EDU3324 Communication and Collaboration

EDU	3324	74812	1, 2008	ONC	Communication and Collaboration	1.00	Fraser Coast
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOEDU
Academic org:	FOE002
Student contribution band:	National Priority Teaching
ASCED code:	070113

Staffing
Requisites
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Moderator: Linda De George-Walker

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: BEEC or BEPR or BPMU or BEPH or BEEH or BESP

OTHER REQUISITES

State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland are required to possess a current suitability card (Blue Card). (See "Other Requirements" for further information.) Also see: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html.

RATIONALE

Communication is the essence of effective teaching and learning. It is therefore essential that student teachers not only understand the nature of communication processes in various learning environments, but develop their own skills to the highest possible level. Communication for teachers is not restricted to the classroom, but involves interviews with parents, discussions with other professionals, reporting to administrators and so on. This course is therefore both theoretical and practical - with theory underpinning the practical to prepare students to apply their abilities in a wide range of educational contexts.

SYNOPSIS

Students will analyse the nature of communication in the classroom and learn the elements of effective interpersonal communication. A major focus will be on the role of verbal interaction in teaching. The importance of effective and active listening will be emphasised, together with the interaction between nonverbal and verbal communication. Students will also learn how to conduct class and group discussions, prepare and present reports on pupils to parents and fellow professionals, how to deal with anger and conflict, and some 'front-line' counselling skills.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course students will be able to:

1.: demonstrate an understanding of the nature of communication in educational contexts (Assignment 1)
2.: demonstrate satisfactory skill levels in a range of widely accepted communication competencies for teachers, such as: interpersonal communication; listening; verbal and nonverbal communication; facilitating classroom and group discussion; reporting (Assignment 2)
3.: explain the barriers to effective communication; also how to avoid them, and how to overcome them (Assignment 3)
4.: demonstrate knowledge and skill in communicating with students with communication difficulties. (Assignments 1 and 3)
5.: demonstrate, where appropriate effective use of ICT in completion of course assessment (All assessment items)
6.: demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of correct communication skills including literacy, presentation and referring protocols (All assessment items)

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Facilitating interpersonal communication	10.00
2.	Listening skills	15.00
3.	Verbal and non-verbal communication	10.00
4.	Assertion and negotiation	10.00
5.	Conflict management skills	15.00
6.	Leading discussions, meetings, etc	10.00
7.	Influence of technology on communication in the classroom including email and multimedia representations	10.00
8.	Cultural influences on the nature of communication in educational settings including sexism and racism	10.00
9.	Communication Ethics	10.00

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).

Bolton, R 1987, People skills, Simon & Schuster, Brookvale, NSW.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Whether you are on, or off campus, the USQ Library is an excellent source of information http://www.usq.edu.au/library/ . The gateway to education resources is here... http://www.usq.edu.au/library/faculties/education/default.htm

DeVito, JA 2005, Messages: building interpersonal communication skills, 6th edn, Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessments	34.00
Directed Study	105.00
Lectures	13.00
Tutorials	13.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
TEST	35.00	35.00	07 Apr 2008
PRESENTATION	45.00	45.00	26 May 2008
REPORT	20.00	20.00	13 Jun 2008

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
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.
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
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

1.	The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner.
2.	Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of request being made by the examiner. The student must retain this copy until the grade for this course has been finalised.
3.	In accordance with the University's assignment extension policy (Regulation 5.6.1), the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4.	The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile. Students who do not have regular access to postal services or who are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements.
5.	Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete -Make up). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study.
6.	Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination); IDM (Incomplete - Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).
7.	When there is more than one marker for a single item of assessment, the distributed patterns and means for the different markers will be compared and marks adjusted if necessary.
8.	Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this course.
Students are to use a recognised referencing system as specified by the examiner.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.