Course Syllabus

 Course Description

Radius, Indiana, is a non-profit regional economic development partnership serving eight counties in Southern Indiana. Radius Indiana and its newly formed non-profit partner, Southern Indiana Trailways, have asked the O’Neill Summer Connect students to conduct applied research to help ensure Southern Indiana Trailways is positioned for success once it takes control of the 50-mile regional trail initiative that connects communities across Southern Indiana (from Mitchell to New Albany). Students are also asked to recommend land use and other zoning tools to the communities along the trail to leverage and promote economic development and local entrepreneurship, foster community identity and creative placemaking, while preserving and strengthening local communities and their rural values.

Project

Students will:

• Develop an Organizational Plan — Outline phased strategies to transition and strengthen Southern Indiana Trailways as an independent nonprofit organization.
• Develop a Funding Playbook for Main Street Program Implementation — Identify revenue generation strategies, including specific funding sources and grants, to support the implementation, funding, and long-term sustainability of a Main Street program.
• Create a land use and zoning Toolkit — Provide practical resources, model ordinances, and frameworks to support and promote the economic and community development opportunities that enhance the local assets of the communities along the trail, while valuing the rural values and characteristics of each community.

Introduction

This is a project class that requires collaboration with other O’Neill Online students under the guidance of O’Neill faculty. It introduces you to several of the O’Neill faculty teaching in the O’Neill Online program. The class also includes several lectures provided by faculty, community leaders, and client representatives. It is expected that you will attend all these sessions and do any required reading assigned by the instructors or speakers. 

For the project itself, consider yourself a member of a professional consulting firm that has been hired to advise Radius, Indiana.  Your firm was chosen specifically because of your affiliation with Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. You will do most of the required work for the project collaboratively, within small groups.  You will work in one of three teams, variously tasked to focus on each of the project deliverables. 

Several of you will have the opportunity to take leadership roles in the presentation or the production of the final project.  Students who have participated in O’Neill Online week in the past should defer leadership roles to students who are new to the course.

Deliverables will include team progress reports and discussion on Wednesday afternoon, August 5th; a practice presentation on August 6th, the final presentation to the clients and their guests on Friday morning, August 7th; and a written final report and executive summary due by August 16th. You are also required to submit a Peer/Self Evaluation and a Reflection Assignment by August 16th.

 Learning Outcomes 

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

Participation in the class will result in a number of critical learning outcomes. These will vary somewhat based on each student’s educational level and experience. Minimally, they include, but are not limited to, students being able to: 

• Work productively on a complex project as part of a diverse group, requiring students with very different backgrounds and skills to work together in a collaborative learning format
• Improve and enhance project management skills
• Coordinate complex project elements and deliverables across multiple groups
• Integrate the production of deliverables in oral and written form
• Improve and enhance self-learning skills to quickly become familiar with subject matter that is not part of one’s original training
• Effectively address interdisciplinary, interrelated issues that generally arise in professional positions
• Articulate the role of both formal and informal professional consultants in public affairs, management, and policy contexts
• Develop and apply data analytic strategies
• Develop strategies to improve community development
• Effectively condense complex reports and recommendations in an executive summary
• Improve and enhance both oral and written communication skills

 Course Requirements 

Technical Requirements

You will need the following to participate in this course:

• Laptop computer (or tablet); 
• Reliable internet connection;
• Microphone;
• Some way to make and post a simple video (e.g., using a webcam, or a smartphone);
• Access to Canvas using a supported web browser.

 Technical Support

For additional help with technical issues, consult:

• University Information Technology Services (UITS) (human support)
• IU Knowledge Base (IUKB) (guides)
• IUware (download free software)