Defining a framework for effective distance education for project management and the role of educational technology

Abstract

Evaluation of effective project management education is a poorly researched area as is the role of educational technology in professional education. Technology is being embraced at an increasing rate into all administrative and educational aspects of university life, and particularly so in distance education, but much of the research in this area is focused on the efficiency of the processes rather than the effectiveness of the outcomes. Additionally, there is little research on how technology influences the effectiveness of learning outcomes and the development of professional competencies for students in higher education. This paper suggests a framework for the evaluation of effective project management education and the relationship between technology and the development of professional competencies, based on preliminary exploratory research comprising a review of literature, plus interviews with representatives of the major stakeholder groups in project management education and training.