Wikipedia talk:Education program archive/Texas State University/POSI 5336 (Fall 2013)/Course description

Course description
This course provides a foundation for understanding the history, scope, and function of the American nonprofit sector. Includes an examination of the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of the sector as well as an assessment of the role of nonprofit organizations in society and their impact on public policy.

By the end of the course, students should be able to: describe the size, composition, and scope of the contemporary nonprofit and voluntary sector; differentiate between the political, economic, and social context of the sector; discuss how nonprofits relate to the government and the for-profit sector. explain what is distinctive about the American nonprofit and voluntary sector; question the implications of the sector's distinctiveness; and appraise the sources and information about nonprofit and voluntary action.

Assignment overview
Your assignment is to choose an underdeveloped nonprofit and voluntary sector related subject to research and write about on Wikipedia. You will perform a literature search on that subject, and work with the group to create a new article or expand an existing one. During the active project phase, you will monitor and respond to feedback on your article, and assist other groups by reading and commenting on their work.

Learning objectives
Infeld & Adams (2013) summarize the valuable experience students can gain from contributing to Wikipedia: In particular, these authors hold that such benefits are particularly important for students in public administration. The effective practice of PA is increasingly dependent on the ability to work in teams. By participating in this assignment students are also developing critical democratic skills that PA graduates need.
 * 1) Collaborating in a diverse environment
 * 2) Fostering thinking about evidence
 * 3) Effectively communicating information to a broad public audience
 * 4) Appreciating the role of access to information in a democracy

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