Abstract:

Teamwork is a generic cross competency that the University of Barcelona (UB) considers necessary for all UB students and that the Degree in Public Management and Administration (Gestión y Administración Pública, GAP) has adopted as one of the main academic goals within its academic program. In this paper, we present the results of the application of a teamwork experience in the course of Public Policy, a compulsory third-year course in GAP. The main goal of applying teamwork techniques is that students can coordinate themselves and lead teams, ensuring the integration of all of its members and guide them toward achieving high performance indexes, both individually and collectively. More specifically, we evaluate if students: 1) properly use collaborative skills, including shared leadership; 2) guarantee a balanced distribution of tasks among members; 3) stimulate and appreciate the contributions of others, encouraging a positive work environment and building trust and cohesion within the team; 4) can negotiate and deal with the problems that arise during the teamwork process; and 5) are able to properly present the results achieved by the group.

In order to develop and evaluate the teamwork competency in the context of this course, we have proposed an activity to students related to the framing of climate change policies. In the debate, it is possible to identify two frames, the “convinced” and the “skeptical” (Hoffman 2011). The convinced argue that global warming and climate change is a scientifically proven fact, and that if we do not adopt urgent policy measures we face the irreversible destruction of the planet. The skeptical argue that environmentalism is mainly an ideological movement, not scientific, and that there are a group of politicians who want to obtain a political benefit from the "construction" of global warming as a problem. According to skeptics environmentalism undermines freedom and progress, and it makes no sense to apply costly environmental measures, such as the reduction of CO2 emissions, that will have a virtually negligible impact on global warming.

Students are asked to work in team in order to: 1) identify the characteristics of each frame; 2) identify the maximum number of actors (politicians, academics, interest groups, experts, etc.) that mobilize in order to defend “convinced” or “skeptical” frames. For each actor they have to explain the interests that lead them to mobilize in order to defend this frame; 3) analyze media attention dynamic to climate change in one Spanish newspaper (La Vanguardia) in order to identify how stories are framed and to explain, according to the characteristics of the issue, the capacity of the media to influence public opinion.

Overall, the paper will explain the results of this experience of teamwork, focusing on how the experience was designed, implemented and evaluated. Special attention will be paid to the methodology used to evaluate the task, explaining how indicators of performance were developed.

Keywords:

Teamwork, public policies, framing.