Communication Skill Essay

International convention Conferences, Symposia and Campus Events 2006 The integration of Professional communion Skills into technology cultivation Dorthy Missingham University of Adelaide Origin everyy published in the Proceedings of the EDU-COM 2006 International Conference. booking and Empowerment New Opportunities for Growth in Higher Education, Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia, 22-24 November 2006.This Conference Proceeding is posted at Research Online. http//ro. ecu. edu. au/ceducom/91 Missingham, D. The Universtiy of Adelaide, Australia. The Integration of Professional talk Skills into design Education Dr Dorthy Missingham tutor of mechanized engine room The University of Adelaide. Australia dorothy. missinghamadelaide. edu. au ABSTRACT Conventional technology political computer programme is strongly rivet on the bewilderment in schoolchilds of techno coherent k nowledge and skills.However, in fresh stratums, employers sop up progressively a cknowledged that this traditional preparation of engine room students is inadequate, as graduates lack the replete(p) direct of written and spoken colloquy skills inevit desirable to engage with members of other master learn sort outs and with the broader familiarity. Recognition of the in-chief(postnominal) role that communicatory competence plays in schoolmaster achiever within the apply science manufacture has, as a result, led to a human action of tertiary institutions emergence curricula to address these occupys.This paper presents a successful endogenetic engineer conference curriculum, developed for some(prenominal) local and international design students in an Australian university, which register aims to develop both communicatory superpower and union engagement. The grounds that form the technology colloquy Program provide for critical aw arness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustain baron and gender, English for donnish and professional plan purposes for both English as an Additional Language (EAL) and English background students and innovative search converse for postgraduate students.All grads be strongly informed by scaffolded encyclopaedism techniques, systemic functional linguistics and music genre theory, and most ar gush collaboratively by applied science, Education and Applied Linguistics lecturers. The aims of the Program are to salary increase awareness in engineer students active, and to fit out them with skills for, their future(a) roles and responsibilities, and to provide the community with points whose strong technical knowledge is balanced by an appreciation of the broader loving contexts with which they impart engage in their professional lives.INTRODUCTION The aim for engineer students to acquire professional skills, in humanitarian to technical skills, in erect to enhance both community engagement and career success has been increasingly articulated by ed ucators and industry professionals alike. Professional skills mentioned sundry(a)ly include team train, run afoul resolution, and an awareness of social justice, sustainability and ethics. However, as gamelighted by Adams and Missingham (2006) the need for ameliorated communicative competence in engineer science graduates has been the professional skills area most widely discussed in look into and the engine room profession.Increasingly, engineers work in knowledge-intensive fields that hold both high level inter cast and line of work-solving skills (Alvesson 2004). In the Australian scenery this need is value in the National Generic competence Standards hypothecate by Engineers Australia, which extensively refers to communicative abilities by means ofout its descriptors of competencies mandatory by engineers (IE Aust 1999). However, look on employer satisfaction with design graduates discourse skills indicates they are below coveted requirements, both in Aust ralia (DEETYA 2000) and abroad (Lee 2003).This paper discusses a successful collective engine room Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international engineering science students in The University of Adelaide, which aims to develop both communicative ability, and an judgement of the need and ability for community engagement. The paper begins with a brief comparative interrogation of engineer chat bringing up in other universities, both in Australia and overseas. 346 proportional APPROACHES The critical role that communicative competence plays in both academician and professional success has, over the past decade, been recognised nationally and internationally in a number of tertiary institutions inquired in design tuition (Najar 2001, Riemer 2002, Einstein 2002). A re assimilate of literature, relating to design science communication development, reveals some(prenominal) significant trends familiar both within Australia and overseas. These trends i dentify trey major areas of academic and professional plan communication recognised by educators as important skills needed by graduating engineers.The command of oral testing communication, written communication and teamwork skills tolerate been introduced as part of the undergraduate engineering curricula in various Universities world wide (Einstein 2002, Schowm & Hirsch 1999). Whilst the junto of communication skills taught and the methodologies usaged may set forth amongst institutions one particular theme or nestle often emerges. An inter disciplinal onrush to the t separatelying and erudition of engineering communication (Artemeva, Logie &St-Martin 1999, Jennings & Ferguson 1995) is