SPCI 514
Capstone A

Course Introduction

Dear Student—

Congratulations! You are nearing completion of the Master's Program in Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures. During the last several quarters, you have taken methods and content courses. You have mastered the skills of strategic thinking and systems analysis, you are adept in conducting spatial analysis, and you have knowledge of various infrastructures and services. Very soon, as an expert in the field, you will be asked to apply your knowledge in real-life situations that will require you to combine the methods and content you have learned in this program. You may be faced with issues that are not purely administrative, managerial, or technical, but that are more complicated—issues that require you to use skills in all three areas. You will be akin to a mayor who, when faced with a strategic issue, can not only think strategically and make decisions under stress and uncertainty, but who can also sift through and analyze large amounts of information related to that issue and thus can make an administratively and technically sound decision. Going one step further, you are at a stage where you should be ready to make the transition from knowledge consumers to knowledge developers.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to

• identify the advantages and limitations of the traditional case-based and problem-based methods of learning;
• identify the advantages and limitations of the tabletop exercises as a learning tool, compared with case-based and problem-based learning methods; and
• identify the advantages and limitations of research papers as a learning method.

Prerequisites

There are two parts to this course sequence; you will take Capstone A first, followed by Capstone B in the next quarter. Both Capstone A and Capstone B build on material covered in your previous courses in the Master's in Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures program. To succeed in this course, you must have successfully completed all other courses offered in the preceding quarters of the Master's Program.

Methods of Approaching Problems

Case-based Method and Problem-based Learning

For several decades, the disciplines of management, law, and public policy have developed accounts of real or very realistic situations as a major educational tool where students can learn from these accounts or "cases." These "cases" are a useful tool for learning about management or public-policy related aspects such as interorganizational coordination (from the "West Nile Virus" case, available through Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government's Case Program). Another major approach to learning—Problem Based Learning (PBL)—is used in public health, medicine, and natural sciences. PBL emphasizes learning through problem solving. Moreover, this method emphasizes information searches, collection, and analysis. Both the case-based and problem-based methods have advantages and limitations. In this program we have developed a new case method for learning and teaching in the field of critical-infrastructure protection, called the problem-based case method. This method combines the positive aspects of the case and problem-based methods in a way that emphasizes learning of the problem solving skills as well as the managerial and administrative skills.

Tabletop Exercises

Tabletop exercises, a second widely used approach to problem-solving, are primarily a training method that helps professionals engaged in protecting critical infrastructures develop a deeper understanding of the specific dynamics they may encounter in dealing with real-world problems in their areas of responsibility.

Research Papers

Finally, research papers play a vital role in helping professionals understand what steps are needed to solve problems that critical infrastructure professionals are likely to encounter. Research helps identify and define problems, analyze what has already been done, locate gaps in previous work, and recommend next steps toward solving the problem.

About The Course Project

This course requires you to develop begin developing a capstone project using one of these three methods:

• a problem-based case
• a tabletop exercise
• a research paper

By the end of Week 3 of this course, you will have identified which method you want to use and what topic you want to focus on, and you will have turned in a rough outline. In Week 5, the final week of Capstone A, you will turn in a draft of the project.

You will complete and post further work on your project by the second week of SPCI 515, Capstone B (that is, by Week 7 of the 10-week Capstone A and Capstone B sequence). In Week 8, you will receive feedback on your project from classmates, and you will provide feedback on two projects posted by your classmates. You will spend the last two weeks of the second course finalizing your project and submitting it.

Requirements for Your Course Project

Whatever topic you choose to do your project on, it should focus on a problem of critical infrastructure management and protection. Be sure to select a problem that likely to be encountered in the real world (feel free to choose a problem that has actually occurred). Frame the problem in such a way that you can be very concrete and specific, yet be sure to make use of the conceptual approaches you have learned throughout the MSPCI program.

More About Problem-Solving Approaches

One of your most important tasks in this course will be to make a relatively quick decision about which problem-solving approach you wish to take for your capstone project. To do this, we encourage you to rapidly review the advantages and disadvantages of the three methods under discussion. Feel free to read ahead in the three lessons; this will help you make your decision as quickly as possible.

Regardless of what method you choose for your project, any career in management and protection of critical infrastructures will require ongoing training, both in strategic decision-making and in understanding the vulnerabilities of the various infrastructures.

The traditional case method, as used in the fields of medicine, engineering, management, public policy, and law, is directed towards developing either technical or managerial/administrative skills. Problem-based learning is narrowly focused, as it emphasizes a process of self-directed learning through problem solving. The field of emergency management uses tabletop exercises to train professionals; these exercises are one-time, context-specific events that require a substantial commitment of time and other resources, and learning is restricted to those participating in the exercises. On the other hand, a problem-based case is easy to teach. It is also relevant for a wider range of circumstances and requires less expenditure of time and other resources. It also develops technical as well as managerial/ administrative skills and, at the same time, contributes to the knowledge base of management and protection of critical infrastructures.

We assume that when you graduate from this program—even though you may not be a position to train others—you will be in a managerial position where you should understand the need for such training.

Organization of this Course

The lessons in this course will help you understand both the case-based and problem-based methods. They discuss the need for combining both these methods to develop the problem-based case method, then review the process of writing such a case. After that, we review tabletop exercises and their advantages and disadvantages as a learning tool compared with case-based and problem-based learning methods. Finally, the lessons discuss the principles you'll need to follow to produce a strong, substantive research paper.

The Capstone course sequence spans ten weeks. In the first half of the quarter (SPCI 514, Capstone A), you will read the lesson commentaries, identify a topic and a method for the project you will develop, write a rough outline, and turn in a draft of the project. In the second half of the quarter (SPCI 515, Capstone B), you will post a more developed draft for review by your classmates. You will give feedback on other students' projects, and receive their feedback on your own. You will then finalize the draft based on the comments you receive from your fellow students, and submit your final draft.

