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.