A proposed dynamic model for education in construction project planning

Project planning and coordination is one of the key fundamentals to executing successful project management. In the current construction industry, professionals are challenged with the planning of increasingly complex projects, while also maintaining a competitive schedule. As project teams and environments are constantly in flux in the construction industry, there is a need for education that is equally responsive to these needs. The education of professionals regarding planning is critical to the execution of successful planning activities and the utilization of the proper tools. The existing literature and frameworks, such as checklists and logs, have a more reactive approach and do not focus on how to educate a project manager to pre-plan. A dynamic model for the education of construction professionals in the area of pre-contract planning is developed and tested via a controlled experiment. The model derives its foundation from the research of key theorists in the field of educational psychology, such as Ausubel, Gagne, and Mezirow, taking a more constructivist approach. Key educational areas addressed in the model are: risk mitigation, proactive scheduling, and behavioral considerations. The proposed dynamic model is divided into three phases: Phase 1 - Principles, Phase 2 - Practice; and Phase 3 - Mentoring (PPM). The framework model proposed is a heuristic tool for individuals interested in becoming more adept in education of planning in dynamic construction environments.