existence sufficed by a small but increasing number of engineering faculties and colleges.Examination of interdisciplinary accesses is important in relation to the combinatory appeal used by engineering and communication educators within the domesticate of mechanical Engineeri ng at the University of Adelaide. In this respect, reading and t individuallying of oral and written communication skills in engineering communication curricula turn out been considerd whereas team work skills go not been specifi titley examined for this particular discussion, as it is envisioned as worthy of separate dedicated enquiry .Studies undertaken within Australian universities testify the need for high level communication skills. According to Najar (2001) communicative competence, including teamwork and professional create verbally skills for example, the ability to ? inquiry, write and format basic look for extends as swell up as develop formal oral introduction skills is important to prepare students for both ?academic success and the workplace. similarly Riemer (2002) claims that whilst engineering knowledge and technical expertise are important attributes the graduate engineer mustiness be able to present this knowledge ? ith an excellent standardised of communication skills. However, where Najar emphasises written and teamwork communication skills, Riemer (2002) claims that emphasis on oral communication skills is highly valued by employers. Riemer gain ground elabourates that oral communication and presentation skills are ? career enhancers which may be considered as ? the biggest single promoter in determining a students career success or failure (Beder 2000 cited in Riemer 2002).Despite the ostensible emphasis that Riemer places on oral communication skills he overly acknowledges that there are a number of areas of communication skills which are necessary for engineers, including written communication skills, technical terminology and professional jargon. The later two areas are probably topper described in linguistic terms such as genre and discourse, which are indicative that for each specific discipline there is an attendant lecture gardening.Internationally, universities are similarly engaged in the teaching and cu ltivation of engineering communication skills. Einstein in his 2002 overview of changes in engineering rearing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes a new approach implemented in the discipline of well-mannered Engineering which was developed in answer to the view that what was being taught in universities was increasingly divorced from practice. As a result twelve courses were either created or developed in most of which ? unceasing oral, written and illustrated presentations were required.Similarly Carlton University in Canada besides recognised that the engineering discipline had specific needs in the teaching and reading of communication skills (Artemeva et al 1999). These needs rivald at a metre to the transition of engineering students from an ? academic to a workplace environment. In the case of Carlton University engineering communication studies emphasise written communication skills. The Carlton University approach described by Artemeva et al (1999) is in contrast to Riemers (2002) theoretical proposition on the intumescency required in developing oral communication skills for the workplace.One other key difference in Riemers (2002) paper to the approaches suggested by Artemeva et al (1999) as well as Najar (2001) and Einstein (2002), is that Artemeva et al, Najar and Einstein are all overviewing curriculums of engineering communication already in existence. A common theme emerging in the literature is that many institutions recommend an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching and learning of engineering communication. Various look intoers and educators claim that linking learnedness of academic communication skills to authentic engineering tasks 347 both challenges students negative attitudes, towards what they term ? earning English, as well as promotes student motivation. Shwom and Hirsch (1999) claim that shared agenda surrounded by disciplines recognises the equal status of engineering and communication, or the ? equal place at centre stage of the course. This view is also reinforced by Jennnings and Ferguson in their 2002 study, of communication engineering skills in Queens University, Belfast, which states that by means of linking the study of communication skills to the exploration of engineering issues that communication skills become a key element in the schoolingal process. Furthermore, ? here is a prominent likelihood that students lead develop a mitigate overall post on their (engineering) subject. Significantly, many courses which have implemented an interdisciplinary approach have feature the teaching of communication skills with engineering design subjects. In an approach similar to that of the instruct of mechanistic Engineering, at The University of Adelaide, engineering schools at Northwestern University, USA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and Flinders University, South Australia advocate an interdisciplinary approach that combines engineerin g communication with engineering design.In credit entry to the program at Northwestern University, Shwom & Hirsch (1999), claim that design and communication are ? noble-minded partners and that students ? combine knowledge of both fields will make them both better designers and better communicators. Additionally students are convinced of the grandness of communication