Pioneering Project Management Initiative for Second Level Teachers
Pictured are our pioneering teachers: Front row, L-R: Niamh Dwyer, Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown, Dublin; Ray Mead (Trainer), p3m global; Maria Sheehan, St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Clare. Middle Row, L-R: Diarmaid Walsh, St. Aidan’s Community College, Cork; Rita Hehir, Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally, Limerick; Mary Kelleher, Loreto College, Crumlin, Dublin; Margaret Walsh, De La Salle, Waterford; Audrey Flood, O’Fiaich College, Dundalk, Louth; Angela O’Sullivan, Glanmire Community College, Cork; Fiona Bourke, Galway Community College, Galway; Dairin Evers Nolan, Holy Child Community School, Sallynoggin, Dublin; Emer Kilgannon, Presentation Collage, Athenry, Galway; Sandra Keating, Presentation Secondary, Waterford. Back Row, L-R: Finn Dunleavy, St. Paul’s CBS, North Brunswick Street, Dublin; Mick Burns, Cabinteely Community School, Dublin A philanthropic initiative to provide opportunities for teachers in Ireland to gain project management knowledge and skills has been launched by JAI with the grant support of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF).
The ‘Project Management Skills for Life for Teachers’ initiative aims to increase the ability of teachers to integrate project management into their work to enhance the effectiveness of project based learning (PBL) for students.
Ray Mead of p3m global delivering project management training to teachersThe initiative is fully aligned with Key Skills, which help learners develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to face the many challenges in today’s world and are at the heart of the new junior cycle specification. Project management training for educators enables innovative and effective project based learning and allows teachers to use PBL to bring key skills to life in classrooms.
‘Project Management Skills for Life for Teachers’ began with an intensive week-long training in project management fundamentals, kindly hosted by PwC and delivered by p3m global, which will be followed by participation in PMIEF’s ‘Managing the Learning Project’ micro-credential programme. Earning the micro-credential allows teachers to provide easily verifiable evidence of their knowledge and experience in integrating project management into their instruction for enhanced student learning and outcomes.
To conclude the initiative teachers will study at the Buck Institute for Education’s annual PBL World conference in Napa, California to further build their capacity to integrate project management into their classrooms. On completion, all participants will go on to promulgate PBL within their own classrooms and schools with the support of their colleagues.
Teachers from eight different counties (Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Louth & Waterford), a wide range of both subject areas (including Science, Maths, Business and English) and schools (Community Colleges, Community Schools & Volunteer Community Schools) are represented which allows for shared learning and collaborative practises which otherwise may not be possible.
Project management skills being put to use by participating teachersThe initiative is part of a wider collaboration between JAI and PMIEF to develop project management skills in classrooms nationwide. 480 students completed the PM Skills for Life programme in the 2016/17 school year. The programme facilitated by industry volunteers brought TY students through the core principles of project management after which they actioned their own projects demonstrating the skills they acquired through participation. Another 600 TY students will complete the programme this school year.
“The 21st century demands a skilled workforce that drives organizational success and meaningfully contributes to the global economy. This requires the abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and collaborate thoughtfully, competencies inherent to project management,” said Jeannette Barr, Executive Director of PMIEF. “PMIEF is delighted our partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland professionally develops teachers to integrate project management into their curricula so they can more deeply engage students and help them strengthen these capabilities.”
Dairin Evers Nolan, a participating teacher in Holy Child Community School, Sallynoggin, said: “I am excited to be a part of this wonderful initiative which will empower me to utilise project management in my classroom, enhancing my instructional abilities as well as ultimately improving my students’ outcomes by helping them to also acquire and apply project management knowledge to their learning, especially those that are project-based.”
Helen Raftery, CEO of Junior Achievement Ireland, said: “We are proud to partner with PMIEF to develop teachers’ project management competencies, both to enhance their pedagogy and build confidence in deploying project based learning, which will ensure that second level school students gain an even better understanding of project management fundamentals, which are ultimately skills for life.”
