I guess I'm a bit of an elitist in that I see students pursuing a project management program with a pre-requisite level of education and/or experience. I don't see it as a high school certificate. The best you could hope for in a high school setting would be an entry level project administration position from which one can evolve to a PM position with experience and additional education.
Then again, if a person can get dressed in the morning you can plan and run a project. Lay out you clothes, put the underwear on before the pants, socks before the shoes and do a quick quality check in the dressing mirror on the way out. Your mother can be counted on for quality assurance. :-)
By the way, hammers are old technology - we now have power nailers.
I felt the same way until I had an unplanned job leading the training development for new enterprise-wide software. I was the engineering expert on new engineering software working along side the teaching experts. I knew the software, but nothing about being a teacher.
So much stuff that made perfect sense to me just didn't register with a lot of students. I had to learn a lot about effective classroom teaching to be successful, the learning progression, and it is really quite fascinating to see how it is done in a structured, projectized way (if done well).
Years later, I took a graduate level course covering case studies in PM and was paired with a young student while I had over 20 years experience. I got a lot out of it, but the other student just didn't have the background. They probably would have learned more creating a simple project plan than in depth discussions on projects they had never heard about.
As well meaning as you are as a teacher, if you go too far over the student's heads, they will gain nothing from it other than hating your teaching style. :-) Saving Changes...
Take a look to PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF).
In fact, you might want to check out Project Management for Education, by Bernie Trilling and Walter Ginevri, published by PMIEF. It's two books in one: flip it on one side and you have the "Learning Guide for Project Managers"; flip it over and it's "Learning Guide for Educators". Saving Changes...
Juanita WoodsAcademic Director, Clinical Assistant Professor| New York UniversityNY, United States
Check out the book, Project Management for Education: The Bridge to 21st Century Learning by Walter Ginevri & Bernie Trilling (2018; ISBN: 9781628254587). The book has lots of useful information about incorporating project management practices into secondary education classrooms. It's also useful at the post-secondary level. Saving Changes...
Juanita WoodsAcademic Director, Clinical Assistant Professor| New York UniversityNY, United States
Mar 01, 2022 7:46 PM
Replying to Peter Rapin
...
I guess I'm a bit of an elitist in that I see students pursuing a project management program with a pre-requisite level of education and/or experience. I don't see it as a high school certificate. The best you could hope for in a high school setting would be an entry level project administration position from which one can evolve to a PM position with experience and additional education.
Then again, if a person can get dressed in the morning you can plan and run a project. Lay out you clothes, put the underwear on before the pants, socks before the shoes and do a quick quality check in the dressing mirror on the way out. Your mother can be counted on for quality assurance. :-)
By the way, hammers are old technology - we now have power nailers.
I respectfully disagree, Peter.
Just like we introduce other careers at the high school/secondary education level, we should introduce project management as a career option. We can do this by incorporating project management practices in the classroom or offering tracks for project management careers similar to other career tracks (e.g., culinary sciences, nursing, engineering).
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1 reply by Stephen Robin
Mar 15, 2022 12:13 PM
Stephen Robin
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Juanita,
I wholeheartedly agree with your response. I recall a project I was involved with in my chapter where we did presentations with secondary schools on the fundamentals of project management and how it can be applied to school and daily life. We also covered it as a potential career path and even provided a list of local educational institutions that offered programs and courses in project management. It was an astounding success.
I believe there should be a shift from simply seeing project management as a profession, skill set, or process but also as a life skill. There is a need for young trailblazers in the field.
Saving Changes...
Stephen RobinProject Analyst Trainee| Ministry of Works and TransportArima, Ari, Trinidad and Tobago
Mar 15, 2022 11:45 AM
Replying to Juanita Woods
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I respectfully disagree, Peter.
Just like we introduce other careers at the high school/secondary education level, we should introduce project management as a career option. We can do this by incorporating project management practices in the classroom or offering tracks for project management careers similar to other career tracks (e.g., culinary sciences, nursing, engineering).
Juanita,
I wholeheartedly agree with your response. I recall a project I was involved with in my chapter where we did presentations with secondary schools on the fundamentals of project management and how it can be applied to school and daily life. We also covered it as a potential career path and even provided a list of local educational institutions that offered programs and courses in project management. It was an astounding success.