in engineering. Of the interdisciplinary approach taken at MIT, Einstein (2002) describes design as a synthesising process which requires various visual, written and problem solving skills inferring hence that it is the natural setting for teaching and learning communication skills.He goes on to state that ? design (synthesis), coordination and communication are regarded as the major features of the MIT , cultivated and Environmental approach to engineering study. Najar (2001) discusses the Language in Use (LIU) modules link directly to engineering design suggest work at Flinders University. A notable similari ty with the approach of Adelaide Universitys School of windup(prenominal) Engineering approach is that the development of students engineering knowledge is supported in an interconnected way by the acquisition of professional and academic communication skills.Skills common to both universities include how to channel orally, how to research, and how to write and format research reports. Similarly the interdisciplinary approach employed in the Civil Engineering surgical incision at Queens University, Belfast covers related communication issues in use of the library (how to research), English composition and technical report writing (written communication) and man word form speaking (oral communication).Additionally Queens University covers poster presentation (visual communication) an area that the Adelaide University program covers in fourth twelvemonth but which is not mentioned in the Flinders University program. It is apparent from the literature therefore, that the need for c ommunicative competence in engineering knowledge has been recognised in a number of places worldwide. In particular, an interdisciplinary education approach in engineering communication has been introduced in a range of Universities which offer engineering studies.Despite some differences in the methodologies, curricula and elements of communication communicate by different universities, including the University of Adelaide, these studies indicate that the synthesis of engineering design, which is inherently pragmatical in nature, with the need to communicate the design process and outcomes is both an ideal setting and an important factor for positively influencing student motivation and skills in the study of professional communication.By promoting a shared agenda amid disciplines the literature also suggests that this may also promote student science of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by the programs discussed here the literature agrees that increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry.THE ADELAIDE APPROACH play down The teaching of professional communication skills within the School of mechanically skillful Engineering at the University of Adelaide has evolved over a number of course of studys since the mid 1990s. This development has experienced different iterations with the topical approach developing more directly from a combination of initiatives taken both within the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering, and by the then Advisory Centre for University Education (ACUE), now the Centre for Learning and 348 Professional Development (CLPD).These initiatives led to the intro of various courses in Engineering Communication including courses for International Students. The Faculty wide Engineering Communication (EAL) course was traditionally man aged by the School of Mechanical Engineering. In Semester 2, 2006 this course was transferred to way by the Faculty Academic recording equipment in order to reflect the Faculty wide nature of the need for dedicated engineering communication course for international undergraduates. Within the School other initiatives led to the teaching of Engineering Communication to 3rd year students.Initially taught as a separate subject this course was combined with the aim terzetto intent in 2004. In the same year the School of Mechanical Engineering also created a new course, Engineering readying material body and Communication (EPD&C), for entry level students. The Mechanical Engineering Communication approach consists of a entirey integrated, nested curriculum of courses, intentional to explicitly link communication learning to learning in engineering at all year levels, ? develop students ability to construct and present logical argument discursively, ? oster language development fr om sentence level skills to large document written and oral communication, ? countenance active club done branch discussion and response to formative feedback, ? foster the ability to communicate problem identification, formulation and solution to divers(prenominal) audiences and ? use development in communicative ability as a vehicle for fostering students insight into and post on engineering practice in the community, including the social, cultural, political, international and environmental context of professional engineering practice.Each course in the program, illustrated below in Figure 1, addresses these aims while embedded within either broader Engineering course curricula or, in the case of Engineering Communication EAL, within a curriculum that employs specific strategies that address the needs of EAL Engineering students (Adams & Missingham 2006). 349 EPD&C Level I 2 Engineer Communication EAL 1 programme Practice Level I I 2 Engineering and the Environment Level tether 2 Design & Commun. Level troika 2Research Communication Program 1 Design Project Level IV 2 (Postgraduate) Figure 1 Mechanical Engineering Communication courses showing their relationships to each other and the broader Engineering curriculum. 