Project Management Education Research Articles

Modern models and methods of project management in higher education institutions

The article analyzes modern methods and models of management of educational projects in higher education institutions. The expediency of implementing a project approach to the management of educational activities of higher education institutions in order to successfully achieve the stated goals of educational projects is substantiated. The article analyzes modern theories and practices of managing various educational projects implemented in higher education institutions. The authors proposed detailing the role of information technologies in the management of educational projects in higher education institutions, which will allow project managers to simplify the task of digitalization of the educational industry. It was noted that the use of project-technological foundations in the organization of higher education management and informatization ensure the adoption of quality decisions starting from managerial (economic) activities and ending with the planning of the educational process, making strategic decisions on the development of higher education. It has been demonstrated that each type of activity of higher education institutions becomes much more effective and successful precisely when using modern information technologies and methodologies in management. It has been proven that the development and application of information technologies in the management of educational projects is an urgent task that is constantly changing under the influence of external and internal factors and is a priority direction of scientific research.

Identifying opportunities to innovate project management education in the digital age

This paper focuses on innovative learning methods (serious games, simulation games, virtual and augmented reality, the learning-by-doing concept, and Massive Online Open Courses) used in project management education. The use of these learning methods in project management education is crucial, as this subject needs to be practiced in real life. This paper aims to examine the current state of research in this area to determine which learning methods are most commonly used in project management education, what impact they have on the ability to learn, and whether these methods are beginning to transfer to the online environment. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted in the Web of Science database, which resulted in 53 papers. The results show that game-based learning is the most frequently researched method (43 times). The impact of the analysed methods on the ability to learn was found to have been confirmed 23 times, especially in game-based learning research (18 times). On the other hand, the online environment is not predominant, and these methods are mostly taught on-site (28 times).

Process competences to incorporate in higher education curricula

This study reports on a survey on project managers' priorities. The survey used ISO 21500 as a scaffold to ask various respondents, like junior, experienced, and senior project managers, project sponsors, and students, to share their perceptions on the priorities for junior project managers. The respondent groups shared similar perceptions. Furthermore, project type and sector had little effect on junior project managers' priorities. Experienced and senior project managers shared their own priorities as well. The perceptions of priorities for junior, experienced, and senior project managers were mostly alike. However, experienced and senior project managers' priorities seemed slightly more affected by project type and sector. A session with experts in project management and teaching project management highlighted that the results for junior project managers could provide accents for introducing project management to students in higher education, provided the entire playing field of project management is also introduced.

Guideline for Chinese-Foreign Cooperation Project Management in Higher Education in China

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the current situation of Chinese-foreign cooperation project management in higher education in China, 2) to develop the guidelines for Chinese-foreign cooperation project management in higher education in China, and 3) to evaluate the adaptability and feasibility of the guidelines for Chinese-foreign cooperation project management in higher education in China. The sample were 226 lecturers and administrators in higher education in China. They were selected by systematic random sampling and sample random sampling. The interview group was the 1 administrator from each university, totaling 10 people. The experts for evaluated the adaptability and feasibility of the guidelines for Chinese-foreign cooperation project management consisted of high-level administrators from each university, totaling 9 people. Research instruments include: 1) questionnaire, 2) structured interview, and 3) evaluation form. data analysis by using percentage, mean, standard deviation and content analysis.

A game-based learning method to teach project management – the case of the earned value management

A game-based learning method to teach project management – the case of the earned value management

THE IMPACT OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

The successful completion of projects depends on effective project management, particularly in the complex and dynamic environment of higher education institutions. Business intelligence (BI) tools can assist identify problems and hazards, facilitate decision-making, and offer insightful information on how projects are performing. The purpose of this study is to examine how BI systems are used for project management in higher education institutions and to suggest a successful project management strategy that incorporates BI systems. To determine the present state-of-the-art in project management and BI systems in higher education, the research technique includes a rigorous literature review of academic and industry sources. An analysis of a case study from a university that has used a BI system for project management is also included in the Study. The study's conclusions imply that BI systems can enhance project management at higher education institutions by supplying precise real-time data on project performance, risks, and problems. By facilitating better decision-making, early issue detection, and prompt problem resolution, the deployment of a BI system has improved project management, according to the case study analysis. The study suggests a successful project management strategy that incorporates BI systems in higher education institutions based on the findings. The following steps make up the suggested strategy: Project objectives and scope definition, project planning, BI system implementation, BI system performance monitoring, project issue and risk identification and mitigation, and continuous improvement are the steps in a project. The suggested framework can assist institutes of higher learning in managing projects successfully by making use of BI tools. The paper also outlines the critical success criteria for BI system deployment in project management in higher education institutions, such as top management support, transparent communication, user training, and efficient data governance.

