under Course ID. Students with extenuating circumstances can contact the eCampus Assistant Director for Testing for assistance.)
There is a Proctored Final Exam in this course. The exam must be proctored subject to the above requirements. This is the site for submitting your proctor information:
http://troy.edu/ecampus/testing/grcourseexams.htm
. The Course Exam Proctor Form is due at eCampus by Week #3 of the Term. The eCampus staff WILL NOT accept Proctor Forms submitted later than Sunday, August 29, 2010 Week #3. (The only exceptions will be made for those students who are facing deployment and/or students with justifiable circumstances with proper documentation).
Students are required to submit a new Course Exam Proctor Form each term they enroll in eCampus Courses. As of now they are only accepting proctor forms on a term to term basis. The deadline for graduate course proctor request forms this term is August 29, 2010.
Please watch closely for any changes in proctored exam procedures that are posted as announcements, including certified web browsers and known conflicts.
Examination Schedule & Instructions: Complete instructions for students are included on the Blackboard site for this course. Please read this early in order to submit a request for a proctor by the deadline listed. So that students will fully understand how the exam will be conducted, I will also include the instructions I am providing to the proctors via eCampus testing. Proctors do not have access to Blackboard but providing this information to students should prevent any misunderstandings at exam time. Consult the last page of this syllabus for complete details.
Student Expectation Statement: Students are expected to participate in the course and meet deadlines. We can communicate by email exchange, telephone, or questions posted on the discussion board forum for this purpose. You should check for announcements regularly and also your Troy email account. Any questions concerning any course component can be submitted through one of these options.
Student/Faculty Interaction: My Clarksville office phone number is posted but note the availability hours on the first page of this syllabus. I do not recommend leaving messages as this can cause a delay for you. Email is quicker, more flexible than a telephone, and beats the USPS in speed and price. Students are expected to remain in regular contact with the instructor.
·
Interaction will take place via email, telephone, discussion board forums, comments on written assignments, and office visits (if needed and possible).
·
Students are expected to participate in this course by following the guidelines of this syllabus and any additional information provided by the instructor, the eCampus center at Troy University, or Troy University.
·
TROY requires instructors to respond to students’ emails within 24 hours Monday-Thursday and 48 hours Friday-Sunday.
PA6631 Program Evaluation
The following table shows how each Course Learning Objective will be met, including the module of instruction, the specific course content, the learning strategy, and the assessment mechanisms.
Course Design and Assessment Matrix
|
Learning Objective |
Module |
Content |
Strategy |
Assessment |
|
| 1 |
Understand the diverse purposes that program evaluation can serve and the wide range of environments in which evaluations are conducted. |
Wks 1,8,9 |
Chapters 1-7, & 12 GASB’s SEA Reporting Project |
Blackboard discussions of concepts, relating these to student work environments |
BB discussions and Final Exam |
| 2 | Develop capabilities to critique and assess program evaluations. |
Wks 2,4,5,7 |
Chapters 2-7; Readings, assignments, and exercises GASB SEA Reporting |
BB discussions |
BB Discussions, Assignments, and Final Exam |
| 3 |
Understand the conceptual issues and primary methods (including both quantitative and qualitative) for conducting evaluations. |
Wks 1,2,4,5,7, 8,9 |
Chapters 8-11, Readings assignments and student project |
BB discussions, projects (assignments) |
Written Assignments, project, and Final Exam |
COURSE POLICIES:
Submitting Assignments: All
assignments should be prepared in Standard English and typed, using a
Times New Roman 12-pitch font size, 1-inch margins, and double spacing, using the APA citing format.
Microsoft Word is the preferred word processing format. If you must use a different word processing format, please send a test attachment to me to ensure that I can actually open it. Assignments should be submitted to the instructor via email as an attachment UNZIPPED. Assignments will be graded, grades recorded in Blackboard, and comments returned to the student by email. Please allow 3 – 4 days this term as other faculty assignments and conferences can cause delays. There is no need to send a read receipt or multiple e-mails of assignments unless necessary to correct an error in the original message. You can check your grades about mid-week to see if I have read an assignment. Military personnel should consult their new rules regarding emails and email attachments. I cannot send attachments to military email addresses.
