Project Management Continuing Education

My teen daughter says that she "hates" science. She won't believe me when I tell her that, as Kurt Vonnegut said, "Science is magic that works."

I didn't like science that much when I was in high school either. I think it was because of all the memorizing and rules. It seemed so disjointed and unconnected to my life. It wasn't until I was older that I could appreciate the field better. It's all about the context really and it's too bad more teachers don't present it that way.

Because science is really just a way of figuring out the world, the universe, and life itself-- the mysteries of everything we know. It's like science is Sherlock Holmes and we're the less capable Dr. Watson who serve as simultaneous bystanders and assistants. When you think about it that way, it sounds so much more fun! This is how I started to try to make science more interesting for my daughter, and it does help that Robert Downey, Jr. has made Holmes more current, but she still didn't really buy it.

She is a huge fan of the Harry Potter series though, so I tried to draw a correlation between wizardry and science. Potions class is like Chemistry, Herbology is Botany, Quiddich employs physics, broomstick-flying involves understanding gravity, genetics can be explored to create three-headed dogs and giant spiders, inventing flying cars involves engineering, learning about space took place in Hogwarts' Astronomy Tower, and you can't study the Care of Magical Creatures without Zoology.

Photo credit: http://memoirmode.com

She's starting to come around a little, but I still have some convincing to do. It doesn't help that as a teen, she's naturally inclined to doubt most of what I say.

Eventually though, I hope to foster her curiosity about the world so she continues to want to learn beyond high school and into college. I want her to be personally invested in taking college classes, not just because it's the next step in her life, but because higher education, whether it's through taking weekend college classes in science or online college English classes, connects everything around us and enriches our life experiences. In addition to career advancement education, I want her to be inspired by the joy of learning itself.

Who knows? Maybe she'll eventually find the value in learning science and find herself majoring in psychology or astrophysics. Or maybe she'll find her passion by pursuing a Masters degree in Project Management or English Literature. Whatever path she decides to take, hopefully she'll see it as magical.

Adult students bring a wealth of both personal and professional experience to the classroom. This experience can be leveraged by faculty to enhance the overall learning experience of students by drawing connections and providing students with more opportunities to apply their knowledge to situations they have experienced for themselves. At Granite State College we promote an androgogy that embraces student experience, not only the prior experience students bring upon entry, but also the ability to take the skills and knowledge they obtain in the classroom and apply it to their current professional or community environments. This "Action Learning" approach is incorporated throughout many GSC programs, and is most particularly evident in our graduate and post-baccalaureate programs (including our new MS in Leadership) where students work on applied projects or in practicum environments.

Having taught for many years, I know from first-hand experience that students tend to gain the most understanding when theory is contextualized and when students have the opportunity to apply concepts and achieve measurable results. The Granite State College MS in Project Management incorporates Action Learning throughout the program in a way that connects core professional competencies to actual projects. Students in our MS degree programs find that the skills and knowledge they are gaining can be applied to actual needs that exist in either their work or community settings, and feedback from students so far has indicated that applying what they are learning to the actual project challenges they face is a win-win for their own learning—and for the organizations they are supporting. 

As Granite State College continues to develop new programs, Action Learning will remain an important component of the educational experience. By providing greater context through opportunities to apply knowledge as it is learned, Granite State College students should prove to be better prepared for professional success. 

It's Christmastime, the decorations are out, the carolers are warming up, the shopping season is in full swing, and it's time to reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of the past year.  If I were making a list, the first item in both the Challenges column and the Accomplishments column would be the pursuit of a Masters Degree in Project Management.  

The challenge lies in the fact that I haven't been a college student in, oh, let's just say, a very long time.  Not only am I enrolled in the very first graduate degree program offered at Granite State College, I am in the very first cohort scheduled to graduate in 2013.  I am so proud and excited to be part of such an illustrious group of bright, dedicated and funny people...I really like this thing called adult higher education!  

In the accomplishment column I proudly include the completion of the first of ten terms in the project management masters program.  This term was made up of two six-week classes - PM 804 Project Management Seminar and PM 804 Leading Teams; both were excellent courses.  My preferred delivery method for instruction is face to face, on the ground at our Manchester NH campus.  Of course, for those of you who would rather operate completely in the digital world, you always have the option of taking any of our adult college courses online. 

It is interesting now that I am immersed in the world of project management...all that we do in life is a project in one way or another.  I see it all around me.  The applications, tools and techniques of project management can be applied to everything from planning a holiday party to putting a man on the moon. 

Now there's a thought...how might I apply what I've learned so far in my project management classes to make my holiday season just a little less stressful and a bit more organized? 

Project Scope:  Just what do I want to accomplish this holiday season?  I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew so I had better define exactly what I will and can commit to this year.

Project Team:  My family...who is responsible for what and can we accomplish everything we have identified in our project scope?

Project Planning:  Creating a task list (work breakdown structure in project management speak) that includes all of the typical activities (cards, gifts, parties, decorations, food, etc.) around the holiday would be helpful.

Project Risk:  Have you ever had your heart set on a particular gift for someone only to find the gift is not available, or that the cost exceeds your budget?  Contingency plans are always a good idea.

Project Close:  The holidays are over; now is the time to assess what worked and what didn't...lessons learned are a very valuable tool at the close of any project, but only if you use them.

So as you think about everything you have to do for the holidays, remember these four easy steps to help you along:  plan, execute, manage and close.  Wishing you a very merry and stress free holiday season!


GSC Factoid:  Granite State College offers the most affordable continuing education in the state and is the University System's leading online provider.