Assessment of Project Management Skills and Learning Outcomes in Students’ Projects

AbstractThe objective of this study was to assess project management skills and learning outcomes on Business Management undergraduates upon completion of students’ projects in 2011. Students’ projects refer to group students’ assignments with project objectives, use of resources, reporting, assessments and grading. A total of 165 respondents (45%) participated in the survey using a self-developed questionnaire. Findings of the study revealed that students were given adequate opportunities to organize group projects, of which 44% were faculty and university projects while the rest were academic and students’ society projects. Analysis suggested that the project management skills: planning, leading, organizing, coordination and control (PLOCC) were deployed by the respondents with positive outcomes on teamwork, leadership, problem solving skills being demonstrated by the students. In conclusion, giving students group project assignments is one form of the teaching and learning processes for students to explore and to learn by doing and organizing activities in reality. Thus, it is recommended that students’ project assignments must be designed with defined project objectives and specific outcomes to be achieved in order to maximize teaching and learning opportunities; together with added values for students’ development and character building