STYLE GUIDE TIP from Dr. Hall: Many courses require substantial writing and I know many students struggle with the Turabian (Chicago), MLA, and APA style guides. Some examples and explanations are just not clear. MS Word and Word Perfect will only do a good job for you if you know what your style requirements are. If there is one tool I can suggest that will make it easier to write papers it is the following style guide. I have been using it myself and recommending it to my students since the early 1980s with their 5th ed. Consider purchasing this guide and keeping it nearby. Graduate school writing assignments will be much easier to complete. This guide presents the clearest examples for each style separately on 8.5 by 11.0.
Slade, Carole and Perrin, Robert. (2008). Form and Style: Research Papers, Reports, Theses, 13th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-55947-7.
The Troy University Writing Center is available for assistance meeting the APA guidelines as required in all written assignments for the MPA program. Use the APA Research Style guidelines found at
http://troy.troy.edu/writingcenter/research.html
Assignments must be turned in by 10:00pm CT on the due date (note: Blackboard and I operate on Central U.S. time).
ECampus Courses At Troy University
All eCampus courses at Troy University utilize the Blackboard Learning System. In every eCampus course, students should read all information presented in the Blackboard course site as soon as it becomes available BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM (generally the Friday before) and should periodically check for updates—at least every 48 hours.
“Start Here” and Site Map for Your Blackboard Course Site: To obtain a site map to enable the student to navigate through the Blackboard course site, please go to the Blackboard course site and click on the “Start Here” Site Map button found on the left side of the computer screen at the top of the list of buttons. Your Blackboard course will be extensively detailed with buttons in the left column and each contains important information, tools, and materials. You may not need the “Site Button” with the detail provided. Start by reading through everything on Blackboard provided to guide you through this course. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK!
Late Registration: Students who register during the first week of the term, during late registration, will already be one week behind. Students who fall into this category are expected to catch up with all of Week #1 and Week #2’s work by the end of Week #2. No exceptions, since two weeks constitutes a significant percentage of the term’s lessons. Students who do not feel they can meet the deadlines should not enroll in the class. If they have registered, they should see their registrar, academic adviser, GoArmyEd/eArmyU representative, or Military Education officer to discuss their options.
Also note that late registration may mean you do not receive your books in time to make up the work you missed in Week #1. Not having your book on the first day of class is not an excuse for late work after the deadlines in the Schedule. Often students that fall behind from the very start wish they had waited.
Attendance/Participation Policy: In addition to interaction via Blackboard and e-mail contact, students are required to review the Discussion Board Forums #1- #3 on or before the first day of the term as an initial briefing. Although physical class meetings are not part of this course, participation in all interactive, learning activities is required. The instructor’s privileges in Blackboard tell me the last day students accessed Blackboard and looked at their grades and a whole lot more. Blackboard provides mass emailing for instructors so review your Troy email account each day and be aware of the restrictions on capacity. Please clean out as necessary to avoid conflicts and undelivered messages. I willingly accept early assignment submissions, but not late submissions.
Make-Up Work Policy: Having to miss any part of this schedule may prevent completion of the course. If you foresee difficulty of any type, i.e., an illness, employment change, etc. that may prevent completion of this course, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in failure for an assignment and/or failure of the course. See “Attendance,” above.
If I have not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments, exams, or forums, no make-up work will be allowed unless extraordinary circumstances existed, such as hospitalization. Requests for extensions must be made in advance and accompanied by appropriate written documentation if the excuse is acceptable to the instructor. “Computer problems” are not an acceptable excuse.
