SCIGEN 101G Communicating for a Knowledge Society

Effective communication is required for specialists in all fields to engage meaningfully with society.

In this course students gain an understanding of the important role communication plays in a knowledge society.

Through case studies and practical experience, students learn about the responsibilities and skills required to communicate with a variety of audiences. They learn how to effectively manage and present data and practice oral, written, visual and electronic communication.

This course is designed for any student with an interest in learning practical ways to effectively communicate knowledge to a wide range of audiences. It differs from traditional communication courses by concentrating on expert knowledge communication.

Creative and knowledge experts must engage with people both inside and outside their field of expertise. Employers seek students who can demonstrate that they are effective communicators. SCIGEN 101/101G recognises this and provides students with essential communication skills.

In addition the course recognises the growing need for knowledge experts to engage in a professional capacity with people outside their specialty. To examine the challenges and opportunities these outreach endeavours can pose, students on the course critically examine case studies where knowledge experts have engaged with the wider community.

• Gain an understanding of the concept of a knowledge society and experts’ obligations in this environment.
• Gain an understanding of the nature and method of communication.
• Gain an understanding of the need to create messages for specific audiences, how to identify audiences’ needs and wants, and learn techniques that can be employed to communicate in an effective manner.
• Demonstrate effective ways of managing and presenting data.
• Demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively expert knowledge using oral, written and visual communication.

• What is communication?
• What is a knowledge society?
• Written communication – editing, abstracts, essays, CVs and covering letters, academic posters.
• Oral communication — PowerPoint seminars, interviews, engaging through dialogue.
• Visual communication – academic poster presentation, statistical communication and data management.
• Audiences:
  
  • Communicating expert information to the public – critical examination of case studies.
  • Communicating expert information to the media – critical examination of case studies.

Lectures: Three 1-hour lectures per week.

To be advised.

You choose one topic of interest to you.

Using this topic you are required to submit the following:

On-course assessment — 60%

• Written assignment — abstract (300 words) — 10%
• Oral presentation — using PowerPoint — 15%
• Academic poster or website — 25%

Through the above assignments, you experience communicating your chosen topic using written, oral and visual communication.

• In addition, you complete two "remote labs" — each worth 5%. These are completed at home, based on lecture material (10% in total for lab component).

Note: Your assessed oral presentation is only presented to about five other students (and any supporters you may want to bring along!), so don’t dismiss this course simply because you don't want to deliver a talk.

Final exam (2 hours) — 40%

• No textbook is required for this course. You will have full access to further reading material relating to each lecture week through the SCIGEN 101 site on the Library’s website.
• All course material including lecture notes and handouts are available on CECIL.
• Course discussions are regularly run through CECIL.

Marie McEntee
Email: m.mcentee@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 82499

In the 2011 University of Auckland Second Semester Course Evaluation:

• 89% of students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Overall I was satisfied with the quality of this course".
• 90% of students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “The course content was structured in a clear and logical manner".
• 97% of students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Assessments supported the aims of the course”.
• 90% of students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “This course helped deepen my understanding of the subject".

The following comments were written by students:

• “I will recommend it to other people.”
• “Interesting course.”
• “Lecturers were very enthusiastic about their subjects.”
• “Found lecturers really interesting.”
• “I have learnt valuable skills which can be applied not only when I have graduated, but also in everyday life even in job hunting as I am doing now. I decided to do this course without much understanding of what I would get out of it, but I haven’t looked back on this choice”.