Cognitive Styles Matching: Expanding the Efficacy of Group Work in MPA Courses

Abstract

This essay describes a unique approach to assigning Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) students to groups in order to enhance the value of the overall classroom team experience. The relevant mechanism of interest is the Cognitive Styles Matching (CSM) group-selection process, combined with a brief explanatory session. Many instructors utilize groups for various reasons, without considering that the selection process can be altered to maximize relevant learning and interpersonal skills development. In this approach, a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator within a CSM process is used to configure groups for semester-long course projects. The essay takes the additional step of examining the approach’s performance, by using a post-only evaluation design that considers academic performance and a survey of student perceptions regarding the CSM treatment and potential alternatives. The benefits associated with the CSM process — product consistency and learning to work with others in a collaborative public service environment — suggest a meaningful role for broader use of the CSM selection process in the MPA curriculum.

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