Getting behind and floundering? Consider this, “If you can’t do half the work in half the term how do you expect to complete all of the work in half the term?” Is it better to get one “A” or two “Cs” and risk your graduate school chances? UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I RECOMMEND WORKING STUDENTS TAKING TWO COURSES IN A TERM. GRADES ARE MORE IMPORTANT. GETTING THROUGH THE MPA PROGRAM IS YOUR GOAL. TAKE MORE TIME, LEARN MORE, AND IN THE END YOU WILL FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT.
Policy for Requesting and Granting an Incomplete: Missing any part of the Course Schedule may prevent completion of the course. If circumstances will prevent the student from completing the course by the end of the term, the student should complete a request for an incomplete grade. An incomplete cannot be issued without a request from the student. Keep in mind that I seldom grant requests for an “I” Incomplete.
A grade of incomplete or “INC” is not automatically assigned to students, but rather must be requested by the student by submitting a Petition for and Work to Remove an Incomplete Grade Form at
https://ecampus.troy.edu/forms/eIncompletePetition.aspx
Requests for an incomplete grade must be made on or before Friday of Week #8 of the term. A grade of “INC” does not replace an “F” and will not be awarded for excessive absences. An “INC” will only be awarded to a student presenting a valid case for the inability to complete coursework by the conclusion of the term. It is ultimately the instructor’s decision to grant or deny a request for an incomplete grade, subject to the policy rules that follow.
To qualify for an incomplete, the student
must
:
·
Have completed over 50% of the course material and have a documented reason for requesting the incomplete. The 50% means all assignments/exams up to and including the mid-term point, test, and/or assignments must have received a passing grade (average of “B” or better).
·
Be passing the course at the time of their request. If both of the above criteria are not met an incomplete cannot be granted.
·
An INC is not a substitute for an F. If a student has earned an “F” by not submitting all the work or by receiving an overall F average, then the F stands.
Students must understand that the primary avenue of contact with professors is by email. Students are urged to notify their professors as soon as any problem arises so situations can be dealt with. Waiting does not help either students or faculty. If the issue is the Final Exam, this is the responsibility of the student to determine how they wish to take the test and the student will receive an “Incomplete” on the basis of not receiving the exam from the Proctor by the deadline date and time in the instructions. This can delay or limit registration for the following term.
Plagiarism Policy: The awarding of a university degree attests that an individual has demonstrated mastery of a significant body of knowledge and skills of substantive value to society. Any type of dishonesty in securing those credentials therefore invites serious sanctions, up to and including suspension and expulsion (see Standard of Conduct in the TROY Graduate Catalog). Examples of dishonesty include actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to any university employee.
Plagiarism is defined as submitting anything for credit in one course that has already been submitted for credit in another course, or copying any part of someone else’s intellectual work – their ideas and/or words – published or unpublished, including that of other students, and portraying it as one’s own. Proper quoting, using strict APA formatting, is required.
Students must properly cite any quoted material. No assignment may have
more
than 20% of its content quoted
from another source or sources. Students who need assistance in learning to paraphrase should ask the instructor for guidance and consult the links at the Troy Writing Center.
This university employs plagiarism-detection software, through which
all
written student assignments are processed for comparison with material published in traditional sources, books, journals, and/or magazines, on the internet to include essays for sale and papers turned in by students in the same and other classes in this and all previous terms.
Plagiarism is not referencing all quotations, terms, concepts, and thoughts not your own. Plagiarism is also submitting papers that are written and submitted in other current and any previous courses. Direct quotes must have quotation marks and references. All papers must include a reference list.
NOTE: Assignments, especially research papers (projects), are subject to evaluation through an anti-plagiarism program, TURNITIN. Any evidence of plagiarism will result in an assignment grade no greater than an F. This is a starting point before other deductions.
