Applying Student-Centered Learning Concepts to a Doctoral, Introductory, Interdisciplinary Public Affairs Course

Abstract

Public Affairs is a rapidly growing field and continues to be taught using a variety of pedagogical approaches. To improve methods of enhancing pedagogy in diverse, introductory-level, Public Affairs doctoral classrooms, instructors must recognize the diversity of students’ interests and the abilities of students to share ideas with one another, in order to achieve optimal learning and productivity as rising scholars. Student-centered learning offers a sound methodology and framework by which both the instructor and students can collaborate, in an effort to maximize learning and scholarly output. As such, this study aims to reveal the capacity for student-centered learning, a pedagogical theory that can be put into practice in order to attain a high degree of Public Affairs education in the academic environment.