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Preparing construction project managers to document professional growth

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conference contribution
posted on 2007-01-01, 00:00 authored by Adam KrezelAdam Krezel
Deakin University’s School of Architecture and Building is renowned for producing graduates who possess relevant attributes that make them job ready for the building and construction industry. Graduate destination surveys indicate that in the last eight (8) years, 100% of all Infrastructure Logistics (Construction and Facility Management) course graduates found relevant employment. This success is a direct result of a curriculum that is responsive to industry needs alongside educational methodology that focuses on excellent teaching and research while seeking new ways of developing and delivering courses.

The Infrastructure Logistics course prepares graduates to successfully compete in today’s global job market, and allows them to showcase relevant knowledge and skills that are critical in seeking and sustaining employment. Traditionally, tailored resumes served this purpose; however, in many professional fields, professional portfolios are now becoming a more desirable way of providing a summary of relevant attributes alongside evidence of professional abilities.

Sustaining employment, appraisals, and applying for a promotion are often subject to adequate evidence of professional standards and growth. Professional bodies require records of contribution to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) schemes; and accrediting organisations require professionals applying for professional registration to provide documented evidence of their relevant experience and abilities. The Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM 2007) requires candidates wanting to become Registered Project Managers (RegPM) to demonstrate their current work-based experience and competencies.

This paper reports on a teaching strategy adopted in the Project Management (PM) stream, offered as part of Infrastructure Logistic courses. The teaching strategy is based on a combination of constructivism theory of learning, problem and project based learning, and active learning. The strategy requires systematic reflection and conscious creation of documented evidence of PM attributes and competences in the form of a portfolio.

Preliminary results of action research monitoring the effectiveness of systematic reflection indicate that students respond very positively to the idea of professional journals and professional portfolios. Preliminary results also indicate that students accept reflection and conscious documentation of their achievements as an integral part of their study and future practice.

History

Pagination

228 - 236

Location

Swinburne University of Technology Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, Hawthorn, Victoria

Open access

  • Yes

Start date

2007-07-03

End date

2007-07-05

ISBN-13

9780980332810

Language

eng

Notes

Conference presented by co-hosted: Swinburne's AGSE and Holmesglen InstituteEvery reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in Deakin Research Online. If you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact drosupport@deakin.edu.au

Publication classification

E1 Full written paper - refereed

Copyright notice

2007, AUBEA

Editor/Contributor(s)

R Kenley

Title of proceedings

AUBEA 2007 : proceedings of the annual conference of the Australasian Universities' Building Educators Association

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