Educational Project Planning: Policies, Plans, and Projects

This report addresses an assignment on educational project planning. It begins by defining key concepts such as educational projects, qualitative improvements, project cycles, felt and normative needs, and the top-down approach, explaining their application in educational settings. The report then presents a reflective essay, critically evaluating various project planning approaches, including top-down and bottom-up methodologies. The essay focuses on the suitability of the bottom-up approach for a literacy project in Fijian schools, supported by literature and examples. The report emphasizes the importance of project identification, considering factors like national policy alignment and stakeholder involvement. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches in the context of educational initiatives. The report draws on academic sources to support its arguments and provides a detailed analysis of project planning strategies.

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
Name of Student
Name of University
Author’s Note

1EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
Question 1
i. Educational project: educational project can be defined as a particular document that
is prepared in a formal manner and in which various schools tend to identify the
missions as well as orientations and the pedagogical goals, the academic resources
along with the structure of the organization (Kerzner 2017). This strategy can be
implemented into educational planning by dividing students into respective groups
and providing them with challenging project such that they share information and
knowledge among them in order to find solution for the project (Jeong, Koo and Hong
2015).
ii. Qualitative improvements: quality improvement referred to a factor which matters the
most in a certain project. Quality improvement is measured by using various tools and
techniques that are used by professionals. The monitoring of quality improvement is
as important as the improvement that is brought about within a project (Kerzner
2019). The aspect of quality improvement can be emerged into the educational
planning with the help of providing the students with various training as well as
certification which would help them in understating the importance of quality
improvements in their career as well as to the organization (Harrison and Lock 2017).
iii. Project cycle: project cycle can be defined as a set of steps or phases that are carried
out at the time of executing a certain project. Usually a project cycle has seven
phases. The phases include identification of project, preparation, appraisal,
presentation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (Zhang, Xie and Schmidt
2019). Most of the projects undergo all the stages whereas some of them do not. In
order to implement project cycle within the educational project planning by providing
the individuals regarding the phases of the project cycle, how to implement them and
the circumstances of the outputs obtained from every phase.

2EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
iv. Felt and normative needs: felt needs referred to asking individuals regarding what
they need. An individual should be careful while using these data since social
acceptance, availability, personal attributes and some more might influence what
individuals would say they want (Agyei 2015). Normative needs refers to a particular
situation where a certain individual fails in meeting a particular standard. The felt and
normative needs can be applied in the educational project planning by gaining
knowledge regarding the individuals’ needs and help them in implying their ultimate
goals (Šetinc, Gradišar and Tomat 2015). Normative needs can be used by assessing
the needs and hence value the judgements for setting various standards.
v. Top down approach: this particular approach is used by almost all the PICs. This
project fits into the national education policy, it further requires achieving the
objectives. This can be implemented in the educational project planning by setting
requirements, documents as well as participants which would lead in the rolling out of
the role based access control for a particular managed resource like critical application
(Kumar 2017). The plan should be extensive for specifying the implementation of the
desired capabilities. This process would include numerous phases. These phases
would be categorized depending on the main objective of the project and the
outcomes that are expected to obtain from the project.

3EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
Question 2
Reflective essay
Introduction
There are numerous project planning approaches. Some of these approaches include
top-down approach, bottom-up approach and mixed approach. A suitable approach that could
be used for planning in a literacy project in schools in Fiji includes appreciative inquiry.
Discussion
Bottom-up approach is one of the most suitable approaches for the purpose of using it
in the literacy projects because it helps in undertaking necessary actions without having to
wait for any other scenario to appear. It further helps in building a particular shared vision
which is value based besides being inclusive, a particular process that is participatory in
nature and where all the members undertake shared ownership (Chand, Kaur and Singh
2018). Various factors that are needed for an effective project planning includes commitment
from the higher level of management, the key factors that the literacy project in schools in
Fiji must consider include proper strategic planning using the bottom up approach along with
the aspect of leadership, a particular climate that is conductive in nature and suitable for
planning (Šetinc, Gradišar and Tomat 2015). This approach is known to be suitable because
this approach would help in accelerating numerous changes which would focus on what the
project instead of eliminating what it does not want. This further discusses and focusses on
various changes those are positive changes and creates personal commitment for action
besides encouraging the process of relationship building (Lingam, Lingam and Raghuwaiya
2014). Using this approach the stakeholders would be allowed to contribute in the process of
decision making as well as plan formulation.
Conclusion

4EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
From the above discussion it could be concluded that the Bottom-up approach to
project planning would be suitable for the literacy projects in the institutions situated in Fiji.
This approach would be suitable because it would improve the morale, curiosity,
engagement, retention and communication within the members. It further helps in grounding
various experiences in the success of the organization along with its values.

5EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLANNING
References
Agyei, W., 2015. Project planning and scheduling using PERT and CPM techniques with
linear programming: case study. International Journal of Scientific & Technology
Research, 4(8), pp.222-227.
Chand, R.R., Kaur, M. and Singh, P., 2018. Reformations and Promoting Active Learning via
Course Based Research [CBR] at the University of Fiji. Asian Journal of Distance
Education, 13(2).
Crossley, M., Koya Vaka’uta, C.F., Lagi, R., McGrath, S., Thaman, K.H. and Waqailiti, L.,
2017. Quality education and the role of the teacher in Fiji: mobilising global and local
values. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 47(6), pp.872-890.
Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Jeong, K., Ji, C., Koo, C., Hong, T. and Park, H.S., 2015. A model for predicting the
environmental impacts of educational facilities in the project planning phase. Journal of
cleaner production, 107, pp.538-549.
Kerzner, H., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., 2019. Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for
project management. Wiley.
Kumar, s., 2017. Inclusive Education the way for future for Fiji schools: A comparative case
study of Inclusive Education in the Czech Republic Schools in Brno and Fiji Primary
Schools (Doctoral dissertation, Masarykova univerzita, Pedagogická fakulta).

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Lingam. G, Lingam. N, Raghuwaiya K., 2014. Effectiveness of School Strategic Planning:
The Case of Fijian Schools. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. 8(7),
p.2218.
Šetinc, M., Gradišar, M. and Tomat, L., 2015. Optimization of a highway project planning
using a modified genetic algorithm. Optimization, 64(3), pp.687-707.
Zhang, J., Xie, H., Schmidt, K., Xia, B., Li, H. and Skitmore, M., 2019. Integrated
Experiential Learning–Based Framework to Facilitate Project Planning in Civil Engineering
and Construction Management Courses. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering
Education and Practice, 145(4), p.05019005.