Measuring Student Learning Outcomes in Introductory Project Management Course in Graduate Schools
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss the learning outcomes of the graduate students in an introductory project management course. Our study utilizes survey results to determine the student’s learning outcomes in terms of their cognitive thinking, critical thinking, perception, and fundamental knowledge of management studies in a trans-graduate school. We also evaluated the improvement in the student’s interpersonal skills and motivation after the course. We present the methods and discuss the essential need to introduce project management practices at an early stage in graduate schools and critical dimensions of student learning experiences using pre-course and post-course survey results. The survey measures the student’s ability to grasp project management core concepts and practices, and attitude towards project management in general. From our studies, several key research conclusions have been drawn with respect to the pedagogical methods. The study suggests that with a cumulative and an immersive course syllabus that involves hands-on experience, and exposure to essential concepts of project management techniques, student’s self-confidence and ability to reason and handle new projects significantly i mproves. The course framework is based on problem-based learning with mixed student interactions from different backgrounds and diverse nationalities that improved their problem-solving abilities and ability to work in a team environment. The study also discusses the impact of early introduction to project management techniques and student’s employability.
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