UNP 7382 UNIPREP Applied Communication - Level B

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

Students entering into Business or Commerce need to apply their communication skills and to think critically in order to participate in lectures and tutorials and to successfully complete assessment tasks. Students also need to be numerate and have a basic understanding of functional relationships and classification and manipulation of data if they are to operate successfully at the tertiary level. This course is designed to allow students to: practice using both academic English and academic numeracy in the macro skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking; develop confidence and reduce anxiety in both academic English and numeracy; develop critical thinking through in a variety of problem solving sessions.

SYNOPSIS:

The course consists of a series of group oriented problem solving sessions where students practice reading, writing, listening, speaking and academic numeracy skills. Students will submit reports, worksheets and learning logs designed around the degree students wish to enter.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. organise and present information in a variety of forms and translate from one to another (such as oral, written, symbolic, pictorial and graphical);
2. select and use appropriate problem solving or mathematical procedures in a range of situations;
3. demonstrate an understanding of academic numeracy topics essential for tertiary study;
4. demonstrate an ability to select and use appropriate technology such as calculators, measuring instruments and computers with selected software;
5. communicate quantitative terms and symbols accurately and appropriately;
6. use accepted spelling, punctuation and grammar in written communication.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Students are expected to have a scientific calculator.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   Students are required to attend at least 80% of the problem solving group work sessions and ensure their attendance is registered with the staff member in charge of the activity. It is the students' responsibility to study all course material to pass the worksheets. Students need to attend worksheet sessions to complete worksheets and seek support as necessary.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each assessment item satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available in each piece of assessment. Students may be required to re-submit an assessment piece that is unsatisfactory. Unless approved by the examiner, all assessment items must be received prior to the start of the exam period for the semester in which the course is offered.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without an approved extension of time then a penalty of 5% of the total marks available for the assignments will apply for each day late
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must attempt all of the summative assessment items, achieve at least 50% in the final test, logs and worksheets, 50% in the weighted marks in Group A and at least 50% of the of the total weighted marks available for the course. Students who do not qualify for a Passing grade may, at the discretion of the Examiner, be assigned additional work to demonstrate to the Examiner that they have achieved the required standard. It is expected that such students have gained at least 40% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course
6. Examination information:
   Examinations in this course are restricted examinations. In a Restricted Examination, candidates are allowed access to specific materials during the examination. The only materials the candidates can use in the Restricted Examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator (s) they use during the examination); 1 A4 page of hand written or typed notes (written on both sides).
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examination will be held during the examination period at the end of the semester of the next offering of this course
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Part A is predominantly a self-paced course. Students work sequentially through the modules they are required to master at their own pace, completing this part of the work by the end of the term. Mastery of a module is demonstrated by the student taking appropriate tests before proceeding with study of another module. Mastery of Modules 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B can be shown by listening to a tape based on these modules and completing a revision test. Students not completing this test satisfactorily will be required to complete the appropriate module tests.
2. Part B consists of different activities each week. Students must participate actively in the group work of the problem solving sessions. Students also must submit written work as required.