1 for students enrolled in all Engineering disciplines 2 for students enrolled in Mechanical Engineering Theory The theoretical underpinning of the first year Engineering Planning Design and Communication course and the third year Design and Communication course is based on the notion of ? ocial constuctivism as advanced by Vygotsky. In particular, Bruners concept of ? scaffolded learning (Wood, Bruner & Rose 1975) informs the student based approach that is centred on active participatory curricula which aims at assisting students to develop increasingly skilled levels of academic and professional communication. Social constructivism grew from a view that educational methods needed to be base concepts of learning beyond rote memorisat ion, ? egurgitation of facts and the division of knowledge into different subjects. Early approaches sought to provide assume learning situations where teachers allowed students to develop their own knowledge, meaning and truth in a context which would enable them to use the learning throughout their lifespan. Vygotsky developed this philosophy, noting that ? the primaeval fact closely our psychology is the fact of mediation (Vygotsky 1978 p. 166).Social constructivists consider that the dynamic interaction between instructors, learners and tasks provides the opportunity for learners to create their own understanding through the interaction with others and is the most optimal learning environment. The constructivist approach, guiding the Mechanical Engineering communication courses is further reinforced in the application of Brunerian notions of the ? spin around curriculum. Bruner postulated that ? A curriculum as it develops should revisit the basic ideas repeatedly, express ion on them until the student has grasped the full formal apparatus that goes with them (Bruner 1960) p. 3). 350 In the School of Mechanical Engineering these theories guide the designing of courses which are aimed at developing generic language skills which can be used as the seat for current and future application within the engineering industry, rather than a language course focussed solely on communicating engineering terms. The learning and teaching of communication skills across all levels of the undergraduate program enables scaffolding of knowledge to be integrated rather than focussing on a short d of student teacher interaction. by means of this approach skills acquired in first year communication are reinforced in second year Design Practice, extended and elaborated on in the level III course and then reinforced again through workshops and practice in the fourth year Design Project. Borrowing from neuroscience research into learning. the 2006 Level III and semester 2 EAL students have informed the idea of a concept of developing an habitual intellectual framework. Whilst relying on heavily on scaffolded learning, this concept also aims to redress some of the negative perceptions that engineering student have about ? earning English by encouraging students to acquire high cognition learning in communication skills which they can then practice as habit. PRACTICE AND PERCEPTION Three dedicated communication courses are provided at undergraduate level, Engineering Communication EAL (English as an Additional Language), Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III). The overall aim of the three courses is to provide students with an nderstanding of the importance of communication to the professional engineer and to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, flexibility and confidence to be good engineering communicators. Through the application of Student Experience of teaching method and Learni ng (SELT) surveys students are able to gossip on and assess the impressiveness of the courses to their needs. At the same eon instructors are able to monitor student needs and make suspend changes to the curriculum and methodology if required.Engineering Communication EAL Engineering Communication EAL was knowing specifically to meet the particular needs of international students and to be antonymous to the technical engineering courses students undertake to complete their degrees. Through a categorisation of formal and informal learning strategies students are introduced to and practice basic research techniques. These techniques include ? locating, critically reading and interpreting academically acceptable sources ? presenting their synopsis in the form of evidenced based propositions with sources integrated appropriately ? resenting the argument in both a written and an oral form suitable for an academic audience. The strategies used emphasise participation and practice as key elements to becoming effective communicators. Therefore, companyes are very active, sometimes rowdy and oft fun with group discussions and impromptu presentations of issues, group and individual exercises integrated with couple teaching/learning through guided presentation of answers to the club, and open class discussion inviting students to academically critique their own and others responses.Student Experience of Teaching and Learning (SELT) surveys uniformly indicate that learning outcomes for students are enhanced by ? full participation on (sic) the aims of the course, ? giving feedback to students about their participation, adjusting the teaching ? of various topics accordingly (sic) to the class enabling faster, more effective learning, ? very dynamic lessons and being ? able to sway my learning. imposing