Student experiences of project-based learning in agile project management education

Project-based learning (PBL) is applied in various disciplines across the world and its benefits are well known and researched. For the past two decades, undergraduate information systems students at South African universities have been required to develop an artefact as part of a module. This is in the form of a project. PBL was formally applied at a South African university to determine the benefits to the students as well as how to improve the module for future students. The results indicate that all 13 criteria of PBL were met and that the students benefitted from a formal approach. They acquired various skills due to PBL that can be directly applied to the workplace. The results also indicate that PBL and the iterative nature of agile as an approach to develop the artefact complement each other. Although PBL assisted the students in learning, the specific skill set required was not determined and measured. This will form part of future research.

Using Competition to Improve Students’ Learning in a Project-Based Learning Course

In this article, we presented our findings regarding an online project-based learning course, delivered to 64 students from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the second semester of 2021. The course had the goal of teaching Project Management by means of a competition (the Data Science Olympics). Our goal was to investigate the systemic impacts of the competition on learning. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire and from comments posted on the teams’ websites. We followed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. We analyzed the data using a causal loop diagram to connect the insights gained with quantitative and qualitative results. Our findings were as follows: 1)The use of competition in a project-based learning centered course helped the students to develop project management and data science skills, and fostered metacognition and knowledge sharing opportunities. 2)The Data Science Olympics increased the students’ intrinsic motivation to learn. 3)The project-based teaching practices (scaffolding the students’ learning, giving meaningful feedback to the students, and managing the activities) facilitated the students' learning. 4)The problems the students faced throughout the Project (dropouts, communication problems, lack of commitment, difficulty scheduling online team meetings) impacted negatively on the students' motivation.

Upskilling of the School Heads in the New Normal

This study aimed to upskill the leadership competencies of school heads in Magallanes, Sorsogon, Philippines for the school year 2021–2022. This study employed the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design which outlined the quantitative and qualitative methods using the descriptive-survey method and interview to the purpose of this study. The results of a survey revealed the three highest ranks in terms of upskilling needs of school heads were mentoring and coaching, curriculum development, and management of educational projects. However, the interview transcript reveals that the upskilling for school heads significantly impacted all aspects of leadership development. The leadership training conducted using the upskilling design effectively improves the leadership competencies of school heads.

Systematic review on the use of serious games in project management education

Project management education is well suited for active learning through serious games, and a lot of research has been published on the use of serious games for project management education. Earlier reviews have focused on the content and features of project management serious games. The objectives for using those serious games have been less reviewed. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to better understand the objectives of using serious games in project management education, with the following research question: Why are project management serious games used in higher education? A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A systematic search enabled us to identify 175 articles, of which forty-three met the eligibility criteria. An inductive content analysis of those articles showed that project management serious games are used mainly for pedagogical and practical reasons. From a pedagogical perspective, serious games are mainly used to develop specific skills that are difficult to acquire in classic ex cathedra lectures, such as practical competencies and soft skills. From a practical perspective, serious games are mainly used for proposing a risk-free trial environment. Based on our analysis, we propose a taxonomy of reasons for using PM games in higher education. Our study also reveals that few studies assess whether serious games meet all their objectives, and that more research is needed on how to implement them into a coherent pedagogical scenario.

Accidental vs Intentional Project Managers: A Case Study

Project management has increasingly become an important part of business globally. Once referred to as the “accidental profession”, project management has recently made strides to become more professionalized. What results are now available? This project uses the case study research methodology to take an in-depth look into project management at a small to medium-sized enterprise. The case employs an empirically proven framework to compare and contrast accidental and intentional project management attitudes and traditional versus protean career approaches. Based on semi-structured interviews, documented evidence, and direct observation, the project suggests that accidental project management is still prevalent in industry, as are protean career attitudes. Additionally, this study recommends that a greater focus on early project management education may result in increased intentional entry into the profession.

Pre-design CSFs (critical success factors) of building projects for Dubai's development boom