The penalty for plagiarism will result in 0 points for that assignment and may include zero in the course. As of the end of Term 1/2010 TurnItIn was receiving in excess of 10,000 submissions a day and had in excess of 125 million documents cataloged that it checks against with each new submission. The document number assigned becomes a permanent identifier and when any instructor requests personal information concerning an earlier submission, the contact information for the faculty member submitting any earlier document is provided to the requesting faculty member. This rule applies worldwide. If any student attended an educational institution in say Australia and submitted a paper to a faculty member that ran it through TurnItIn there and the same or another student submitted the same paper here as their own work we would catch it. Don’t buy papers and do not submit a re-write of your own paper ever. Another member of the PA faculty and I caught a student in Term 4/2008 submitting the same paper to both of us. The student is now a former Troy student.
Another Troy MPA faculty member in Term 1/2008 received a paper that had been submitted some time earlier by another student at another school. That student is now a former Troy student.
At the end of Term 5/2010 TurnItIn notified MPA faculty of two students having committed plagiarism. They also will soon be former students.
Do you think committing plagiarism is worth destroying your chances for an MPA degree?
GRADING POLICY
Grade Component
Assignment Values
Percent of Final Grade
Maximum Points
Week #3 Written Assignment
20%
100
Week #5 Article Analysis
20%
100
Research Project Evaluation Topic
2%
10
Research Project Evaluation Preliminary References
2%
10
Research Project Evaluation Completed
18%
90
Discussion Board Assessment
18%
90
Final Exam
20%
100
Total Points
100%
500
====
===
GRADING REQUIREMENTS
Grade Level Points Required
A
450 – 500
B
400 – 449.9
C
350 – 399.9
D
300 – 349.9
F
< 300
FA
“FA” indicates the student failed due to attendance.
An “FA” grade is given to any student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. Please refer to the attendance
section of this syllabus for additional information.
Postings: Grades are posted in Blackboard in the Grade book. Please allow 3 – 4 days due to the number of students. I am scheduled for two courses this term.
TROY UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Incomplete Grades: Completion and Removal
This incomplete grade policy replaces all other incomplete grade policies as of August 1, 2006. The instructor may report an “Incomplete (I)” for a student whose progress in a course has been satisfactory (e.g. the student is passing the course), but who is unable to complete the course grading requirements because of documented circumstances beyond his/her control.
Time limit for removal of incomplete grade
No incomplete may exceed nine weeks from the date it is assigned. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor regarding the deadline for completing all course requirements. Any student who receives a grade of incomplete must adhere to the work completion deadline set by the instructor, not to exceed the end of the designated nine week period. This deadline applies whether or not the student re-enrolls for the semester or term following the assignment of the incomplete grade(s). Failure to clear the incomplete within the specified time period (not to exceed nine weeks) will result in the assignment of a grade of “FI” for the course. An instructor can set this deadline at less than nine weeks due to the instructor’s course load.
(For the purposes of implementation of this policy, the day the grade is assigned is determined by the University master calendar. A student who wishes to be assigned an incomplete grade must request this from the instructor prior to the assignment of final grades for the course.)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Troy University supports Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which insure that postsecondary students with disabilities have equal access to all academic programs, physical access to all buildings, facilities and events, and are not discriminated against on the basis of disability. Eligible students, with appropriate documentation, will be provided equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic skills and potential through the provision of academic adaptations and reasonable accommodations. Further information, including contact information, can be found at the following links:
http://troy.troy.edu/studentdevelopment/adaptiveneeds.html
and
http://intranet.troy.edu/humanresources/documents/ADAPolicy2003.htm
Non-Harassment, Hostile Work/Class Environment
Troy University expects students to treat fellow students, their instructors, other TROY faculty, and staff as adults and with respect. No form of “hostile environment” or “harassment” will be tolerated by any student or employee.
