What Are The Projects?
Here we list courses that tackle complete projects rather than only one specific piece of software. This is the exciting and fun part of the online courses.
Projects typically consist of several individual tasks and the tasks are usually executed using different software like Word when you are writing a proposal, use PowerPoint when creating and presenting a presentation of as project proposal, and Excel to prepare a budget.
In follow up lessons in the first Project course we will create a PowerPoint presentation and a brochure handout to be used during the presentation of the proposal. Eventually we will look at project management planning documents and excel budgets. We trust that you will find the Projects portion of the online training as exciting as it has been for us putting it together. It is based on decades of real industry experience.
We will by force of circumstances only include a part of project-based learning as it is difficult to manage working in teams in online courses, especially with my physical limitations. But will still employ some of PBL in the course as it will enhance your learning.
Nevertheless you will be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve with a smartphone even one as old as mine!
Being able to do all this with just one device which you carry in your pocket, your smartphone, is truly amazing!
From the Projects page, which is where it all happens, and which you are now viewing, you can go straight the specific project course that you are interested in. As we develop new projects they will be added to the list here.
Helper Pages
For some folks project management is a new concept. To help you, we have included two helper pages. So from here, the projects page, you can access:
1) an Overview page that will help if you are new to the concept of Project management.
2) The Killarney Book Club Project. In this page we give you a look behind the scenes of how the company, HMD, came up with the project idea on which this project, The Killarney Book Club is based.
The List
Project 1- The Killarney Book Club
Project Description
The purpose of the Killarney Book Club is to give its members the training and assistance needed to get their stories into print. It is based on concept of chapbooks. HMD had done a similar project before and saw the benefit it gave the members and then decided to propose a similar solution for a local care home.
Project Tasks
In this first course in the projects group, we introduce the concept of project management and why your smartphone is such a powerful tool in this environment. You will create a project proposal to establish a book club at the fictitious Killarney Care Home. You will also learn about the work-breakdown structure for this project.
Go to Project 1- The Killarney Book Club
Project 2 – The Videography Club
Course Description
Another exciting project is starting a videography club for seniors in a Care Home. The purpose of the club is to give seniors the skills to shoot and edit their videos – using their smartphones of course.
Project Tasks
Once they have these video skills, there are many areas it can be applied. Many seniors have a wealth of experience so video storytelling immediately comes to mind. Or maybe you have written a book that needs promoting…
Any number of project tasks will follow from this project: The concept of a video club has to be proposed to the Care Home management; then once the proposal is accepted, we will need promotional materials. So we need an HMD letterhead, a video club brochure and a presentation i.e. MS Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook will probably be used.
Go to Project 2 – The Videography Club | Return to HMD Courses
Project 3 – The Parkinson’s News and Tips
Course Description
The Parkinson’s Society feels that it was not getting enough exposure in the normal media. Could the PVS help them to set up and produce their own news channel? After some initial discussions it was decided that the Society would nominate two people for the project, a person with Parkinson’s and a staff member from the Society, we would adapt the Mojo for PD course (originally developed for PVS). The Parkinson’s Society would document the project with the view to offer the course on an ongoing basis.
In this project we are creating a virtual news studio from where the presenter could “broadcast” the Parkinson’s News and Tips on the society’s website. The main objective of this project is the creation of the virtual studio and to find easy ways to create the videos – to avoid having to go out in the snow to shoot video.
Project Tasks
The team, the two people from the Parkinson’s society, will take the Video Basics courses which will be given by HMD at a venue of their choice. This will be followed by the Mojo for PWP course in which the team will work together with the HMD person to create the virtual news studio and identify several news stories.
The Society’s webmaster will be consulted how the news stories will be presented on the Society’s website and how the news stories will be uploaded.
The importance of Promotion
It was stressed that while the project has enormous potential to the exposure the Society wanted, its success depended on consistency of the newscasts and ongoing promotion of the newscast. HM
The importance of Promotion
It was stressed that while the project has enormous potential to the exposure the Society wanted, its success depended on consistency of the newscasts and ongoing promotion of the newscast. HMD will assist the Society’s Communications Director to compile a promotion plan.
Projects Under Development
The PVS will always be on the lookout for new projects that the members can tackle. With the communications channels that are in place, like the PVS website, newsletter and community meetings, people tend to approach the PVS with ideas/requests. In a like manner, when the concept is under development, we are constantly on the lookout for projects, that would be suitable for a typical PVS, and that we could use for training and marketing. Here is a list we are currently working on:
1) Promoting a Deserving Profession
In this project we will interview a music therapist, and then assist the therapist to use the video in various promotions of the music therapy profession. In this project we focus on the organizational aspects like getting the necessary permissions, preparing the script and recording the interview.
2) The Parkinson’s News and Tips
The Parkinson’s society feels that it was not getting enough exposure in the normal media. Could the PVS help them to set up and produce their own news channel. In this project we are creating a virtual news studio from where the presenter could “broadcast” the Parkinson’s News and Tips on the society’s website. The main objective of this project is the creation of the virtual studio and to find easy ways to create the videos – to avoid having to go out in the snow to shoot video.
3) The Immigrant Story
There are more and more people on the move because of wars, famines, economic and political challenges. A local NGO has asked if the PVS could produce a series of videos to help citizens to get to know their new immigrant neighbours.
In this project we cover more complex editing procedures like adding captions, working through interpreters, and getting legally valid release forms from people who are not citizens and do not understand the language on the release forms.
4) Small Business Development
This could easily become a huge project. As many people are becoming unemployed as a result of the recession, the local Chamber of Commerce wants to promote small businesses as an option, so they have asked the PVS for help by showcasing small businesses, the pros and cons, etc.
In this project we will focus on story board development and complex filming techniques, like 5 shot sequences (difficult for people with PD) and working with a care-partner.