Structural fieldwork as a learning experience: DAG's programme on environmental management for Indian government officers
| Date | 01 November 2006 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230150208 |
| Published date | 01 November 2006 |
| Author | Michael Wilson |
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 15,179-1
80
(1995)
Professional Developments
Structural fieldwork as a learning experience: DAG’s
programme on environmental management
for
Indian
government officers*
MICHAEL WILSON
Associate Lecturer, Development Administration Group, School
of
Public Policy, The University,
Birmingham, B15
UK
Professionals need to use their initiative and discretion at the point of service in
situations of uncertainty. Their education therefore must assist them
to
not only apply
theory to practice but to develop their own models and strategies in each unique
situation in which they have to act. A structured fieldwork project is a particularly
powerful vehicle in which to provide opportunities to learn how to
do
this. This article
illustrates one such project.
The task was to take fifteen Indian Government Officers through a programme on
environmental management. The plan was to start the course with a four week
programme in India followed by eight weeks in the
UK.
It was also decided that
fieldwork should be the main medium of learning since, when performed with rigour, it
reaches the parts classroom teaching cannot reach. It is an ideal arena in which to
follow Schon and Argyris
(1987)
suggestion that professionals learn best when four
levels of communication are involved: a demonstration of the activity, the description
of the activity, a commentary on the description and, finally, a dialogue on the entire
process.
However, as indicated in Table
1,
the participants’ expectations of the course were
based on the culture prevalent in both the Indian academies and government.
The first process task was consciously to address the internal culture of the course
Table
1.
Different Cultures
The participants’ bureaucratic culture The programme’s learning community
Hierarchy Network
Guru instructs Facilitation
Individual study Group projects
Competitive study Collaborative study
Individual endeavour Team
work
Obedience Autonomy
Data collection Professional education
Polite silences Regular critique
*
DAG Environmental Management
Course
for
Senior Indian Officials,
held
March-June 1994
in
Jamshed-
pur,
Bihar
(4
weeks)
and
in
Birmingham
(8
weeks).
CCC
027 1-2075/95/020179-02
0
1995
by John Wiley
&
Sons, Ltd.
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