PHY0000 Communication and Key Skills

2007-2008

Code: PHY0000
Title: Communication and Key Skills
Instructors: Dr P. Vukusic and TBA
CATS credits: not applicable
ECTS credits: not applicable
Availability: Physics students only
Level: 0
Pre-requisites: N/A
Co-requisites: N/A
Background Assumed: N/A
Duration: 3 days after Semester II exams
Directed Study Time: 21 hours
Private Study Time: 1 hour
Assessment Tasks Time: -
Observation report: awaiting notification

Aims

The ability to communicate and employ other key skills effectively is of paramount importance, not just to scientists and engineers but to every professional. The programmes of the School of Physics reflect this and so students will find themselves needing effective communication skills to complete many of their modules. After graduation, this need will intensify and communication and key skills could well prove decisive in obtaining a job and in performing that job well. The Communication and Key Skills module addresses this need and aims to provide all undergraduates with a common grounding in oral, written and inter-personal skills by the end of their first year.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, candidates should be able to: keep a neat, accurate laboratory notebook describing a simple physics investigation; successfully use the notebook as the basis for writing a condensed formal report; prepare an impressive CV and letter of application when job-hunting; critically read and understand a short scientific article and then deliver a concise, intelligible talk summarising its contents; operate effectively within a team in order to complete a major problem solving exercise.

Transferable Skills

Accurate and objective record keeping; oral and written presentational skills; personal presentation skills; the ability to work in small and large teams i.e. to organise others and to delegate, to accept the direction of others; critical reading and summarising of a report or other substantive document.

Learning and Teaching Methods

The 3 day course is activity-based. Each new activity is introduced by a course lecturer, who briefly describes the task and its relevance to the course. The activity is completed and then followed by a debriefing session in which the group's (or individual's, where appropriate) performance is reviewed.

Assignments

Completion of a simple experiment and writing a condensed report on it, delivery of a 10 minute talk to an audience, production of a plan to solve the energy requirements of a fictitious island republic.

Assessment

This 'module' is a component of the Stage 1 laboratory modules PHY1110 and PHY1111. Attendance and satisfactory performance is mandatory, and enables presentational marks to be obtained in subsequent modules of the candidate's programme.

Syllabus Plan and Content

DAY 1

1. Options and Electives for Stage 2 Physics Students
   A brief introduction to the range of programmes and options modules that will available to Stage 2 students in the next academic year and an explanation of the registration process. See also Choosing or Changing a Physics Programme of Study in the School Handbook.
2. Lecture: "Speaking to an audience: How to give a good talk.
   This lecture describes the best practice for giving good talks and presentations to small and large group audiences.
3. Exercise: Presentation Skills.
   A series of short popular science articles are used as the basis for the production of a 10 minute presentation (using visual aids).Ê Students will research the chosen topic and will use appropriate resources to prepare and rehearse their talk. The talk is delivered on day 2 to an audience comprising a small group of peers and a postgraduate chairperson.

DAY 2

1. Short presentations.
   Each student will deliver their presentation. Group members will receive and provide feedback on each talkÕs effectiveness.
2. Lecture: "Team roles and the Belbin Test"
   This lecture details how personality types are categorised in the work environment and how team dynamics helps or hinders the achievement of team oriented goals. The information in this talk is useful for the exercises in the afternoon of day 2 and for day 3.
3. Lecture: "Writing scientific reports and scientific record keeping"
   This lecture describes the best practice for keeping records during an investigation.
4. Exercise: Record-Keeping
   Each student will conduct a simple investigatory experiment and apply the principles of best-practice record-keeping. Ê

   DAY 3

5. Groupwork: A design and build task.
   This is a major problem-solving exercise to understand and develop the skills associated with working successfully in teams. In groups of 10, students play the role of design and engineering consultants, who must design and build a bottle-rocket that will maintain maximum flight time in the air post-launch. Assessment will be based on the best finished and tested product and the way in which the team members cooperated effectively.
6. Lecture: "Speaking to an audience: How to give a good talk.
   This lecture describes the best practice for giving good talks and presentations to small and large group audiences.
7. Exercise: Presentation Skills.
   A series of short popular science articles are used as the basis for the production of a 10 minute presentation (using visual aids).Ê Students will research the chosen topic and will use appropriate resources to prepare and rehearse their talk. The talk is delivered on day 2 to an audience comprising a small group of peers and a postgraduate chairperson.

DAY 2

1. Short presentations.
   Each student will deliver their presentation. Group members will receive and provide feedback on each talkÕs effectiveness.
2. Lecture: "Team roles and the Belbin Test"
   This lecture details how personality types are categorised in the work environment and how team dynamics helps or hinders the achievement of team oriented goals. The information in this talk is useful for the exercises in the afternoon of day 2 and for day 3.
3. Lecture: "Writing scientific reports and scientific record keeping"
   This lecture describes the best practice for keeping records during an investigation.
4. Exercise: Record-Keeping
   Each student will conduct a simple investigatory experiment and apply the principles of best-practice record-keeping. Ê

   DAY 3

5. Groupwork: A design and build task.
   This is a major problem-solving exercise to understand and develop the skills associated with working successfully in teams. In groups of 10, students play the role of design and engineering consultants, who must design and build a bottle-rocket that will maintain maximum flight time in the air post-launch. Assessment will be based on the best finished and tested product and the way in which the team members cooperated effectively.

Core Text

Not applicable

Supplementary Text(s)

Not applicable

Formative Mechanisms

This module is supported by its own set of exercises. Students are able to monitor their own progress by noting their performance in the exercises. Students who do not complete the course satisfactorily will be informed as such and required to re-take the course in the following academic year. Students with specific problems with the course should approach one of the instructors.

Evaluation Mechanisms

The module will be evaluated using information gathered via the student representation mechanisms, the staff peer appraisal scheme, and measures of student attainment based on summative assessment.