MODULE PLAN OUTLINE

SpecificLearningObjectives:

LearningStatement:Whatdo you wantstudents to learn in this module?

After completion of this module, students will:

  • Navigate successfully through the Canvas course shell
  • Understand course benefits and participation expectations
  • Explain each step in a project’s life cycle
  • Identify several of the roles and responsibilities of project managers

Evidence of UnderstandingStatement:What should students be ableto do after the module?

Following this module, students should be able to:

  • Create a map identifying each stage of a project life cycle
  • Document at least three needs for each step in the project life cycle
  • Explain, in text or verbally, how project managers interact with and support outside departments

Course Prerequisites:

Whatskills,knowledge andpriorexperience dostudents needforthis module?

Prior skills or knowledge of project management principles are not required to begin Module 1. It is recommended a student complete this course while working or participating in an internship, as there will be opportunities to connect coursework to company needs.

Students must also be accepted in an undergraduate Business program in order to enroll in Introduction to Project Management. This course is a program elective.

Howwillyou determine whetherstudents have these?

In the first module, I will ask students to introduce themselves to the course via a discussion board post. I will ask them to describewhy they chose to enroll in this course, their course expectation, professional backgrounds and personal interests. I will also ask if they have previously completed an online course. This will help me gauge if the student could be an experienced online learner, or if they may need additional navigational or instructional support.

Howwill you connect to students’interests,backgrounds, strengths,needs?

I will respond publicly to eachpost on the introduction board. I will also record an audio comment for each student based on his or her responses, and leave the link when providing a grade. Dr. Graziano employed this method in Technology & Diverse Learners, and it helped me to feel connected to the online instructor and my fellow students.

Module 1: Course Introduction and Project Life Cycle Overview

Lesson Opening

Module 1 Viewing:Introduction

Welcome to Module 1! After completing this module, you will be able to:

  • Navigate successfully through the Canvas course shell
  • Understand course benefits and participation expectations
  • Explain each step in a project’s life cycle
  • Identify several of the roles and responsibilities of project managers

Module 1: Reading

  • Course syllabus
  • Verzuh, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Chapter 1
  • Article 3.1 of Project Phases and Organization
  • What Successful Project Managers Do, MIT Sloan

Module 1 Viewing: Instructor Lecture

This video introduces the project life cycle and roles of successful project managers. It provides a brief overview of the module’s assignments.

Icebreaker Activity

Module 1 Discussion Board: Introductions

Text: Welcome to Introduction to Project Management! I’m so excited you are here.

To kick things off this week, please post a text, audio or video introduction to your fellow classmates. Please include the following information:

  • Why you chose to enroll in the course (Please be honest!)
  • If you have taken an online course previously
  • Course expectations – what are you hoping to gain, or what skills would you like to develop over the next five weeks?
  • Your professional background (if applicable)
  • Personal interests

Learning Activities

Module 1 Discussion Board: Project Manager Job Description

In this module, you learned about the roles and responsibilities of project managers. Now, you will create a job description for a project manager. You may make a generic job description, or tailor it to your company’s needs.

Your job description should include the following information:

  • Project manager job duties (at least 7-10)
  • Required qualifications
  • Desired qualifications

For assistance writing a job description, please review the following resources:

Please post your job description to the discussion board, and respond to at least two classmate’s posts.

Application Activities

Module 1 Project: Project Life Cycle

Please create a mind map or infographic identifying each stage of a project lifecycle. Please include several characteristics of each stage, and cite your references when appropriate.

You may use the tool of your choice; suggestions are listed below:

  • PiktoChart -
  • Bubbl.us -
  • Mind Meister
  • Venngage -

Please post the final product to your course blog.

Module 1 Survey

Text: Please respond to the following questions after completing Module 1.

  1. How well do you feel you met your learning goals for the course? Please click here [link to objectives] to review Module 1’s learning goals.
  2. Definitely Made
  3. Mostly Met
  4. Somewhat Met
  5. Did Not Meet
  6. How well do you feel you have performed in Module 1? Please provide yourself a grade on a scale of 1-10.
  7. Field dropdown listing numbers 1-10
  8. Is there anything you would like me to know about your progress through this module? If so, please leave a comment below.
  9. Text box

Course Assessment:

Whatevidence of student learningwillyoucollect?(formalorinformalmethods of assessment)

I will collect evidence of student learning in several ways. I will monitor the dialogue present in discussion boards and course interactions to ensure students are mastering course content. When reviewing the discussion boards, I will look for quality posts and ensure they met participation standards (one response to prompt; at least two responses to peers).

At the end of each module, I will “ask how well students feel they have met their learning goals for the course, and how well they feel they performed overall” (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). This form of formative assessment will be a survey completed as the final activity. Students will be awarded a low amount of participation points for completion.

Whatcriteriawill youuse to interpret the evidence?

I will use rubrics to assess student learning when grading coursework. Below is a template I created to grade discussion board work.

Distinguished (3 points) / Proficient
(2 points) / Needs Improvement
(1 point) / Not acceptable
(0 points)
Clarity / Posts are expertly crafted, thoughtful, and research-based; shows clear mastery of content / Posts show mastery of material / Post does not show mastery of material and/or is not well crafted / Post shows obvious lack of mastery
Discussion Contribution / Post furthers conversation by posing questions, sharing personal experiences related to material, and/or adds points / Post sufficiently helps to drive student conversations / Post does not sufficiently prompt additional conversations / Failure to post or posting was too short (“I agree”/”I do not agree with your rationale.”) Did not help to further conversation
Structure / Post is well structured using proper grammar and is free of errors / Post is fairly well structured; may have a few errors / Post has multiple errors or is not college quality writing / Post is not college-quality writing or has numerous errors
Participation / Met or exceeded participation requirements; thoughtful and well-crafted responses to classmates / Met participation requirements / Posted at least once but did not meet participation requirements / Failure to post or did not adhere to netiquette standards