Syllabus (Course-PM) for TDA518 Professional development for engineers and English LP3 and LP4 VT24 (7.5 credits)

This course is offered by the department of Communication and Learning in Science.

All parts of the course are run in English.

This course is designed to enhance and build upon skills from the communication course LSP310 (from year 1). It provides additional perspectives on academic and professional communication in English, through different textual genres, rhetorical structures, style, and delivery. The course is intended to help students develop their writing work taking place in the ongoing Bachelor’s projects.

As this course has two parts, communication for IT and engineering competence, please note that this syllabus contains information about both parts, labeled and colour-coded (as indicated earlier in this sentence) so as to clarify what tasks and information appertain to each. Please note that it is the responsibility of each individual student to keep track of their completion of the various components of the course. 

Contact details

• Carina Sjöberg Hawke, examiner and instructor: carsjobe@chalmers.se  
• Andreas Eriksson, instructor: andreas.eriksson@chalmers.se
• Helena Moberg, instructor: moberghe@chalmers.se
• Astrid Liedholm, instructor: astridli@chalmers.se 

If you need to get in touch with us, please email via Canvas' Inbox (this helps us see clearly which course it is from and retain a clear record of our communication).

Course purpose

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

The English communication part of the course aims at developing a variety of critical thinking skills that are essential for effective communication in professional and academic contexts. The goal is to develop reading, writing, and communicative strategies that can be transferred to other contexts and languages. For this reason, the course comprises activities such as guided reading and analysis of discipline-relevant academic texts (for example conference papers, bachelor essays), overview and practice of effective argumentative and rhetorical structures in writing, peer review, and reflection for planning and self-assessment. The course requires students to apply these skills in writing and in speech, by producing a text that critically summarizes a discipline-relevant topic and argues for a point of view, and by orally presenting this work and giving feedback to others.

The aim of this part of the course is to enhance students' understanding of academic and professional genres of communication in their discipline, and their ability to apply this knowledge to communicate effectively in English both in writing and speech, preparing them for future professional and academic contexts.

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

The engineering competence component of the course aims to make students aware of the competencies needed for future studies and professional life and to increase the ability to reflect on how they can prepare for working life and/or future studies.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

The learning outcomes described above are achievable through a series of course activities, including assignments and in-class work. Course topics include:

• Analysis and comparison of various academic and professional written genres
• Academic writing strategies: rhetorical moves, referencing, evaluating sources, summarizing
• Language focus: style, conciseness, clarity, and grammar
• Oral skills: presentation and argumentation
• Critical skills: reflection, peer and self-assessment

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

The learning outcomes described above are achievable primarily through an engineering career reflection portfolio, but also through other assignments and in-class tasks. Course topics include:

• Reflection on academic achievements and career possibilities
• How to showcase skills and education in various job search media
• How to strategize an effective start/plan for your career

Schedule

TimeEdit gives you a basic schedule, but you'll need many more details. Because the course clashes with other courses that some of you take, most sessions run twice, and students must sign up to be either in the Monday or Thursday option. That is why, in the list below, some sessions have two dates listed. The course sessions are:

• 15 January OR 18 January, session 1 -- obligatory
• 22 January OR 25 January, session 2
• 5 February OR 8 February, session 3
• 12 February OR 15 February, session 4
• 19 February OR 22 February, session 5 -- obligatory
• Two online drop-in sessions to be arranged.
• 15 April. session 6 -- obligatory
• Study visit probably somewhere here (maybe before session 6) - date still to be confirmed.
• 2 May, session 7 -- obligatory
• 6 May, session 8 -- obligatory

However, more detailed information about each session is found on the page for each session, found via the two modules 🟣 Communication for IT and 🟦 Engineering Competence. Missing obligatory sessions will require the completion of compensation work (you will receive an email after the session about what to do if you miss any of these sessions).

Examination form

Find course information in the Student Portal here:  Studieplan

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

The Communication for IT grades (F, 3, 4, or 5) for 3.8-course credits are based on the completion of:

• the final conference paper assignment (in groups, graded F, 3, 4, or 5) and
• the Reading and Analysis Workbook (individual, graded P/F). 

