Team-Based Learning: A Model for Democratic and Culturally Competent 21st Century Public Administrators

Abstract

This article presents key literature on team-based learning, a research-based teaching method derived from the cooperative learning paradigm. Team-based learning is presented as a means to teach public administration students, our future practitioners and policy makers, how to practice cultural competency as they address local community challenges. Team-based learning is a pedagogical tool that emphasizes diverse teams that are properly managed, individual and group preparedness and accountability, application of key course content, peer evaluations, and team development and interpersonal communication skills. This paper provides evidence of this instructional method’s effectiveness and of the link between team-based learning and cultural competency, presents step-by-step instructions on how to effectively implement team-based learning, provides numerous examples of in-class activities meant to develop and strengthen cultural competency skills in public affairs and administration curricula, and provides a number of key resources for public administration faculty interested in learning more about research-based teaching.