Engaging students in real-life project delivery: success or failure of a competitive bid?

Christopher J.M. Smith*, Anthony Olomolaiye, Lydia Adigun, Steve Martin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Increasing debate in Higher Education has been around preparing graduates for future employment. Varied approaches, including problem-based and activity-led learning, have been used to develop both the required theoretical and analytical skills being applied to a problem in order to improve graduates' skills-base. An interesting question remains about how competitive assessments could provide better preparation for students (both the eventual winners and losers) after their studies International post-graduate students at Coventry University undertaking a Project Planning and Control module have been tasked to prepare a full bid to run a departmental event for an undergraduate course involving staff, students and industrial sponsors; this bid is an assessed coursework contributing to the module mark. The intent is that these groups should improve their project management proficiency through active learning in the application of known project management methods in delivering this bid. Each group was required to produce professional and comprehensive written tender document to demonstrate their groups' capability to deliver this event successfully, as well as deliver a short pitch to the project sponsors of the expected event-delegates' experience. A combination of structured questionnaires with informal student feedback has been used to assess the students' engagement in and the students' perception of the relevancy of this competitive bid. Action research method has been used also as authors acted as facilitators in seminars and their observations of the process. Initial evaluation has indicated this "real-world" activity engaged 75% of students, with staff observing improved contextualisation; these results are in-line with literature.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEE 2012 - International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in Engineering Education, Conference Proceedings
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventInternational Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in Engineering Education 2012 - Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
Duration: 18 Sept 201220 Sept 2012
Conference number: 94845

Publication series

NameEE 2012 - International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in Engineering Education, Conference Proceedings

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in Engineering Education 2012
Abbreviated titleEE 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityCoventry
Period18/09/1220/09/12

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Management of Technology and Innovation
  • Education

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