Standards of Conduct
By enrollment at the University, a student or organization neither relinquishes rights nor escapes responsibilities of local, state, or federal laws and regulations. The “STANDARDS OF CONDUCT” are applicable to behavior of students and organizations on and off the University campus if that behavior is deemed to be incompatible with the educational environment and mission of the University. A student or organization may be disciplined, up to and including suspension and expulsion, and is deemed in violation of the “STANDARDS OF CONDUCT”, for the commission of or the attempt to commit any of the following offenses: Dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism or knowingly furnishing false information to the University, faculty, or other officers or employees of the University. For further information, go to
http://troy.troy.edu/judicialaffairs/standardsofconduct
.
TROY UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
A wide array of holdings and services are available through the Troy Libraries. To access online services and information, go to
http://library.troy.edu
.
An
online public access catalog
(WEBCAT), access to a multitude of online database systems containing more than 18,000 full text journals, online database systems with partial, full text, and/or bibliographic references and over 50,000 online full text books are provided. The online resources are available 24 hours a day from any location. Print books and periodicals are available either directly through the Troy Library or through Interlibrary Loan.
Detailed library guides are also available on the Library’s Information and Help page
http://uclibrary.troy.edu/information.html
eCampus POLICIES and RESOURCES
Graduate Student Forms
For various forms including the course exam proctor form and change of information forms go to the following site:
http://www.troy.edu/ecampus/onlinegraduateprograms/forms/index.html
TROY E-Mail
Effective July 1, 2005, all students were required to obtain and use the TROY e-mail address that is automatically assigned to them as TROY students. All official correspondence (including bills, statements, e-mails from instructors and grades, etc.) will be sent ONLY to the troy.edu (@troy.edu) address.
All students are responsible for ensuring that the correct e-mail address is listed in Blackboard by the beginning of Week #1. E-mail is the only way instructors can, at least initially, communicate with you. It is your responsibility to make sure a valid e-mail address is provided. Failure on your part to do so can result in your missing important information that could affect your grade.
Your troy.edu e-mail address is the same as your Web Express user ID following by @troy.edu. Students are responsible for the information that is sent to their TROY e-mail account. You can get to your e-mail account by logging onto the course and clicking “E-mail Login”. You will be able to forward your TROY e-mail to your eArmy e-mail account. You must first access your TROY e-mail account through the TROY e-mail link found on the Web site. After you log in to your TROY e-mail account, click on “options” on the left hand side of the page. Then click on “forwarding.” This will enable you to set up the e-mail address to which you will forward your e-mail.
Faculty Evaluation
In the eighth week of each term, students will be notified of the requirement to fill out a course evaluation form. These evaluations are completely anonymous and are on-line. Further information will be posted in the Announcements section in Blackboard.
How To Learn Online
Troy University eCampus is designed to serve any student, anywhere in the world, who has access to the Internet. All eCampus courses are delivered through the Blackboard Learning System. Blackboard helps to better simulate the traditional classroom experience with features such as Virtual Chat, Discussion Boards, and other presentation and organizational forums.
In order to be successful, you should be organized and well motivated. You should make sure you log in to our course on Blackboard several times each week. Check all “announcements” that have been posted. Start early in the week to complete weekly assignments. You should also go to the Discussion Board early in the week and view the topic and question(s) for the group discussion exercise. Make your “initial” posting and participate in the discussion. Begin reviewing for exams early in a term. Do not wait until the last minute and “cram” for these exams. You should review the material frequently, so you will be prepared to take exams.
eCampus Assistance
The eCampus Center at Troy University is here to serve you and assist with any questions, problems, or concerns you may have. For assistance go to
www.troy.edu/ecampus
or send an e-mail to
troyecampus@troy.edu
. Please do not hesitate to contact the eCampus staff if you need administrative assistance for any reason.
Technical Support Information
If you experience technical problems, you should contact the Blackboard Online Support Center. You can do this in two ways. First if you can log onto the course simply look at the tabs at the top of the page. You will see one entitled, “Tech Support.” If you click on this tab, you will see the information below. You can click on the “Blackboard Support Center” link and receive assistance. If you cannot log onto the course, simply contact the center by calling toll free the number listed below. Assistance is available 24 hours a day/7 days per week.