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the pre-design critical success factors CSFs pertaining to different types of construction projects in the rapidly growing city of Dubai, by adopting one of the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools, analytic hierarchy process (AHP).Design/methodology/approachA mapping process was utilized to filter and categorize CSFs gathered from a literature review. A total of 5 main and 27 sub-main criteria were derived following RIBA's Plan of Work 2020 (Royal Institute of British Architects). A questionnaire was distributed among experts in the construction industry to assess the development in vicinity of the Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR). An analysis was conducted to prioritize the CSFs as per experts' judgment.FindingsAccording to the experts' combined judgment, CSFs linked to client requirements (CR) are the most significant at 22.9% priority weight. Overall project review (OPR), project team (PT), project preparation (PP), previous projects feedback and experience (PPF) success factors achieved 21.4, 19.5, 18.9 and 17.2%, respectively. Within CR, sub-CSFs of client consultation and acceptance (CCA), responsibly matrix for stakeholders (RM), client track record (CTR) and client level of service (CLS) were prioritized by the experts.Research limitations/implicationsThis work was carried out by respondents based in UAE only, and focused on one urban stretch of Dubai, this could be replicated by employing experts from other countries and other case study areas within Dubai.Practical implicationsThis study would significantly have an impact on the education of current and future project managers, planners, engineers, architects and, most importantly, decision-makers on helpful pre-design strategies for enhancing their project success. This research could assist, direct and educate management, as the management provides/manages the necessary resources for projects. Furthermore, management also has the authority to choose project leaders/consultants that will make the project successful.Social implicationsConsolidating Dubai's phenomenal growth requires prioritizing socio-economic strategies in future development projects at the pre-design and pre-construction stage, which will improve the city's business environment and the quality of life for Dubai's residents. This opens up fresh possibilities over the next few years for integrating robust procedures for successful execution, monitoring and evaluation of future construction developments from the outset.Originality/valueAlthough many studies have identified various factors as important for successful building projects, few appear to have done a complete analysis using pre-design criteria to systematically categorize professional views on the relative relevance of CSFs. There is a lack in research examining the factors that led to Dubai's successful construction projects. This study attempts to bridge this gap and provide a prioritized framework reference model to assist project/asset managers and decision-makers.

Teaching project management to primary school children: a scoping review

Teachers have used projects in children’s education for over a century. More recently, project management knowledge and skills have become essential when students manage technological solutions from inception to presentation. This paper presents the first scoping literature review on teaching project management to primary school students. A total of 33 publications between 2000 and 2022 were analysed and presented both descriptively and thematically. While the review did not identify any empirical studies of teaching project management to primary school students, it did reveal several examples of suggested teaching approaches, project management activity, and common elements associated with project management. The review concludes with a recommendation for researchers, educators, and project management practitioners to build upon this research by exploring the effectiveness of comprehensive approaches to teaching project management to primary school students. This paper represents a significant area of research as project management is one of the most critical skills for students to achieve success in the twenty-first century.

Enhancing project management graduates’ employability through group assessment innovations: An empirical study

This study validates the recommendations proposed by Tumpa et al. (2022a) for designing authentic group-based assessments in order to improve the work-ready attributes of project management graduates. The study aims to address the concerns of employers who have reported dissatisfaction with the employability skills of project management graduates. Two focus groups, comprising of fifteen project management academics from Australian and UK universities, were conducted to gather data for this study. The findings of the focus groups not only validated the majority of the recommendations but also provided new insights into the design and administration of group-based assessments for project management education. The study sought to contribute to the improvement of skills of project management graduates by providing a valid and authentic approach to group assessment design for project management academics to use. The implications of this study are that it provides an evidence-based framework for designing group-based assessments, which in turn will benefit both the graduates and the employers.

Online technological STEM education project management.

With a strong demand for online education and project management in deeper scope and larger scale to better fit COVID-19 pandemic situation, exploring new knowledge of online education to make it more effective became vital with the new challenges of STEM education. To resolve the above problem, this paper focuses on various aspects of online STEM education project management where the Enhanced Noyce Explorers, Scholars, Teachers (E-NEST) three-tiered structure was implemented during the COVID-19 period. Two City University of New York (CUNY) institutions, New York City College of Technology (City Tech) and Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) used the three-tiered structure referred to as Explorer, Scholar and Teacher which incorporated advancements in teaching internships, professional development workshops and mentorships remotely. Built upon the theories of engagement, capacity and continuity (ECC) and team-based learning (TBL), this remote learning model and infrastructure had a positive impact on STEM education and project management. The technological tools utilized included Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft teams, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Skype and SurveyMonkey. The results from qualitative and quantitative data including project evaluation, online surveys and focus group interviews demonstrate that the modified remote learning and management tools were effective. This indicated that the E-NEST model greatly supported student success and faculty in online learning and project management meetings. The E-NEST STEM education project was compared to two other project management models along with the previous NEST curriculum. Faculty emphasized practicing project management proactively and utilized best practices of classroom and time management consistent with Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and Project Cycle Management (PCM) guidelines. The comparisons attest that the E-NEST project developed excellent and innovative online platforms for student learning with project management and ECC and TBL applications. Hereafter, this research can be used to constructively develop more online STEM education learning models and platforms and integrate new practice and technology globally. These ideas can contribute to future research that could be applied internationally to STEM education projects in K-12 and higher education institutions.

