TY - JOUR
T1 - Teaching public budgeting in the age of austerity using simulations
AU - Mallinson, Daniel J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The author would like to thank Aleksondra Hultquist, the Stockton University Writing Circle, participants of the Subfield Strategies track of the 2017 American Political Science Association Teaching and Learning Conference, the editors and anonymous reviewer for their feedback on this manuscript. Any errors or omissions are the author’s alone. The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, The Author(s) 2018.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Public administrators are deeply affected by the global crisis in public finances. As public sector revenues remain weak and demand increases for spending and debt reduction, as well as tax reform, the newest cadre of public administration students must learn how to face the challenge of substantial uncertainty in public finances, regardless of whether they serve at the national, regional, or local level. Simulations offer an effective and powerful tool within a safe classroom environment for teaching students about the process and challenges of public budgeting. This article examines two free web-based simulations that can be quickly incorporated into an introductory public administration course. It further addresses differences in using the simulations as role-thinking or role-playing exercises. Observations from students and the instructor provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of isolated role-thinking versus collaborative role-playing. The procedures included can be adapted for any online budgeting simulation without requiring the instructor to create a great deal of content on their own.
AB - Public administrators are deeply affected by the global crisis in public finances. As public sector revenues remain weak and demand increases for spending and debt reduction, as well as tax reform, the newest cadre of public administration students must learn how to face the challenge of substantial uncertainty in public finances, regardless of whether they serve at the national, regional, or local level. Simulations offer an effective and powerful tool within a safe classroom environment for teaching students about the process and challenges of public budgeting. This article examines two free web-based simulations that can be quickly incorporated into an introductory public administration course. It further addresses differences in using the simulations as role-thinking or role-playing exercises. Observations from students and the instructor provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of isolated role-thinking versus collaborative role-playing. The procedures included can be adapted for any online budgeting simulation without requiring the instructor to create a great deal of content on their own.
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U2 - 10.1177/0144739418769406
DO - 10.1177/0144739418769406
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85045453998
VL - 46
SP - 110
EP - 125
JO - Teaching Public Administration
JF - Teaching Public Administration
SN - 0144-7394
IS - 2
ER -