Ronald John Hy

Building Microcomputing Skills in Public Administration Graduate Education An Assessment of MPA Programs

Practitioners and academics alike acknowledge the very rapid diffusion of microcomputers in government agencies, yet the implications of this trend for graduate education in public administration are a matter of controversy. This article assesses the response of MPA programs to the demands of the public sector workplace for skills in microcomputing. Based on a national survey of these programs conducted in 1989, the study finds that about 90%o of the MPA programs have incorporated microcomputers into instruction, but only about 30% have a required course in microcomputing. While statistical analysis and research methods remain the primary courses in which microcomputers are used, a majority of the institutions integrate them into the teaching of substantive courses. Thus, despite the continuing dominance of statistical applications in the computing education of public managers, most of the schools also appear to recognize the importance of providing their students with other, more practical skills in microcomputing.

An assessment of institutional arrangement and microcomputer skills and competencies in public administration graduate education

The rapid diffusion of microcomputers in the private, public and nonprofit sectors has lead to formidable implications for graduate public administration programs. This article assesses the responses of MPA programs to this increased demand for microcomputing skills and competencies. Based on a 1989 national survey of these programs, the study examines the extent to which MPA programs differ in teaching microcomputer skills and competencies. Programs located in political science departments are compared to those housed in public administration departments and schools and colleges. In addition, MPA programs positioned in units that grant doctoral degrees as their highest offerings are compared to programs located in units that do not offer doctoral degrees. The most remarkable finding of this study may not be the extent to which institutional arrangement and levels of degrees offered impact on what is taught via microcomputers, but rather the extent to which various record and data management functions are...

Knowledge of Aids Among Intravenous Drug Users Entering Prison

This article examines the knowledge and behavioral patterns of intravenous (IV) drug users as they relate to AIDS. The subsample (n=158) of IV drug users is taken from a larger sample (n=527) of inmates entering prison in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Results indicate that entering inmates generally have a high level of knowledge concerning AIDS and its transmission, but have continued to engage in high risk behaviors, such as the sharing of needles, blood donations, and sexual relations with other IV drug users. Results also indicate that the best outlets of information on AIDS for IV drug users are radio, TV, pamphlets, and information accompanying the distribution of syringes.

Statistical Backgrounds and Computing Needs of Graduate Students in Political Science and Public Administration Programs

This article presents (1) a set of assumptions about the quantitative backgrounds and computing needs of social science students; (2) two sets of recommendations designed to increase communication and cooperation among social science instructors, students, and computer center user consultants; and (3) a survey of MPA and political science doctoral program instructors. The survey revealed that entering students have limited backgrounds in quantitative methods and that the two programs use and rely heavily on SPSS. There also were generally high levels of satisfaction with the computer facilities and consultant services.