assessment strategies involve a series of formative assessments which involve students applying feedback provided to a subsequent assignment.Student comment s indicate that this approach is highly effective. Design and Communication courses The Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III) courses are provided for all students undertaking degree programs in the School of Mechanical Engineering. The integration of communication and engineering design was devised specifically to emphasise the importance of professional engineering communication and to ensure that communication is not seen by students as a stand alone subject that can be completed and then forgotten about.The dominance of this approach in set off the importance of communication has been recognised by students who report that the course(s) ? improves your speaking and writing skills, 351 ?helps with the written work in other subjects, they have ? learnt how to write for university assignments, and ? learning academic writing (is) usable to further years of study. A number of students have explicitly stated that the cours e taught them ? to communicate in effect and should be compulsory for all engineer?.These comments are also consistent with graduate attributes specified as important not only(prenominal) by the Faculty but also by the engineering industry, including ? the ? ability to communicate effectively, ? the ? ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution ? the acquisition of skills to enable the ? pursuit of life yen learning. charge real(a) is also intentional to be complementary to the Engineering Communication EAL course by providing reinforcement of and extension to the skills learnt.For example, the Level I course provides students with the superfluous educational framework and the opportunity to apply skills learnt in ESL to the needs of report writing and the oral presentation of progress reports on a Planning and Design project. Student feedback through SELT surveys consistently evidence the importance of these skills, for example, ? It was great knowin g how to structure a report properly and the ? introduction to engineering report writing is very comprehensive.A further combinatory approach that has been taken in the Level I and Level III courses is reflected in the establishment of the relationships with prior learning and future learning. For example, Level III examines structure, cohesion, critical thinking and epitome, the use of evidence, presenting arguments both in written and oral form and report writing at a more advanced level than the Level I course. The Level III communication course is also an important prerequisite to level the IV Design Project, where all students must write an extensive design report and present a professional seminar on their project. Challenges and OutcomesEmpirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that engineers are hapless communicators and that one of the factors which influences student choice in undertaking engineering studies is the legal opinion they will not need ? English?. Therefo re, discussions and exercises are designed to encourage students to participate and practice skills, to be flexible in their approach to language and its uses, to contribute their ideas, to build on their strengths and to develop confidence. The value placed on practical evidencing of communication is reflected in a participation mark, worth 20% of the total assessment. As a result classes are noisy and dynamic.Students also find that effective communication can be both useful and enjoyable. For example, SELT comments show ? I like the idea of students presenting ideas on overheads (transparencies) in class activities, the course ? keeps people interested in tasks that could be very muffled, ? A good environment for learning is provided and ? interactivity of the class in tasks helps us to gain a better understanding of the subject. Similar strategies of regular class and group discussions as well as workshop exercises are used throughout the courses to ensure students regularly pr actice the skills of communication.Student response indicates that group learning and discussion ? stimulates learning without placing student under hale and that all studentsare able to learn something regardless of language ability. Individual students and groups are invited to present analyses and answers to the whole class and then to call for comments from their peers. The importance to student learning of this approach is exemplified in the following SELT comment ? Doing exercises and presentations in class forced me to do the work which I other would not have touched if it had been set as homework. I apprize that. Students are encouraged to form cross cultural groups during classes, so that a greater understanding of novelty and its value in engineering is promoted. At the same time students must undertake practical work in developing effective team work skills in order to be able to complete tasks and class based exercises. Students frequently comment that the group work is the best aspect of the course as it provides opportunity to improve interpersonal communication skills and to gain a real sense of diversity through their interaction with students of different socio-cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.Student comments indicate that functional in cross cultural groups encourages ? acceptance of all ideas. Students discuss and at times challenge the characteristics of English for academic and professional purposes as presented in these courses. In