The unit seeks to teach project management skills through classroom sessions and the concurrent development of a group based web project. This paper discusses the issues involved in developing this unit for online delivery in semester 1, 1999. The process attempts to reproduce most aspects of face to face delivery using the WebCT course management system. The implementation of this course design using WebCT is the focus of this paper. Students learn about a range of project management methodologies in a formal setting, and put these skills to practice in the creation of a team based Web product that also consolidates multimedia skills learnt in other units.
Students select a project topic that is based on a project management principle.
For example, they may choose to develop a Web site on legal issues, costing, testing, team issues, project management models, etc. In traditional format, the unit consists of thirteeen 3-hour class sessions, as shown in Table 1. In the first nine sessions, students are given a lecture, which is followed by a group based activity. Team skills and collaboration are continually promoted and reinforced throughout the unit. Teams of approximately four students are formed to develop a Web based product, in which students must develop project management and communication skills and testing and quality assurance systems.