My second day in ITCC 112 Advanced Technology Project Management, was full of new lessons and realizations. On the first day, I was mostly nervous and still adjusting, but the second day felt more structured and gave me a clearer idea of what the subject was really about. I could see more clearly how this course is designed not only to test our knowledge but also to prepare us for practical and real-life applications of project management. In this reflection, I want to share what happened throughout the day, what our facilitator taught us, and what I personally realized and learned from these discussions.
When I arrived at the university and entered the conference room, our facilitator introduced us to one of the major requirements for the subject: the Team Analysis Report. He even handed us a sample output, and I was surprised because the hardbound copy was very thick. It was not just a short paper, but a detailed analysis of a company’s structure, flow, and processes based on nine project management knowledge areas. The sample looked overwhelming, and I immediately realized that this subject would require a lot of effort and commitment.
At first, I had chosen Project Stakeholder Management as my focus, since I was interested in understanding how different people and groups influence projects. However, the facilitator explained that stakeholder management was not included in the nine required knowledge areas, so, our project leader decided to have me paired up with a classmate working on Project Resource Management instead. I did not feel disappointed about the change because I was open to learning new things and exploring areas beyond my initial choice. The facilitator also explained that stakeholder management and resource management are connected since stakeholders can be considered part of resources, and managing resources often involves balancing the needs of people who are also stakeholders. This helped me realize that my interest in stakeholders could still be applied under resource management.
Not long after the discussion on the report, there was a technical problem in the conference room, so we had to transfer to another room. It was just a minor interruption, but we continued the session smoothly in the new location.
Once we settled in the new room, the facilitator explained the course requirements in detail. These included the VBlog, the Digital Blog, and the Team Analysis Report. The VBlog requires us to create a video blog where we document our plan to finish our master’s degree in two years. The facilitator jokingly said that he does not want to keep seeing our faces but he wanted to see our plans clearly. This sounded funny at first, but when I thought about it more deeply, I realized that he was emphasizing the importance of having a vision and a clear path to reach it. The Digital Blog, on the other hand, is where we are expected to write our reflections about our classes. This is not only about documenting what happens but also about thinking deeply and learning from those experiences. As someone who teaches, I found this particularly meaningful because I also encourage my students to reflect on their learning. Reflection allows us to process experiences and discover insights we might otherwise overlook. Finally, the Team Analysis Report is the most challenging requirement because it involves analyzing a real IT company and seeing how project management principles are applied in real life. It is not limited to theories inside the classroom but involves going out and applying what we learn in actual settings. For me, this connects strongly to my teaching role, because I often remind my students that IT concepts are best understood when applied in practice, not just memorized for exams.
One of the key lessons that day was the discussion on the four elements of project management: planning, directing, organizing, and controlling. Planning is about creating the roadmap, setting goals, and identifying what needs to be done. Directing is about guiding people and making sure that tasks are being accomplished properly. Organizing focuses on structuring resources, roles, and responsibilities. Controlling ensures that everything stays within scope, budget, and timeline. At first, these seemed like simple concepts, but our facilitator explained them with real-life examples, and that made them clearer. I realized that these are not just terms for project managers but actions we do in daily life. For example, when I prepare to attend class, I plan my commute, direct myself to follow the plan, organize my materials, and control my time so I will not be late. As a faculty member, I could also see how I apply these four elements in teaching. I plan my lessons, direct my students during discussions, organize the activities and schedules, and control the pace of the class to make sure learning goals are met.
Another important discussion was about the difference between Information Technology and Information Systems. The facilitator presented it using a simple formula: IT = HW + SW, while IS = HW + SW + PW. IT, which is hardware plus software, focuses mainly on the technical side. IS, on the other hand, adds peopleware, which highlights the role of people in making technology meaningful. The key point here is that technology is nothing without people. Computers are just machines, and they cannot function with meaning if humans do not use them. This made me reflect on how people often say that technology will replace humans. But as our facilitator emphasized, technology will always depend on human thinking and purpose. Machines may be advanced, but without people, they are only tools with no direction, ‘a dumb machine’ he says. This perspective helped me appreciate the importance of people in technology-driven fields like IT and IS, and it also made me feel a deeper appreciation for my chosen field. It reminded me that as IT professionals, we are not just dealing with machines and codes but also giving purpose and meaning to technology through the way we design, manage, and apply it in real situations. And as an educator, I realized that my role is not just to teach students how to use machines or write codes but to guide them in understanding how technology can serve people and communities.
