Abstract
This chapter shares the author's experience of teaching Project Management to diverse international students at three European universities. Besides didactic and technical challenges, there also were cultural and linguistic diversity challenges to be addressed. Working in small teams was a solution to better understand differences, encouraging intercultural communication. Specifically, the chapter is focused on particular aspects of the educational process: a single course (Project Management) and a single instrument used as teaching aid: proverbs as illustrative examples while teaching the abstract principles of project management. Although the use of proverbs for moral education is old and universal, their use while teaching abstract concepts of scientific management—as project management principles—is a premiere. The lessons learnt as result of the author's teaching experience and studies on the management meaning of proverbs, in different cultural and linguistic environments, open research avenues for further comparative, cross-, and inter-cultural studies.
TopChallenges Of Teaching International Students
An educational programme designed for international students is, by itself, challenging. As it involves teachers and students equally, the challenges are significant for both sides; however, the standpoint is different.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Teaching by Proverbs: The systematic style and manner of teaching abstract concepts using the proverbs as a teaching aid under the form of illustrative examples – still metaphoric but in common language. The use of proverbs does not replace or compete with other educational methods and/or technologies.
Stage-Gate: A principle of project management that refers to applying the technique of stages and corresponding gates during the phase of project planning (project design); this technique is to divide the process of planning in suitable stages, in order to check the quality of the work done in each stage, by gates; a gate is a checking and decision point (usually scientific committee, in which stakeholders are represented).
Ex Ante Project Evaluation: A phase of the project lifecycle, and a type of project evaluation, which consists of assessing the quality of the project planning before the implementation phase. See also: Project Lifecycle .
Ex Post Project Evaluation: A phase of the project lifecycle, and a type of project evaluation, which consists of assessing the quality of the project implementation after the implementation phase. See also: Project Lifecycle .
Project Implementation: A phase of the project lifecycle consisting of fulfilling the planned activities in order to accomplish the project purpose. See also: Project Lifecycle .
Project Monitoring: A principle of project management consisting of continuously controlling the process of project implementation; it is the responsibility of the project manager. See also: Project Implementation .
Project Lifecycle: The time elapsed from the moment a need is identified and intended to be addressed and solved (call this need ‘problem’) until the moment this problem is completely solved – which is the project purpose. The project lifecycle is composed of several phases: problem identification and definition; feasibility phase; project planning; ex ante evaluation; implementation; ex post evaluation. Another name for ‘project lifecycle’ is ‘project life span’.
Paremiology: The study of proverbs and collections of proverbs. Paremiology should not be confused with Paremiography which is collecting proverbs and writing about them.