Project Management in School?

This may sound unusual at first, as we are more accustomed to it in companies. However, clear structures and well-thought-out planning can also make a lot of things easier in the classroom. This is what is happening at the Freiherr-vom-Stein Berufskolleg Werne, for example..

The vocational grammar school offers students the opportunity to acquire the general qualification for university entrance (AHR), as well as a state-recognized vocational qualification as a “state-certified technical assistant for business informatics”.

We asked Jürgen Beuerlein, who teaches project management in the field of business informatics:

Using a task from the author's professional environment, a low-level class from the Freiherr-vom-Stein-Berufskolleg in Werne des Beruflichen Gymnasiums is introduced to the basics of project management. Merlin Project from ProjectWizards GmbH was selected as the planning software.

What is Merlin Project?

Merlin Project is a project management app for Mac, iPad & iPhone. It enables you to plan projects or events visually and to quickly adapt them as needed. Three central functions stand out:

• Gantt charts: They provide a chronological overview of when which tasks need to be completed.
• Kanban boards: Tasks are moved as cards in columns (“To do”, “In progress”, “Done”), which makes progress immediately visible.
• Mind maps: Ideas can be collected in a structured way before they are turned into specific tasks.

In my opinion, the interlocking of mind maps, netplans and Gantt charts proves to be particularly helpful in the area of project management. The “new” approach of agile project management, which is supported here, is also put to good use in my teaching.

Practical Use in the Classroom

How can Merlin Project be used in concrete terms? Here are some examples of practical projects:

• Planning Project Weeks
  Interdisciplinary or topic-related projects are clearly structured. Everyone knows what tasks need to be completed and by when.

• Organizing School Trips
  From permits to the daily program to catering: everything can be set up as a project, and responsibilities are clearly assigned.

• Coordinate School Festivals or Plays
  Whether stage construction, invitations or program items - every step can be planned and displayed transparently. Teams work better together because everyone has an overview at all times.
  A project plan can also be discussed together in class using the whiteboard or projector. This makes terms such as “milestone” or “dependency” much clearer for students. Our tip: Use existing project templates or create your own with our intelligent assistant. This is how you introduce the topic to your class in a targeted way.

With the information on the process description, the estimated duration and the successors, an initial plan can be created quickly that looks very professional. Depending on the available teaching time and the learning group, this plan can be further refined step by step.

Merlin Project brings a clear structure to the daily teaching routine and enables projects to be planned professionally, but still in a practical way. Students benefit from an intuitive introduction to modern project management, learn important technical terms and discover how a project can be developed step by step.

So if you are looking for a simple yet professional solution for everyday school projects, you will find that Merlin Project is a powerful tool for successfully planning and implementing classroom projects.

We wish you every success!