Making Projects Real in an HE Context (Workshop)
Earlier this year I was invited to give a talk on the use of live projects in higher education, specifically in the context of creative practice. I have quite a lot to say on the subject as this was pretty much my PhD thesis. What follows is an abridged summary of the topics I covered at that talk. If it is of interest I am happy to give this talk to others or even turn it into a practical workshop. Drop me a line and if I am free I would be interested to do it again.
The main aim of the talk was to explore the tension that arises between projects in the real world and projects within the higher education context. I want to challenge educators to reconsider projects as a practice rather than a mere management model. Drawing inspiration from the critical projects movement, I propose the adoption of “agile learning” as a pedagogic model. By framing live projects as vehicles for real-world learning, encounters with industry professionals, and the creation of valuable outputs for clients, I aim to address the challenges faced by educators who wish to prioritize social learning and engagement through a Communities of Practice (CoP) approach.
In the talk, I wanted to first point out that an encounter with projects is an encounter with the seductive language of project management. For example, the term “live project” is often used to signify real-world learning, but in reality, they often serve as simulations of real-world experiences. True real-world learning takes place within workplaces, through active participation in Communities of Practice (CoP). While “live projects” do feature an encounter with a client they rarely include the kind of embedding within a CoP that would generate this elusive real-world learning experience.
In many higher education institutions, the use of project-based learning is often closer to that of task-based learning, treating projects as instrumental containers for delivering outputs or competencies. However, by adopting an agile or you might say, problem-based learning approach, we can reimagine project-based learning as a social learning experience. This approach emphasizes the process and dynamics of social interaction, focusing on capabilities rather than administrative tools. An agile learning model serves as a valuable pedagogy for project-based learning due to its emphasis on collaboration, flexibility, and iterative inquiry. It aligns with the needs of the educational context, focusing less on the connoisseur evaluation of project outputs and more on reflection and lessons learned.
While the industry’s practices are often seen as of great value by practitioners working outside of education, they must be adapted to suit the educational context. In the ideal form, live projects occur within a real-world context, with a genuine client and a legitimate business need. However, in order to engender a shift from simulation to real the role of the client should not overshadow the coaching provided by industry professionals. Integrating mentoring, modelling, and coaching from professionals not only plays a vital role in driving student engagement, motivation, and participation. It initiates them into the CoP. This initiation into a Community of Practice holds significant pedagogical value, surpassing interactions with fictional or real clients.
To be clear, I am not arguing against simulated live projects, I just want to set out some principles for understanding why projects in the educational context (Project-based Learning)are not the same as projects in the world of work (Project Management). Despite claims by educators that live projects are real-world learning, if there is no significant initiation into a Community of Practice, the experience is still valuable but lacks the vital ingredient to take it to the next level.
Read more here:
Hanney, R. (2020). Making Projects Real in a Higher Education Context. In D. A. Morley, & M. G. Jamil (Eds.), Applied Pedagogies for Higher Education: Real World Learning and Innovation across the Curriculum (pp. 163-185). Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46951-1_8