Blackboard Support Center
Blackboard Online Support Center for Troy University provides Customer Care Technicians who are available to support you 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Call 1-800-414-5756 for live assistance
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your coursework or with features in Blackboard that are generating errors, please click the link below.
Blackboard Support Center
http://www.troy.edu/bbhelp
COURSE SCHEDULE
Pre-class early assignments: Textbooks are not needed for pre-class assignments.
On August 9, 2010 (the first day of the term) please respond to the initial Discussion Board Forums #1, #2 and #3 in order to test your system and become familiar with the process. These are not really assignments but give you the opportunity to ask me questions, to introduce yourself to your classmates, and in Forum #3 to open a help channel with your classmates. Review thoroughly as soon as time permits all announcements and materials provided in the Blackboard Course shell for this term. The better you understand what is available and how to find things the easier the administrative aspects of this course will be for you.
Now is the time to ask any initial questions.
The questions presented in the schedule that follows are theoretical questions you should think about as you complete the readings. They might show up as part of comprehensive essay questions in your final exam.
Week # 1: August 9 – 15, 2010
How does the public policy process affect the direction of public administration?
Government bureaucracies help with the development, implementation, and evaluation of public policy. Public administrators are involved in the formulation and implementation of public policy, and public policy determines who gets what and how much. This places the administrator into a political environment which often conflicts with the objectives of a neutral bureaucracy. This is the politics/administration dichotomy. How does the evaluation process work to insure that policy mandates are achieved and stakeholders receive the greatest “value added” for the efforts and resources (inputs) governments allocate?
Readings:
Rossi, Chapters 1 & 2
Discussion Board:
Forum #4: What are your initial perceptions about the value of sound evaluation processes? What does the public expect from governments in terms of quality programs?
Week # 2: August 16 – 22, 2010
How can we or should we determine when quantitative numbers are best to use in performance measurement criteria and when do qualitative measures seem more appropriate to evaluate outcomes?
There are times when police departments have been accused of having ticket quotas and therefore the public’s focus becomes one of outputs rather than outcomes from enforcement activities. Other government programs focus on numbers which may indicate overall demand, yet quality of the service may leave much to be desired. FEMA was processing claims on the May 2010 middle Tennessee floods in and around Nashville in 72 hours and was issuing immediate checks for temporary housing, food, and clothing.
Readings:
Rossi, Chapter 3
Governmental Accounting Standards Board’s Service Efforts and Accomplishments Reporting (Consult “Assignments” Week #2 for particulars and how to get the free downloads)
Discussion Board:
Forum #5: The need for legitimate performance measures. When and why quantitative? When and why qualitative?
Week # 3: August 23 – 29, 2010
Is “Excellence in the Public Sector” a realistic expectation of government?
Administrative ethics addresses the moral conduct and standards of the individual and the organization. In the best thought out organizational missions and best articulated plans and programs the worst can happen. Programs can meet unexpected demand, inefficiency creeps in, expectations exceed abilities, and the public confidence is lost. There is incompetence in both private and public organizations. The impact of incompetence and inefficiency in the public sector, however, affects all the citizens that government is expected to serve. Government leaders must be competent for the role they are assigned to serve. Competency should bring with it the expertise to recognize inefficiency, but how should we measure performance in differing departments, governments, and changing circumstances, some unexpected?
Has a changing perspective towards organizational theory created a more dynamic public administration and one that is open to communication needed to support sound performance measures and program evaluations??
Organizational Theory and Behavior
The last century has seen a great deal of attention given to the structure of organizations, both private and public. Theories have been developed that attempt to explain or predict the function of the organization. During the last thirty plus years there has been a substantial change in the perspective of the authority/responsibility relationship, communication, trust, and empowerment all of which speak to decisions being made at substantially lower levels in organizations. How might these have an impact upon the ability to conduct responsible program evaluations?