I believe there should be a shift from simply seeing project management as a profession, skill set, or process but also as a life skill. There is a need for young trailblazers in the field. Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Project management is a sub-set of management. Should the emphasis not be on general management concepts - working with and through others - rather than narrowing down to specific applications of management? You reference 'culinary science' not pastry chef.
I understand that secondary schools are more and more focused on trades as if there isn't enough general educational requirements - remember the tree Rs - to fill in the time. One needs the basics in order to function in the future with technology and concepts that are not even invented yet.
We already see too many young people very accomplished with using technology but little actual knowledge, or interest, as to how it works.
Teach them how to think not 'how-to-do' as the 'how-to-do' will change.
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1 reply by Stephen Robin
Mar 15, 2022 5:17 PM
Stephen Robin
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Peter
Disclaimer my response is not on the behalf of Juanita and my views are simply my own.
You have valid points with the emphasis on working with and through others. Project management is heavily people-centric and building relationships with stakeholders is imperative.
I also agree with the importance of cracking down on the basics in order to function efficiently. Furthermore, the millennial generation and gen z are adept with different technological applications but do not understand the mechanisms behind the technology itself. Focus on actual digital acumen rather than digital usage needs to be raised.
However, I firmly believe there is space for duality in how to think and how to do, and how to think. I don't think the how-to-do approach should be eliminated in its entirety but refocused to be relevant, applicable, and broadens knowledge with more practice. Also, it is impossible to replace it with how to think due to the fact that certain functions are inherently more how to do than others. Key examples vocational trades.
Due to the target audience being saplings in a sense. The how-to-do is still necessary. We aren't dealing with mature professionals here. The particular demographic is in a position where there is a lot to learn, unlearn and relearn.
The how-to-do will likely be prevalent throughout the course of their studies and when they become practitioners themselves. It is simply part of the process. The implementation of how to think should be present in whatever capacity possible. The theory and practical aspects would include both approaches and be tailored to suit the current needs.
To summarize, treat the two approaches as tools that can be used together or separately when needed rather than follow the concept of oil and water where it cannot be mixed and merged to deliver a grand result. Hope this makes sense.
Saving Changes...
Stephen RobinProject Analyst Trainee| Ministry of Works and TransportArima, Ari, Trinidad and Tobago
Mar 15, 2022 2:11 PM
Replying to Peter Rapin
...
Project management is a sub-set of management. Should the emphasis not be on general management concepts - working with and through others - rather than narrowing down to specific applications of management? You reference 'culinary science' not pastry chef.
I understand that secondary schools are more and more focused on trades as if there isn't enough general educational requirements - remember the tree Rs - to fill in the time. One needs the basics in order to function in the future with technology and concepts that are not even invented yet.
We already see too many young people very accomplished with using technology but little actual knowledge, or interest, as to how it works.
Teach them how to think not 'how-to-do' as the 'how-to-do' will change.
Peter
Disclaimer my response is not on the behalf of Juanita and my views are simply my own.
You have valid points with the emphasis on working with and through others. Project management is heavily people-centric and building relationships with stakeholders is imperative.
I also agree with the importance of cracking down on the basics in order to function efficiently. Furthermore, the millennial generation and gen z are adept with different technological applications but do not understand the mechanisms behind the technology itself. Focus on actual digital acumen rather than digital usage needs to be raised.
However, I firmly believe there is space for duality in how to think and how to do, and how to think. I don't think the how-to-do approach should be eliminated in its entirety but refocused to be relevant, applicable, and broadens knowledge with more practice. Also, it is impossible to replace it with how to think due to the fact that certain functions are inherently more how to do than others. Key examples vocational trades.
Due to the target audience being saplings in a sense. The how-to-do is still necessary. We aren't dealing with mature professionals here. The particular demographic is in a position where there is a lot to learn, unlearn and relearn.
The how-to-do will likely be prevalent throughout the course of their studies and when they become practitioners themselves. It is simply part of the process. The implementation of how to think should be present in whatever capacity possible. The theory and practical aspects would include both approaches and be tailored to suit the current needs.
To summarize, treat the two approaches as tools that can be used together or separately when needed rather than follow the concept of oil and water where it cannot be mixed and merged to deliver a grand result. Hope this makes sense. Saving Changes...
