Description

This is the Communication and Key Skills component of the Physics practical laboratories (PHY1027 Practical Physics I and PHY1030 Practical Physics and IT Skills). It is run as a 3-day series of activity-based workshops in the Term 1 'Opportunities Week' of Stage 1. 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 followed by peer or demonstrator feedback, where appropriate. These include training for, and hands-on experience of, working as a team and a range of oral, written and inter-personal skills.

Module Aims

This component of the physics practical laboratories aims to develop the effective communication skills physics students need to complete many of their modules. After graduation, this need will intensify and communication and key skills often prove decisive in obtaining a job and in performing that job well.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

A student who has passed this module should be able to:

• Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:
• Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:
  1. critically read and understand a short scientific article and then deliver a concise, intelligible talk summarising its contents;
  2. write a cogent summary of this article suitable for a popular audience;
  3. complete and discuss a series of 'order of magnitude' problems requiring estimation;
  4. drawing on the above experiences, produce a group video about a scientific topic, suitable for scientific outreach;
• Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:
  5. prepare an impressive CV and letter of application when job-hunting;
  6. operate effectively within a team in order to complete a major task;
  7. work in small and large teams i.e. organise others and delegate, accept the direction of others.

Syllabus Plan

DAY 1

1. Introduction
   The importance of communication skills in the modern working environment. Introduction to different types of communication, and the importance of knowing your audience.
2. Order of magnitude estimation
   In this problem-solving exercise, you will be given a series of questions that require you to estimate certain quantities to within a factor of ten, given limited information and your own ingenuity. After a period of individual effort, you will then discuss the problems as a group, brainstorming different methods of solution and writing up your best estimates.
3. An afternoon as a scientific journalist
   You will be given a selection of recent peer-reviewed articles, highlighting important scientific results from the past few years. You will choose one, read it, and produce a 1-page written summary appropriate for a popular audience, to be given to your demonstrator (who will provide feedback as appropriate).

DAY 2

1. CVs and speculative applications
   A talk presented by the university careers service gives pointers for writing successful CV's and job applications, including an introduction to "speculative applications" (for students who are too junior for standard internship or placement schemes). The importance of this as a communications exercise is emphasised.
2. Speaking to an audience
   Your scientific article from the previous day is used as the basis for you to produce a 10 minute talk, using visual aids. Your talk is then delivered to an audience comprising of your peers and a postgraduate demonstrator, who will give feedback on your performance.

DAY 3

1. Making a group video.
   In groups of 10, you will choose a scientific topic of your choice as the basis for a group video. Groups must decide who the audience for their video will be, and choose communication strategies and visual aids appropriate for that group. The tasks of script writing, filming, etc, must be delegated amongst the members of the group, and a clear plan for this must be presented by the end of the day. (The video itself will be submitted following the course, allowing time for students to film and edit.)

Learning and Teaching

Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Assessment

Notes: A pass in this component is a programme requirement

Resources

The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of information that students are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Instructor(s).

Core text:

• Not applicable

Supplementary texts:

• Not applicable

ELE:

• http://newton.ex.ac.uk/redirects/ELE/phy0000

Further Information

Prior Knowledge Requirements

Re-assessment

Re-assessment is not available except when required by referral or deferral.

Notes: Students who fail to get an overall mark of 40% in this component will be requred to repeat it the following year.

KIS Data Summary

Miscellaneous