Communication Skills
Course Description
Engineers need communication skills in order to transfer precise information and messages to their colleagues, clients and suppliers in written and oral form; to present themselves, their work and results; to learn and teach effectively. During the course, students learn how to effectively find relevant information and learn; to transmit information and messages with lectures, presentation materials, text and graphics; how to create effective soundtrack, photography and video. Meetings and negotiations are used daily in group work and collaboration, so students learn to recognize them in time, prepare for them well and execute them effectively. Through the exercises, they learn listening and talk actively; to perceive causes of misunderstanding and conflicts between people and learn how to avoid and resolve them. An important part of engineers’ education is to introduce themselves via the curriculum vitae and to understand, appreciate and respect cultural differences and norms.
Learning Outcomes
- Write a structured and narrative biography and present it orally
- Show their work and results in written and oral form to experts and the public
- Report and communicate information, activities, needs and intentions effectively in oral, written and graphic form
- Design and develop effective photo, audio and video
- Select and evaluate relevant information and critically analyze them
- Plan and implement effective meetings and negotiationsexplain group communication
- Analyze communication problems, avoid and resolve them
- Compare cultural differences and norms, respect them and are appropriate to adopt
Forms of Teaching
Lectures
At a lecture students and the lecturer discuss the subject for which they have prepared through research and preparatory homework. Posting questions and answers via AuResS system students actively contribute to the lecture and their learning. The teacher helps the formation of conclusions, lays out the theoretical basis, provides guidance for the application of new knowledge and give guidelines for further independent learning. If necessary, the teacher explains the homework following the lecture.
Seminars and workshopsThe seminar work in the form of a two-minute video presentation on a given topic.
ConsultationsHomework
Acquisition of SkillsLecture preparation exercises
Grading Method
Continuous Assessment | Exam | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Threshold | Percent of Grade | Threshold | Percent of Grade | ||
Homeworks | 50 % | 30 % | 50 % | 40 % | ||
Quizzes | 50 % | 20 % | 0 % | 10 % | ||
Seminar/Project | 50 % | 30 % | 50 % | 30 % | ||
Mid Term Exam: Written | 0 % | 1 % | 0 % | |||
Final Exam: Written | 50 % | 19 % | ||||
Exam: Written | 50 % | 20 % |
Comment:
When completing the course with continuous assessment/learning::
- Quizzes in the table above refer to class preparation assignments available on Moodle, which are worth 10 course credit points and have a 50% passing threshold, and homework quizzes available on Moodle, which are worth 10 course credit points and have a 50% passing threshold.
- Achieving the 50% threshold in each activity type as well as at least 60 course points in total are course passing prerequisites.
When completing the course in the exam period:
- Course credit achieved in the category Quizzes (as defined above) is scaled to a maximum of 10% of the total number of points. There is no threshold for this category and no way to make up for unachieved points.
- If above the 50% threshold, the assignment credit achieved on the final project is copied to the exam period. Otherwise or if a student wants to improve their result, they can improve it and submit it again.
- Assignment credit achieved i the category of Homework is scaled to a maximum of 40% of the total number of points. A student can improve and re-submit any included homework if they want. Aside from the 50% passing threshold, additional precondition for passing the course is >0 assignment credit for each of the homework assignments in this category.
- For any activity that a student submits in the exam period the assignment credit they achieved during continuous assessment is deleted and the new credit that they achieve is relevant.
Week by Week Schedule
- Introduction, active learning methods, learning styles
- Listening, speaking, conflicts
- Resume and cover letter
- Negotiating, meetings, personalities
- Slideshows
- Delivering presentations
- Midterm exam
- Scientific, professional, and popular writing
- Web search and evaluation of information
- Photography and videography
- Students' presentations - pitching
- Seminar
- Cultural differences and etiquete
- Final exam
Study Programmes
University undergraduate
[FER3-EN] Computing - study
(1. semester)
[FER3-EN] Electrical Engineering and Information Technology - study
(1. semester)
Literature
For students
General
ID 209625
Winter semester
4 ECTS
L2 English Level
L2 e-Learning
30 Lectures
3 Seminar
0 Exercises
5 Laboratory exercises
0 Project laboratory
Grading System
90 Excellent
80 Very Good
70 Good
60 Sufficient