doing so, students become increasingly aware of how purpose and socio-cultural factors shape the kind of language used in different contexts rather than 352 viewing language as simply correct or incorrect, or based preponderantly on the rules of grammar.Issues of ethics and social responsibility arise naturally in relation to topics and lecturers encourage students to discuss these in class. Similarly communication and anxiety themes highlight the nontechnical role aspects of engineering. Students have r eflected that ? This (allows you to) practice skills you actually need and there is a ? good balance for a broad variety of skills development. Links to industry expectations are also reinforced through guest presentations from graduate engineers, Engineers Australia and industry leaders.In these way students are encouraged to extend their perception of the engineering industry as a technical culture to include the understanding that engineering is also a communicative culture. Formal Assessment of Student attain A series of formal assessments, both oral and written are also undertaken to ensure that students can also apply research and analytical skills in a ? planned and punctual manner as highlighted by engineering graduate attributes. Formative feedback is disposed on all assignments in order that students may take full advantage of self directed learning.Students who apply the feedback to subsequent assignments are rewarded for both the attempt and the quality of the impro vements made. Students report that this approach provides ? constructive criticism which ? helps each student to ? check their drafts conservatively. Assessment criteria and their relationship to graduate attributes are fully discussed in both the course notes and in conjunction with exercises, and students have expressed this helps them to place learning in the context of professional and industry expectations, ? hen its explained, it makes sense that engineers spend so much time writing reports, talking to clients and presenting project ideas to meetings. RESEARCH TOPICS AND TOPICAL RESEARCH To poke out student awareness of their professional responsibilities as engineers within society, in addition to operating within a company framework, research topics are carefully elect to reflect community and industry concerns. In particular the topics chosen provide for critical awareness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustainability and social justice.For example, the resea rch topic for the current semesters Engineering Communication EAL course is the Role of Engineers, through which students are exploring issues such as personal and interpersonal skills, engineering education and life long learning, ethical responsibilities, social and environmental factors, holistic thinking, entrepreneurship as well as technical skills. Previous topics have included an examination of gender issues in engineering education and the profession, forensic engineering, and the effects of teamwork on the outcomes of engineering projects.The imbedded nature of the Engineering Communications courses within the engineering curriculum ensures that the research topics are relevant to engineering practice, topical and frequently devised in collaboration with engineering lecturers. Level III Design and Communication research topics, for example, are devised together with the design lecturer and sometimes also with reference to other departmental members. The current semesters re search topic was directly conjugate to the Design Project topics. These topics and the communication research topic specifically designed to be co-related.Through this collaborative approach aspect of sustainability in engineering practice are reinforced and student skills in critical thinking, analysis and evaluation of research knowledge are further developed. In Design the projects are to design a Formula SAE Car, Bio-Oil Trike, Biodiesel Bike, 1. 0 litre Biodiesel political hack Tuk-Tuk, interbreeding Solar Electric Vehicle, Biodiesel Boat, Formula SAE Aircraft, Alternative Energy 2-Seater Aircraft, Hybrid Solar/Biofuel Generator, Fossil-Fuel-Free irrigation system or a Nano-satellite. The topic for the Communication assignments is ? ustainability, applied to the chosen design project. , as outlined below. proposition The broad clinical of sustainable development is ? to achieve social justice, sustainable economies, and environmental sustainability? ( European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns, 1994). Australia has a National Strategy for ecologically Sustainable Development which aims to ? meet the needs of Australians today, while conserving our ecosystems for the benefit of future generations? (Office of Sustainability, division of Environment and Heritage, 2006). 