Using Twitter as a Project Management Learning Intervention #PSCMChat

There are currently a number of diverse technologies being used in learning and teaching for a variety of subject matters such as Facebook, VLE’s (i.e. Blackboard and Moodle), Turning Point, and Twitter (Thomas M., Thomas H., 2012). There are currently some studies which explore the use of Twitter to enhance student learning on a module with varied results (Evans C., 2014, Wright K et al., 2014), however there are no current published enquiries that explore how practitioners from industry can form part of the academic learning process using Twitter social media as a platform.
In line with Coventry University’s (UK) strategy of trialling different disruptive technologies in a variety of settings, a pilot project was set up to allow exchange of ideas and communication between academics, students and industry partners using Twitter as a vehicle for communication exchange. Currently, industry partners are involved in the learning process by delivering guest lectures to students, however the limitation of this is that it is a one way delivery process, and currently benefits the students more than the practitioners.
As a result, a pilot project was set up which gave 11 students the opportunity to answer direct challenges/problem-based questions from Project Managers and Operations Managers. It also gives the opportunity for students to get an insight into how some of the theoretical elements taught on a Project Management module reflect the real world. Over the two weeks, there were #PSCMChat sessions run which saw practitioners pose questions to students on real challenges that they have faced (encouraging problem based learning), and the following week gives students the opportunity to ask questions related to what they have learned on the module and how it relates to practice “from the experts” perspective.
This paper will discuss the outcomes and findings from an evaluation on the project to discover:
 Whether Twitter was an effective platform for the discussions to take place;
 How the intervention affected students learning about project management;
 Whether the intervention was beneficial to industry partners.
The pilot generated some interesting lessons learned and will be adapted to research on a larger scale during the Autumn semester (September – December 2015). It is intended that it will subsequently lead to being integrated into two level two modules (project management and supply chain management), and form a component of the module assessments.