Submitting Assignments

For instructions on how to submit assignments, please see the "About Your Instructor" page on your online syllabus.

About the Readings

With one exception, all required and recommended readings for this course are online; you'll find links below and in the lessons and course schedule. These materials include two units (Units 2 and 5) from the Exercise Design course created and offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Although you are required to read only two units for this course, you may find it interesting and useful to view the entire course.

Readings

• Lynn, Laurence. Teaching and learning with cases: A guidebook. New York, NY: Chatham House Publishers, 1999. ISBN 1-556-43066-6,
  chapters 1–10 and 14–Appendix.
  This book is out of print, so we have made it available online.
• "What makes a good case?" http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/teaching/good-case.html
• Notes on the case method. Cambridge, MA: Kennedy School of Government Case Program. (1368.0) (Note that you can read the abstract at this Web site, but you will need to purchase the full set of essays.)
• Evensen, Dorothy and Hmelo, Cindy eds. 2000. Problem-based learning: A research perspective on learning interactions. Mahwa, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates, chapters 1 and 2
• "What is PBL?" and "Advantages of PBL," both available at http://edweb.sdsu.edu/clrit/learningresource/lresource.html under "Problem Based Learning"
• "The Colorado River: Whose water is it, anyway?" www.udel.edu/inst/problems/colorado
• "A day in the life of John Henry, a traffic cop" http://www.udel.edu/pbl/curric/acc12.html
• Unit 2, "The Community Exercise Program," of FEMA's Exercise Design course
• Unit 5, "The Tabletop Exercise," of FEMA's Exercise Design course
• Blanco, Hilda, and Mathur, Shishir. 2005. Extending the emergency management toolbox with problem-based cases. Journal of Emergency Management 3:14-18.
• Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Sixth Edition. New York, NY: Modern Language Association of America, 2003. ISBN 0873529863. (Please note that you will have to buy this book, as it is not available online.)

Recommended Readings

Recommended readings are also provided online. These materials include Unit 4 and a number of tabletop exercises from FEMA's Exercise Design course. Scenarios include nuclear events, "dirty bombs," releases of sarin, VX, or anthrax, and suicide bombings.

Grading

This is a credit/no-credit course. If your assignments are satisfactory, you will receive three graduate credits for SPCI 514. You will not receive a numeric grade, although assignments will be evaluated using the following criteria:

4.0	Excellent and exceptional work for a graduate student. Work at this level is consistently creative (where appropriate), thorough, well-reasoned, insightful, well written and shows clear recognition and incisive understanding of the important materials and issues. All assignments submitted are of good professional quality. The value of individual contributions to this course is considerable and positively affects the learning of all participants.
3.8	Strong work for a graduate student. Work at this level sometimes shows signs of creativity, is thorough and well reasoned, and demonstrates clear recognition and good understanding of the important materials and issues. Assignments submitted lack professional quality but demonstrate effort and concern for quality. The value of individual contributions to the course is strong and occasionally significant.
3.5	Competent and sound work for a graduate student. Work is well reasoned and thorough but not especially creative or insightful. The student shows adequate understanding of the important materials and issues although that understanding may be somewhat incomplete. Work submitted is competent but not remarkable. The value of individual contributions to the course is such that they do not influence the quality of the course one way or the other. This grade indicates neither exceptional strengths nor exceptional weaknesses, but is the grade for "average" graduate performance.
3.0	Adequate work for a graduate student. Work is moderately thorough and well reasoned, but with some indications that some of the important materials and issues is less than complete and perhaps inadequate for graduate study. The value of individual contributions to the course is minimal. However, the work is above the minimal expectations for the course.
2.7	Borderline work for a graduate student. Work barely meets the minimal expectations for the course and may occasionally fall below them. Understanding of the important materials and issues is incomplete or has not been demonstrated. There is little positive value in the individual contributions to the course and there may even be negative effects on the overall learning. Consistent overall performance at this level would be below that of adequate graduate student performance.

Grading Criteria for Capstone Project

Clear grasp of major elements of type of assignment selected	30%
Clear grasp of major issues related to specific topic chosen	25%
Synthesis of program concepts and methods	25%
Evidence of adequate research: citations, format, bibliography	10%
Proper organization, professionalism of presentation, spelling/grammar/syntax	10%
TOTAL	100%

Earning Credit

To earn credit for this course, you must

• satisfactorily prepare and submit the choice of method and topic, and the outline for the project, on time; and
• satisfactorily prepare and submit the draft of the project on time.

No credit will be given for partially complete assignments.

The instructor will provide you feedback on your project topic and the draft of your case.

If unforeseen circumstances prevent you from completing an assignment on time, please contact your instructor before the assignment is due to obtain permission for a late submission. Without such permission, points will be subtracted from your grade for the assignment.

Study Suggestions

This course, along with SPCI 515 (Capstone B) is designed as a capstone course for the Master's in Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures (MSPCI) program. It contains fewer lesson commentaries and assignments than other courses in the program. Hence, your self-motivation and willingness to help your fellow students is a key to success in this course. I suggest you

• pace yourself;
• dedicate time each week exclusively to the course;
• do the readings as soon as possible and, meanwhile, start thinking about the topic for your case;
• schedule any interviews you will need to do well in advance; and
• once again, be self-motivated!

About the Course Developer

Shishir Mathur obtained his Master's (1997) in Urban Planning in India and Ph.D. (2003) in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington. His professional experience in planning includes work in India as well as in the United States. In India, he was a consultant in physical and land use planning, infrastructure planning, and urban design. In the United States, he teaches and conducts research in the areas of strategic planning, public finance, urban economics, housing, land use policy, and infrastructure finance.

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