آموزش روش های بین المللی تحقیق و توسعه مدیریت پروژه

This paper presents a case study of teaching project management in Croatia in two different learning environments and points out two main paradigms upon which both courses are designed. These two paradigms are most effective learning is working in real-life situations and teach them what you promised and students will respond with effort. We point out similarities in teaching methods but also the differences in motivation and achieved levels of knowledge and skills. Implementation of e-learning has been made according to the set objectives for each course. Follow up of students’ satisfaction level and personal development has regularly been assessed.

Group work on an actual real-life project is the main teaching instrument since groups act as project teams and the project ideas are close to their field of professional interest. Additionally, playing different roles in the project life cycle and learning to cross disciplinary borders enable students to gain self-assurance in project management. The roles which one can take on in a project can be in a wide range from strategic decision makers, project leaders and scientific coordinators to project managers, team members, reviewers or sponsors. Inclusion of interdisciplinary knowledge is needed, like data mining, decision making, finance and accounting, mathematical graph theory, modelling, ICT, etc.

Following two paradigms (Most effective learning is working in real-life situations and teach them what you promised and students will respond with effort) we developed two courses on project management, one in a formal and the other in an informal learning environment. Both of them are furnished with considerable amount of ICT support and specially designed fully on-line course. We found out that students in both environments specially appreciate interactivity and hands on activities, even if their motivation for completing set tasks is quite different. Special emphasis is put on development of generic skills and team work and in that respect both groups need initial encouragement from the teacher (trainer). Introduction of e-learning has been made according to the objectives we would like to achieve. Students’ satisfaction and personal development is being regularly assessed. Further development can be made in international collaborative work during international project management course throughout cooperation on PhD study level. In that respect students will have first hand experience in skills that are important like international partnership, cultural differences, etc. It can also be enabled through e-learning tools and methods