Project management in the system of education

The purpose of this study is to identify universal methodological characteristics and general aspects of project management in the field of education (general principles, strategy, approaches, terms). The methodological conditions for the effectiveness of the preparation and use of the project are the relationship and interdependence of three approaches: a systematic approach that focuses on the implementation of the principle of reasonable sufficiency in the distribution of structural components in the organization; a situational approach that takes into account the characteristics of the external environment as a significant factor influencing the direction and content of changes in the organization; a behavioral approach that orients designers to understand the need to create conditions that have a beneficial effect on the behavior of people in organizational structures. Project management in education is a method of purposeful influence on the structure and processes taking place in the education system in order to transfer it to a qualitatively new state through a set of measures and actions. It is established that the project management model in education is a set of sequential actions at all stages, which ensures high efficiency of the process of finding a correspondence between the strategy of the organization in society and its basic components.

An emerging qualitative study on Project management as a bridge between cognitive learning and employability

The paper presents one of the results of an innovative research on the training value of Project management. The research was realized in the field of the Ph.D. in Education and Psychology at the University of Florence.The research has investigated the potentiality of Project management for the development of those transversal skills useful for employability. The main focus of the research has been the effects of learning Project management in formal contexts, as well as the embedded training value of Project management itself.The paper focuses on learning enablers and learning benefits of Project management in tertiary education

Omogućavanje digitalnog rasta kroz kontinuiranu edukaciju menadžera projekata - okvir za kolaborativno, komplementarno, održivo i istovremeno učenje u organizacijama za softversko inženjerstvo

Introduction/purpose: This paper introduces a novel PMO EDUCT framework that encompasses Collaborative, Complementary, Sustained, and Simultaneous learning explicitly tailored for the dynamic landscape of software engineering. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on education and professional development in the digital era by illuminating the challenges faced, the framework developed, and the measurable outcomes achieved. The presented framework underscores the need for agility, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge as fundamental tenets for success in an ever-evolving landscape. Methods: Focusing on a large software engineering organization, this study explores the multifaceted aspects of project management education, methodology enhancement, and team optimization. The proposed methodology combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the educational process area in a global organization and generate a flexible and measurable framework to improve corporate knowledge growth. The framework aims to provide learners the most flexibility about learning paths, schedules, collaboration, and best practice exchange while guaranteeing proper alignment with frequent market changes and emerging PM skills. Results: Findings indicate that personalised, continuous learning, facilitated through collaborative environments and custom-tailored content, yields significant benefits. Through analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs), this study showcases improved project onboarding, enhanced team collaboration, and the cultivation of a culture of innovation. Conclusion: This paper presents the PMO EDUCT framework that organizations can use to create a learning culture and empower their employees to succeed in the constantly evolving field of software development. By adopting collaborative, complementary, sustained, and simultaneous learning principles, organizations can develop a workforce with the essential skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability necessary for success in the digital era.

Student's perception of engagement in online project management education and its impact on performance: The mediating role of self-motivation

Student engagement is considered an essential element of student's learning experience and performance. While many studies are conducted to evaluate student engagement in the face-to-face environment, less is known about its impact on student performance in online learning, especially in project management education. COVID-19 forced all education institutions around the world to rapidly change to the delivery of courses online, often with little or no expertise in this form of delivery. This article provides insight into student engagement in undergraduate and postgraduate project management programs delivered online during 2020–2021. Specific objectives are: (i) to identify the factors that impact student engagement; (ii) to examine the impact of engagement on performance and (iii) to investigate the role of self-motivation on engagement and performance. Data were collected from 285 students enrolled in eight randomly selected courses of the project management program at a university in Australia during the second half of 2020 via an online questionnaire. The results found that self-motivated students are likely to engage better with their peers. Through structural equation modeling, it was further identified that student engagement is significantly related to students' performance in online learning. The study provides numerous insights for teachers to increase student engagement, such as creating a learner-centered environment with clear expectations.

Game-based learning and students’ motivation in project management education

Research on game-based learning (GBL) methods shows that they may increase students' motivation and learning in the context of higher education. However, there is still unclarity regarding whether and how GBL methods can be utilized in project management education. Our quasi-experimental study analyzes project management students' experiences of a GBL method applied in six European higher education institutes during late 2021 and early 2022. Data about students' experiences were collected using a post-game survey in which students were asked to evaluate how the applied GBL method affected their motivation and learning. The data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Our findings include students' positive and negative perceptions related to the applied GBL method, which influenced students’ motivation to study and learn project management phenomena. Our findings indicate that game-based learning solutions can be used to motivate students and to prepare learners to deal with uncertainty, as in real-life projects.