One of the most engaging discussions of the day was about why projects fail. Many of my classmates gave answers like poor task execution, poor schedule management, and incompetent project managers. Another slide showed that projects fail because “we failed to plan.” That made sense, since without proper planning, projects are bound to collapse. But our facilitator introduced another perspective by saying that projects fail because “we plan to fail.” At first, I did not understand what he meant. But after reflecting, I realized that sometimes we create poor plans or we make plans without true commitment. In doing so, we are not just failing to plan, we are actually preparing ourselves for failure.
This reminded me of my undergraduate years. I often crammed assignments, made schedules I did not follow, and left important tasks to the last minute. I thought I was planning, but in reality, I was only pretending to plan. I was planning to fail by not taking the process seriously. That realization hit me hard because it showed that success is not just about writing a plan but about committing to it and following through with discipline. This lesson made me more determined to avoid those old habits and take planning seriously in my graduate studies and in future projects.
As a teacher now, I can see how this also applies to my work. If I enter a class without proper preparation, I am already planning to fail the session. It made me appreciate the value of discipline and planning both as a student and as an educator.
The facilitator also shared an important lesson about the difference between leaders and managers. He said that not everyone can be a manager, but everyone can be a leader. At first, I disagreed because I thought it was the opposite. I believed that anyone could be a manager because managing seemed like executing tasks that were already set, while leadership required special attitudes that only a few people had. But after listening to his explanation, I realized that leadership in project management is about influence, not position. Anyone can be a leader by guiding, motivating, and inspiring others, even without a title. A manager may have authority because of position, but leadership is about action. This shifted my perspective and made me see that leadership is something I can practice even now, even if I am not in a formal managerial role.
In my teaching, I have realized that being a leader is not about standing in front of the class but about inspiring students to learn, to be curious, and to strive for growth.
Another surprising discussion was about gender representation in IT. A survey showed that women now dominate the field, which surprised me because I initially thought IT was male-dominated. But looking around our class confirmed it. There were more women than men, and only 1 male student was present. This observation changed my perspective and made me realize that women are now taking stronger roles in IT. The stereotype that technology is only for men is outdated. Seeing more women in the field is encouraging because it shows that IT is becoming more inclusive and diverse. And as a teacher, I also find it inspiring because many of my female students at DSSC are excelling in IT-related courses, proving that skill and passion, not gender, determine success.
We also talked about the three social aspects of leadership: interpersonal, informational, and decisional. The interpersonal aspect is about collaboration, building relationships, and motivating people to work together toward common goals. The informational aspect is about clear communication and spreading knowledge to ensure that everyone understands what needs to be done. The decisional aspect is about making choices and taking responsibility for their outcomes. These aspects are practical and useful not only in project management but also in teaching, work, and personal life. They helped me understand that leadership is not limited to giving commands but involves building trust, sharing information, and making responsible decisions. As a faculty member, I saw myself in this lesson. Teaching requires collaboration with students and colleagues, sharing information clearly, and making decisions that affect the learning process.
Before ending the class, our facilitator gave us a reminder about humility. He said that as teachers in the academe, our degree serves as a reflection of our value and credibility in the profession, but we should not forget that some of our students may already know more in certain areas. Instead of letting pride get in the way, we should remain humble and open to learning. This came to me as an important reminder because technology is constantly changing. What we know today may already be outdated tomorrow, and no one can ever fully master every tool, language, or system. To remain relevant in this field, we must develop the mindset of continuous learning. Being open-minded means accepting that new technologies will always emerge, and some people, even our own students or younger professionals, might be ahead of us in specific areas. That does not lessen our value but instead challenges us to keep up, adapt, and grow alongside them. For me, this reminder reinforced the idea that being in IT is not just about getting a degree but about committing to lifelong learning. To thrive, I must always be ready to update my skills, embrace new knowledge, and stay flexible so I can contribute meaningfully no matter how much the industry evolves.
Looking back at my second day in ITCC 112, I can see how much I learned compared to the first day. On the first day, I was nervous and unsure. On the second day, I encountered lessons that gave me more direction. I learned that planning requires commitment, that leadership is about influence and not position, that technology is meaningless without people, that women are now making strong contributions in IT, and that humility is important if we want to keep improving.
My second day in ITCC 112 was not only about lectures. It was about seeing project management in real contexts and connecting those lessons to my own experiences. From the thick hardbound report to the discussions about planning, leadership, and the role of technology, everything gave me a clearer picture of what project management was really all about. The day taught me to be flexible, disciplined, and reflective. It showed me that project management is not just a subject I need to pass but a skill I will need throughout my career. As I continue with this course, I will carry these lessons with me and apply them not only in my studies but also in my teaching practice and personal growth as an IT professional.