The Goals Of An Introductory Course Within Any Subject Field

The goal of an introductory course within any subject field is an ambitious one indeed: to introduce a group of students to a novel field of study. While that may seem simply accomplished, its complexity is borne out within its application. For instance, the field of philosophy represents a multitude of subcategories ranging from metaphysics to jurisprudence. However, within an introduction to philosophy course, instructors compress this ostensibly infinite subject matter into a finite number of weeks. So too, in the field of public administration that encompasses every corner of the body politic. That said, what utility is gained from such an extreme compression of information? I argue that the introduction to different divisions and different methodologies within a field of study helps establish foundational principles within the minds of those students. Within our exploration into the introductory themes within public administration, we have been exposed to concepts that, I believ e, are significant principles in an overarching understanding of the field. The principles are as follows: the differentiation of the public and private sector, the political nature of public administration, the intergovernmental environment of public administration, the variation in organizing within public organizations, and the role of ethics within public organizations. What follows is a brief elucidation of these concepts and their utility to frontline administrators. To begin, one mustShow MoreRelatedGrowing Up Digital By John Seely Brown1132 Words   |  5 Pagesof technology and increasing access to the Internet, â€Å"distance learning† , especially web-based learning has gained popularity and reached an unprecedented level in terms of the number of students enrolled in a single course. These online courses, MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) , threaten to overthrow the traditional mode of teaching and learning by offering free and accessible higher-level education to the general public regardless of the students’ background or financial circumstances. HoweverRead MoreA Response to Part Five of Albert Camus The Plague675 Words   |  3 PagesOur analysis of Alpaughs The Leap from Kitty Hawk shows that the writer did not make any reference regarding his approach within the paper. There is neither any insight as to what the paper introduces which would be valuable. The authors introductory paragraphs merely illustrate relevant co ntexts to the subject of his paper, however he does not define his goal in writing it. The subtitle assures us though that it is an historical perspective. However, that does not help in understanding the planRead MoreCertified Public Accountant ( Cpa )769 Words   |  4 PagesAccountant (CPA) certification is the most important certification, and the highest professional designation for accountants in the United States. This certification allows accountants to prove their profound expertise and knowledge in accounting field upon successful competition of a set of requirements and ultimately certifying them as qualified accountants. Among other distinguished certificates available to professional accountants that would be just as beneficial for their accounting careerRead MoreEssay on Architectural Engineering978 Words   |  4 Pagesprofessional societies. In any one of those 25 specialties, the goal of the engineer is the same. The goal is to be able to come up with a cost effe ctive design that aids people in the tasks they face each day. Whether it be the coffee machine in the morning or the roads and highways we travel, or even the cars we travel in, it was all an idea that started with an engineer. Someone engineered each idea to make it the best solution to a problem. Even though engineer’s goals are similar, there are manyRead MoreArchitectural Engineering994 Words   |  4 Pagesprofessional societies. In any one of those 25 specialties, the goal of the engineer is the same. The goal is to be able to come up with a cost effective design that aids people in the tasks they face each day. Whether it be the coffee machine in the morning or the roads and highways we travel, or even the cars we travel in, it was all an idea that started with an engineer. Someone engineered each idea to make it the best solution to a problem. Even though engineer s goals are similar, there areRead MoreBasic Understanding Of Statistics For Managers1553 Words   |  7 Pages Week 5 Assignment - Basic Understanding of Statistics Adam McCartney BUS308: Statistics for Managers Professor Donald Platine August 27th 2016 â€Æ' There was a single introductory course of statistics. We studied the basic principles of statistics to achieve the proper level of understanding. Sometimes the material didn’t come easily because statistics is largely grounded in mathematics. We learnt some basic theories in statistics and their practical applications without significant backgroundRead MoreThe Hot Zone By Richard Preston Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst learned about public health. Participants made mock congressional bills to be passed in a congress comprised of high school and college students in order to implement a national change. My mock bill advocated for the incorporation of HIV tests within annual physicals. The purpose of this bill was to ensure that more people became knowledgeable about their status and with this knowledge, HIV positive individuals can receive care faster and take proactive measures to prevent infecting others withRead MoreBeverly Daniel Tatum Ph.D. Is An Expert On Race Relati ons1258 Words   |  6 PagesRacism’ defines common and important terms when discussing race and racism, such as, oppression, prejudice, minorities, privilege, and many others. Along with this, Tatum introduces the familiar feelings and thoughts many people have when avoiding the subject of Racism, as Tatum puts it, â€Å"Can we talk?†. The second chapter, ‘The Complexity of Identity’ discusses how our identity may be shaped by several different factors. Factors mentioned included family and social influences along with the underlyingRead MoreThe Department of Psychology at State University1668 Words   |  7 Pagesin the field of language and literacy, argues that academic discourse communities differ from informal ones in the critical area of assumed shared knowledge. She states, â€Å"building on the assumed shared knowledge...affects how people participate in academic communities, including introductory ones† (Kutz 344). In other words, prof essors introduce basic concepts when students enter the community. These concepts are the foundation that will eventually give rise to greater functionality within the desiredRead MoreThe Anthropology Of Cultural Anthropology1370 Words   |  6 PagesThis course covers the basics of cultural anthropology, which seeks to understand the purpose and place of the humans in this world. It will include anthropology as a social science, the concept of culture, and it would also introduction the human evolution and to archaeology, ethnographic field methods. The importance of human language, human development, patterns, global economy, marriage and the family, gender issues, global politics and local political organization, social stratification