Project management education using role-play training in an on-line group-work environment

This paper describes a method of project management education applicable to a university. The School of Computer Science in Tokyo University of Technology has been using a scenario-based curriculum that requires learners to manage the development process in a virtual project. This curriculum has been designed to emphasize the importance of the process by which a student solves exercises that are generated for each phase of development during the virtual project. In order to realize a such practical education for information technology, we have provided project management education using role-play training as an alternative to on-the-job training (OJT) because role-play training is not only an alternative to OJT but also has significant advantages. According to the results derived from analyzing the learners´ behavior, and answers of questionnaire survey responded from learners, the effectiveness of the proposed education method using the role-play training is illustrated. However, the important challenge of developing an improved evaluation model describing the relationship between the student´s actions and the skills are required. In addition the simulation-based role-play training has been planned to realize for a learner to be able to acquire the decision-making skill.