Earning a passing grade for 1.5-course credits for Communication for IT is based on satisfactory completion of the following tasks/activities (P/F):

• Conference paper plan
• The first draft of the conference paper (including a summary of comments received)
• Peer review of partner group paper (feedback for another group)

The specific requirement for and information about each assignment can be found at each separate assignment upload site. There is a possibility for raising or lowering your conference paper grade based on your work in the Reading and Analysis Workbook:

• A workbook that exceeds the minimum criteria (completes all sections, including the bonus tasks, fully and at a high level) may result in a +1 point on the grade of the conference paper (for you individually, NOT for the entire group). An incomplete or insufficient workbook will result in a -1 point on the grade of the conference paper (for you individually, NOT for the entire group). That means that a conference paper that earned a grade of 4 would, with a plus point, become a 5. Conversely, a conference paper that earned a grade of 4 would, with a minus point, become a 3. Workbooks that are empty or do not present any analysis will not be accepted.

The table below is a summary of the main assignments and their assessment type. The assignment upload site includes the deadlines for each of these elements.

The 1.5 credits can be reported at the end of study period 3.

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

Earning a passing grade for the Engineering competence 2.2-course credits is based on satisfactory completion of the tasks/activities (all assessed as P/F) that are assembled in the table below. The assignment upload site for the respective assignments includes the deadlines for each of these elements, and the relevant session pages will include information about in-class tasks.

Course literature

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

Selected reading material will be assigned during the course, including self-selected secondary sources. Most assigned readings, PowerPoints, handouts, and other materials are posted on the course Canvas site on the pages for each session. Reading for the Reading and Analysis Workbook assignment is found on the 🟣Example theses, conference papers & conferences.

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

This portion of the course offers a range of resources and websites, but each student will have many choices as to which materials to read so as to tailor the readings to their own career needs. Some of the relevant reading for the Engineering Career Reflection Portfolio is found within the Portfolio template document. Study visit information will be accessible here.

Course design

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

The course is organized into seminars made of workshops and lectures. Aspects dealt with in the lecture series include the genre analysis, communication process, strategies for effective communication in speech and in writing, conference paper writing, and oral presentation techniques and strategies.

This part of the course comprises both in-class sessions, including guided discussions and presentations, and out-of-class assignments. Your personal engagement and participation are vital throughout this course. This portion of the course is structured around the writing and presentation of a conference-like paper on a topic of your interest, possibly connected to your BA project. Additionally, the course requires preparing a plan for that conference paper, reading and analyzing different written academic texts through answering questions in a workbook, and giving peer feedback. The various required assignments should be completed on time.

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

This part of the course primarily uses mini-lectures and workshops, though a study visit comprises an important element of this part of the course as well. Most of the pertinent materials are supplied for students' out-of-class review, creating a predominantly "flipped" structure. As with the Communication for IT structure, personal engagement is needed for students to make the most of the readings, activities, and assignments. This portion of the course is primarily centered upon a reflective portfolio in which students will record their impressions of the process of preparing for a job search and/or anticipating how to most strategically engage with the first few years in further education or in industry; the portfolio also asks for written reflection on the study visit. The other main assignment is a presentation of takeaways from the study visit.

Related to both parts of the course:

• Compensations. Should a deadline be missed, the assignment should be uploaded as soon as possible and an email sent to the teacher.  If an obligatory session is missed (see the schedule section above for which are obligatory), the completion of compensation work is expected (you will receive an email after the session about what to do).
• Revisions. Assignments that do not fulfill the assessment criteria for that assignment will be expected to revise. An assignment can be revised up to two times.
• Canvas. Note that this course is divided into two separate parts, divided into two modules here in Canvas: 🟣Communication for IT and 🟦Engineering competence. 🟣Communciation for IT is color-coded in purple (and with a circle), while 🟦Engineering competence is color-coded in blue (and with a square). 

Changes made since the last occasion

Study period 3 focuses on the conference paper writing and the reading and analysis workbook. The latter is encouraged to be worked on successively over the weeks as it is relevant for the conference paper writing process too.

Final version of conference paper is now due early study period 4. The rest of that study period can then focus on the engineering competence part.

Obligatory sessions come a bit later in the course. Obligatory sessions are the opening session (because of an important genre analysis activity) and the other obligatory sessions involve assignments that happen in class. 

The course ends early May. Partly with the aim of giving your time to finalise your bachelor thesis work the rest of the month.

Communication for IT (5.3 credits)

Peer review of the conference paper plan was removed for easier sequencing of tasks in the writing process.

Engineering competence (2.2 credits)

The presentation task is now carried out in a roundtable setting rather than a recording. Logistically easier but also gives students opportunity to share their perspectives.