Readings:
Rossi, Chapters 4 & 5
Written Assignment #1 for Week #3 (Due August 29th): Consult “Assignments” for Week #3 full details. The assignment requires you to analyze and review the performance measurement criteria for your job function as contained in the SEA Reporting Overview. There are reports concerning 12 government service functions. If yours is not listed or if you are not currently employed in or recently employed in the public sector contact Dr. Hall for a specific service for the assignment. Expectations are for something possibly exceeding 8 – 10 pages, with additional references. Every student should make sure that their employment status is conveyed to Dr. Hall in advance of starting this assignment.
Research Project Evaluation Topic with brief explanation (Due August 29th). Consult “Assignments” for instructions and expectations.
Discussion Board:
Forum #6: Stockholders versus Stakeholders, understanding the difference in expectations. How can we best monitor “throughputs” in a systematic real-time process?
NOTE: “Proctor Forms” for the Final Exam are also due by Sunday, August 29th.
Week #4: August 30 – September 5, 2010
Have improvement in managerial practices and qualitative measures of performance lead to a better ability to evaluate the true worth of the public entity?
Management’s desire to draw upon the abilities of public employees and to develop sound performance measures that may be appropriately limited quantitatively and best viewed qualitatively are key attributes to better judge program outcomes. There is more to judging performance than inputs, throughputs, and quantitative outputs. Outcomes can more appropriately describe the assessment of a program’s value when we allow for flexibility in the methodology and interpretation of program results.
Readings:
Rossi, Chapters 6 &7
Discussion Board:
Forum #7: Administrators naturally tend to want to look good. They also want results to make their entity look good. What are the signs of a good administrator in adopting sound and valid program evaluation processes? (Save the bad side of these issues for Week #5).
Week #5: September 6 – 12, 2010
Does the use of real-time information contribute to the maintenance of position and provide for correction during periods of uncertainty or need for change?
Strategic management requires a clear vision and statement of the entity’s mission. Strategic management requires knowing where the entity currently is, where it wants to be, and how to get there. This requires a dynamic organization, dynamic people, and commitment to the strategic initiative or plan of the entity. It requires people believing in and being committed to this process.
Can an entity without a strong, competent, trusted, and respected leader succeed in a dynamic and uncertain real world today?
All organizations require strong leadership to succeed. Many organizations fail because of a failure of leadership. Much of the news of the past summer has concerned the failure of leaders in the private sector to effectively meet the demands of their positions and their organizations. The public sector has many of the same concerns. For a good example we need look no farther than the impact of Katrina.
Readings:
Rossi, Chapters 8 & 9
Article Analysis (Due September 12th). You are to locate and review a peer reviewed journal article concerning a performance and program evaluation of a government entity. The article must come from a respected PA peer reviewed journal and be available as a full text document to be attached when submitting this assignment. Consult “Article Analysis for Week #5” in the “Assignments” for full particulars.
Preliminary Research Literature Review and Reference List (Due September 12th). This pertains to the Research Project Evaluation Assignment.
Discussion Board:
Forum #8: Administrators naturally tend to want to look good. They also want results to make their entity look good. What are the signs of a bad administrator in adopting sound and valid program evaluation processes? When does “Spin” prevail over truth and accuracy? (We covered the good side of these issues in Week #4).
Week #6: September 13 – 19, 2010
Program outputs mean more than just numbers. Let us ask again how effective is pure “Quantitative Analysis” and how can we shift focus and where should we shift focus to “Qualitative Analysis” when even many administrators recognize the inherent subjectivity of assessment using case analyses and qualitative performance measurement criteria?
Readings:
Rossi, Chapter 10
Discussion Board:
Forum #9: We have come a long way in our discussions. How have your perceptions and understanding of the differences and uses of both quantitative measures and qualitative measures changed? Where do you think your initial perceptions have been reinforced? Where do you see your initial perceptions were off the mark?
