Service Learning
“I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” ~ George Washintgon
Ethics, Governance, and Accountability in Public Service
PAS 301
Prof. Kouliga Koala
Fall 2019
This course's objective is to link ethics, governance, and accountability in an effort for its students to foster meaningful public work for strengthening communities throughout their careers. This course helps students to:
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Look at accountability on a practical level
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Understand ethical responsibility for both government and nonprofit organizations
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Evaluate present-day dilemmas
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Critically think through scenarios in an effort to strengthen an understanding of ethical leadership within governance
Governance and accountability
Civic awareness and a sample of how challenges can apply today
Civic awareness involves the importance of becoming educated and engaged in our own citizenry. Education, in particular, can come in many forms. It may include completing coursework on governance but may also include an ongoing desire to be proactive in researching current policies, procedures, and current events that may apply to a person's private and professional life. This course advocates for professionals and the public to strive for education as part of responsible accountability. This has influenced how I will likely view public service accountability in the future because this course brings to light the value of holding public servants accountable. This is vital because we are tasking these individuals to solve problems on our behalf.
Link to course assignment
Additionally, I see great value professionally in understanding the need for demonstrating responsible conduct while being accountable to others. This may also mean incorporating research on current policies and procedures as mentioned above. The video offers a tutorial of key learnings within this course as well as a current event sample demonstrating how this topic has a direct impact on citizens today.
Group discussion about public service and accountability
This course offers multiple chances for sharing ideas in an effort to critically think about accountability in current events. Students have opportunities to share current event samples with fellow students and to critique each other in a civil and respectful environment. Included here are current event samples contributed by students for demonstrating ethics, governance, and accountability considerations. Click on each image to access links to current event samples.
Link to my own current events research and analysis assignment:
"The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Addressing Accountability Challenges for Improving Air Quality"
Career skills demonstrated
Communication
Demonstrating strong written and verbal communication skills.
Team
Working effectively in groups and fostered a civil and respectful environment.
Technology
Skillful at using Wix, Camtasia, Word, and Adobe for developing an effective website while adhering to policies and guidelines.
Problem solving
Researched and analyzed data for problem solving for effective solutions.