AUTHORS: Wilfred Fritz

Download as PDF

ABSTRACT: In order to address the need for project management in an engineering curriculum, the author presented interactive project management workshops to a cohort of forty electrical engineering project design students in an electrical engineering programme. The author is affiliated to a South African university and he collaborated with a Germany-based company, Training Development Consulting (TDC). Interactive campus-based training workshops were conducted by the author and Andrea von Gleichenstein of TDC at the beginning of 2015 in order to enhance essential soft skills required for project management. Subsequent to the training, the students were provided with opportunities to apply these skills in realizing a renewable energy project in a local community. The aim of the workshops was to empower students with project management skills through interactive hands-on training sessions. The focus of this study is an assessment of the extent to which students were able to apply project management skills to the design and building of an engineering artefact within the required time frame. The author supervised all the students registered for the course. The findings of the research showed that students who attended the workshops gained project management knowledge and skills and were able to transfer the knowledge and skills learned to a real world project. This paper elaborates on the effectiveness of interactive methods. The author argues that interactive training should be taught to students in project-based engineering subjects, to develop their project management skills.

KEYWORDS: Essential soft skills, Interactive training, Project management, Project-based subjects, Coordination plan

REFERENCES:

[1] A.K. Munns and B.F. Bjeirmi, The role of project management in achieving project success. International Journal of Project Management. Volume 14, Issue 2, April 1996, pp. 81–87.

[2] P. Dumont, G. Gibson Jr., and J. Fish, Scope Management Using Project Definition Rating Index. Journal of Management in Engineering. 13(5), 1997. pp. 54–60

[3] R. Ferrier, Safety. Can it be regulated? Energize - Special AMEU Proceedings edition, Improving the management of our electricity resources. pp. 104, 28-30 September 2009.

[4] L. Erasmus-Kritzinger, Inspirational women at work. Pretoria. LAPA Publishers. 2003.

[5] J. Söderlund, Building theories of project management: past research, questions for the future. International Journal of Project Management. Volume 22, Issue 3, April 2004: 183–191.

[6] J. Larmer, and J.R. Mergendoller, Seven Essentials for Project-Based Learning. Educational Leadership. Giving Students Meaningful Work. September 2010. Volume 68. Number 1. pp. 34-37.

[7] T. Byers, T., Seelig, T., Sheppard, S. and Weilerstein, P. (2013). Entrepreneurship: It’s Role in Engineering Education. The Bridge on Undergraduate Engineering Education Vol 43 Iss No 2.

[8] M. Schar, S. Sheppard, S. Brunhaver, M. Cuson and M. Grau, Bending Moments to Business Models: Integrating an Entrepreneurship Case Study as Part of Core Mechanical Engineering Curriculum. 120th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition. 23- 16 June 2013.

[9] J.A. Byrne, Leadership Power Plays. New York: Mcgraw-Hill. 2007.

[10] J.R. Meredith and S.J. Mantel Jr., Project Management, a managerial approach. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc. 2003, pp. 242- 243

[11] N.O. Yakovlevaa, N.O. and E.V. Yakovlevb, Interactive teaching methods in contemporary higher education. Pacific Science Review. Volume 16, Issue 2, June 2014, pp. 75–80.

[12] R.W.C Lui., H.K.N. Leung, V.T.Y. Ng and P.T.Y Lee. PMS–A Simulation Game for Interactive Learning of Software Project Management. Technology in Education. Transforming Educational Practices with Technology. Volume 494 of the series Communications in Computer and Information Science. 2015. pp. 104-115.

[13] L. Anido, M. Llamas, and M.J. Fernández, Internet-based Learning by Doing, IEEE Transactions on Education. Vol. 44, No. 2, May 2001. ISSN 0018-9359.

[14] A. Svitak, Five Ways to Empower Students. Edutopia. February 8, 2012.

[15] C.S. Nair, C.S., Patil, A., P. Mertova, Enhancing Learning and Teaching through Student Feedback in Engineering. Woodhead Publishing Limited. 2012

[16] D. Hopkins, A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Research. McGraw Hill Education, Open University Press. 5th Ed. 2014.

[17] P. A. Ertmer, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. SAGE Publications, Inc. Editor, J. Michael Spector. 2015. pp. 748- 751.

[18] D. Martin, Active Learning and Industry Collaboration: Bringing the Real World into the Classroom. Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression. Paper 83. May 21, 2015.

[19] M. Sherin and E. van Es, Using Video to Support Teachers’ Ability to Notice Classroom Interactions. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(3), pp. 475-491. Norfolk, VA: Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education. 2005

[20] M.B. McVee, L.E. Shanahan, D.P. Pearson and T.W. Rinker. Using the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model to Support Video Reflection with Preservice and Inservice Teachers, Video Reflection in Literacy Teacher Education and Development: Lessons from Research and Practice. Volume 5. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015. pp.59 – 80.