| Description |
This paper provides a comparison of how public engagement for planners is described in academic literature and how public engagement is accomplished in real world planning projects This is accomplished through an analysis of academic writing on the subject and a selection of modern planning projects heavily focused on public engagement and interaction. The two sides are then compared to highlight similarities and differences between the pedagogy and practice. This analysis largely supports the current teachings of public engagement, particularly through the use of Web 2.0 technologies. Additionally, we can see that real world planning has a larger emphasis on qualitative data, particularly using narratives, emotions, and values as a starting point for visioning. While pedagogy does allude to values studies, there is little written on the subject. However, it is important to note that traditional planning techniques are still employed, and in fact public engagement is perhaps accomplished using more techniques than ever before. Finally, this paper argues that values studies, and the examination of case studies, are vital knowledge that should be added to planning pedagogy in order to better prepare planners for public engagement in the diverse range of projects they will be involved with in the future. |
