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Session 3448

TEACHING PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS USING PROJECT MANAGEMENT - A TRUE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

Izak Smit School of Civil Engineering CAPE TECHNIKON

ABSTRACT

Proof of the learning experience can best be established in the application of knowledge gained. Traditional evaluation by examination not only rates the student's abilities but also the educator's abilities to transfer practical knowledge by means of theoretical data. The process is obviously influenced by subjectivity and time constraints.

A more realistic approach is through project management which allows students to provide proof of knowledge gained whilst working at their own pace and within personal constraints. Students provide their own scenarios of environment, responsibility, and personal commitment. By these means the educator becomes a facilitator, rather than a teacher, evaluating the student's management skills of the project whilst ensuring technical competence of subject knowledge. The student sets the pace within the broader spectrum of time constraints determined by the course.

Ongoing evaluation of the performance rather than the limiting time constraint of a normal three-hour examination paper is effected. A meaningful evaluation of predicted future performance is achieved.

1. INTRODUCTION

The joint submission to the National Commission on Higher Education by the Engineering of South Africa (ECSA) and the Engineering Association states that the objective of the Baccalaureus Technologiae degree is to broaden the theoretical knowledge base beyond that of the diploma and places emphasise on managerial skills, creative applications and the development of judgement. The idea of teaching engineering science will always be linked to the application of more exact science than abstract ideas, transforming it into cost effective solutions in practice.

The traditional rationalist model of problem solving consists of the following steps: 1 Define and understand the problem 2 Collect data and information 3 Process the information 4 Formulation of a solution 5 Ensuring that the solution actually solves the problem.

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Smit, I. (1998, June), Teaching Project Management Skills Using Project Management A True Hands On Experience Paper presented at 1998 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/1-2--7455