Week #7: September 20 – 26, 2010
The concept of efficiency is at times difficult to articulate, hard to evaluate, yet one of great concern for stakeholders. How should we view what is efficient, especially during the current economic and financial situations faced by all governments? Can governments afford not to use the best information? Can the flow of government information be based upon anything other than current and accurate data? When does information become knowledge that can be used in performance and program evaluations?
Readings:
Rossi, Chapter 11
Research Paper (Due September 26th at 10:00pm CT)
Zero on the assignment if not received by this time. With the number of students I
expect to have in two classes this date is firm.
Discussion Board:
Forum #10: Can we articulate and measure efficiency in government? Weigh in on the difficulties in defining and articulating efficiency to stakeholders.
Week #8: September 27 – October 3, 2010
How does public budgeting work within the policy process to allocate scarce resources while demands increase and the public seeks to reduce or control spending? What is or are the social or governmental ecological implications of program evaluation following the implementation of major policies? You might want to consider this in terms of the immigration reform movement, improving service quality initiatives, or the comprehensive attempt at healthcare reform.
The budget is one of the primary ways that government implements public policy. It typically represents a second opportunity to debate policy that has been discussed during the legislative process. Evaluation of existing programs leads to discussion, budgetary consideration, and ultimate allocation of resources to programs.
Readings:
Rossi, Chapter 12
Discussion Board:
Forum #11: The fight for program funding and the role of sound performance measures and clear and accurate program evaluations. What is government’s responsibility to society? How has your attitude now changed?
Week # 9: October 4 – 10, 2010
How do auditing, accounting, and evaluating contribute to effective government administration and program oversight?
Government programs must be evaluated and not just to determine that every tax dollar has been spent in accordance with directives, but also to determine whether programs are accomplishing what was intended when created. It is expected government programs be efficient and effective. While ultimately that determination is a political one, the role of public administration is to provide a neutral analysis to decision makers.
Readings:
None, but a good solid review is in order.
Discussion Board:
Forum #12: Balancing the budget and maintaining program quality. Are these contradictory or complimentary concepts? How would you advise your governor to evaluate programs in light of the economic and financial duress faced by every state at this time?
Discussion Board closes Wednesday, October 6th at 10pm CT.
Final Exam Week is Week #9. Please consult the following page for specifics.
FINAL EXAMS AND GRADES
Exams must be taken between Monday, October 4th starting at 8:00m CT and Friday, October 8th closing at 5:00pm CT. Normally the exams will be sent automatically to Dr. Hall through Blackboard. However, in the event of any system disruption or alternative due to other situations such as equipment failure or the need to alter procedures due to ongoing military actions it may be necessary to have a human proctor monitor the testing. Human proctors need to be made aware of NOTE #1 following.
NOTE #1: In the event that a Human Proctor must be used as an exception to normal testing procedures under extenuating circumstances, the proctor should immediately email the exam to the instructor. If exams cannot be emailed by the deadline a grade of Incomplete will automatically be posted in Trojan Web Express until the exam can be reviewed at a later date.
NOTE #2: The exam will include coverage of this week’s discussion topics.
Friday, October 1, 2010: Last day for students to submit request for incomplete form to the instructor. NO MERCY WILL BE OFFERED. EXPECT TO BE DENIED!
Grades are due 9:00 AM CT on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, but I hope to be turning them in sometime late Friday, October 8th.
NO EXCUSES, NOTHING LATE. I HAVE 2 CLASSES EXPECTING NEAR 50 STUDENTS THIS TERM WITH 150 ASSIGNMENTS DUE THE LAST THREE WEEKS OF THE TERM, PLUS READING ALL DISCUSSION BOARD POSTINGS.
If you are using a live proctor to monitor your Final Exam, please ask that your exam be sent to me as a MS Word document so that I can read it and insert comments. Ask the live proctor not to not send as an Adobe PDF file.
Revised 8-2-2010
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Blackboard Support Center
