Project Management Simulation-Based Learning For Systems Engineering Students

Traditional training based on static models and case studies is the backbone of most teaching and training programs in the area of systems engineering. However, in order to teach and learn project management for systems engineering students, a new methodology based on dynamic models and real-time simulation is introduced. A project management course for students in systems engineering included learning how to use the Project Management Trainer (PMT) that simulates a dynamic, stochastic project management environment. The students used the simulator both in single-user mode (simple project management) and in multi-user multi-project mode. A class of 66 students performed repetitive simulation-runs (in single-user mode) with a break period of several weeks between the runs and repetitive simulation-runs in multi-user mode. The students used different history recording mechanisms. For the single-user mode, manual or automatic history recording mechanisms were used by the experimental group, while the control group did not use any history recording mechanism. The findings indicate that for the initial learning phase, the manual mechanism is better than the automatic mechanism. However, for the relearning phase, the break period length influenced the performance after the break. A comparison between the experimental group and the control group for both single-user mode and multi-user mode revealed that using any history recording mechanism reduced forgetting. Based on the findings, some practical implications of using simulators to improve the learning-forgetting process are discussed.