Developing professional project managers: the use of practice-oriented learning

One of the main challenges in learning and teaching is to create and deliver subjects which enhance scholarly pursuits in contemporary project management. Morris (2000) states that “…the way we deal with and build knowledge, learning and competency development is key...’’ (Morris 2000, p. 22) to the delivery of business performance through project management. In the spirit of Morris’ view, I have explored how students in an Australian University might gain an appropriate amount of the contemporary advanced body of knowledge in the project management discipline while integrating such learning with practical experience and methodology to continue to extend their learning in both contextual and academic ways. To that end, I have shaped two courses in a way which integrates and extends students’ knowledge and skills and also provides them experience in managing the dynamics of intercultural relations and ways of reflecting on experience in order to achieve higher orders of professional competence and intellectual development.
This paper will explore two post graduate subjects ‘Project Management Principles’ and ‘Project Management Practicum’; identify uniquely aggregated material by combining theory with practice using ‘real-life’ projects involved with established clients from industry; and explain reflective, culturally diverse, team-oriented and collaborative learning environments. Subject-specific assessments are embedded to achieve Course Intended Learning Outcomes aligned to the required university Graduate Attributes. The Graduate Attributes that students develop in these subjects include: critical thinking and research skills; creativity and innovation; communications and interpersonal skills; attitudes and values, and practical and professional skills.
The following criteria will be examined within these two project management subjects that students undertake as part of a Graduate Certificate or Masters of Project Management:
1. Approaches to teaching and learning and/or to teaching and learning support that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
2. Development of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field
3. Scholarly activities and service innovations that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching.

I will demonstrate that the structure of these subjects “…supports learning in a domain by enabling students to acquire, develop and use cognitive tools in authentic domain activity.”