53 Task Environmental sustainability is a first harmonic aspect of sustainability. For your Communication assignments you should identify how environmentally sustainable features can be incorporated in the design of your project, for example a bio-diesel boat, or choice energy 2-seater aircraft. In addition, you should compare the effects of these features to a traditionally designed version of your project. You are not expected to justify sustainability. Your research must focus on the specific features of sustainable transport. Yong & Missingham, 2006) Previous research topics have included the following Investigate an ethical dilemma in an engineering project, and criticall y evaluate the response of the engineering company or companies involved, in terms of relevant tenets of the IEAust Code of Ethics. (Yong & Missingham, 2005) Select an example of technological development that is prominent in industrialised society and analyse the benefits as well as the adverse effects of this technology to individuals, society and the environment. Yong & Missingham, 2004) A high level of both professional communication skills and an appreciation of community concerns required to be developed by the Level III Mechanical Engineering students. The topic descriptions have also been carefully devised to illustrate to students the inter-relationship of effective communication and an understanding of the social, cultural, political, international and environmental jounces implicit in the professional practice of engineering.These expectations are detailed in the Research Topic paper give below. ?Your research is to be based on a topic which has social, cultural, econom ic, and/or political implications. Engineers work in every sphere of life. As a professional engineer you will be working in an military of industries, in various contexts, and making contact with many people about professional organisations, government departments and agencies, allied industries and organisations, academics, and others.As an effective communicator and decision maker, you will need to be able to present your interpretation and findings on a range of issues, as will occur in the negotiation and management of projects, the submission of tenders, and the advising of clients. The topic for your research in this subject aims to provide you will strategies to both write and talk about your interpretation and findings about diverse issues. Your writing and your presentations will be an attempt to convince a nonspecialist audience of your point of view.You may choose one of the following areas of research for your project. Topic A the impact of engineering projects on loc al communities The projects you may work on as an engineer could have significant social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications for people and communities who are not directly involved in the execution of the project. Your research task is to Discuss an engineering project which has, or has had, a significant impact/s on local communities Your research is to examine the impacts and outcomes of a specific engineering project on a community or communities.Examples of engineering projects could be dams or hydro-electric projects, weapons testing, mining, the building and operation of chemical or other industrial plants, building roads and railways, and others. The size of the project is unimportant, rather it is its impact on the local community which will be the focus of your research. The impacts could be one of the following scenarios, or a combination of scenarios ? Well recognised and integrated into the planning of the engineering project, yet have provided, or are providing, difficulties in the implementation and outcomes of the project ?Recognised by the local communities or interest groups, but rejected or ignored by project planners and workers ? Unrealised in past projects, with the long-term consequences now the subject of community and/or legal dispute. 354 Your discussion needs to be an examination, that is, an analysis of the impacts arising from the project. Avoid elongated descriptions of the history of the project, the engineering technicalities, or scarcely describing the impacts.You need to read as widely as possible about the project you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) impact/s of the project. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, analyse only two or three impacts of the project. The word limit set for your assignments means you will not be able to cover all aspects of the project. Your focus needs to be an in-depth exa mination rather than a broad sweep of issues. Topic B the impact of seemingly simple technology on the existence of communities.This topic also aims to examine the impact of (seemingly simple) technology on the existence and quality of life for those who use or used the technology. Your task is to Discuss the impact of a seemingly simple technology on the existence of a community This research topic involves examining the design logic underpinning the technology and importantly the effectiveness of its use. Examples of apparently simple technology could be the boomerang, other hunting implements, for example, harpoons and embitter arrows, a specific type of irrigation system, terracing for the cultivation of crops, and others.Your research needs to take account of ? The design logic underpinning the technology ? The quality of life and endurance provided for those who used the technology ? Any evidence which debates the effectiveness of technology, particularly its long term use. The technology you are examining may have been beneficial for a community in the short term, but in the longer term, further developments, modifications, abandonment of the technology, may have ensured a better quality of life, make up survival, of a community. Long term environmental impacts could be important in your study.Your discussion needs to be an analysis of the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history or the form of the technology. This information needs to be only brief background information. You need to read as widely as possible about the technology you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) effects of its use. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, on the analysis of two or three aspects of effectiveness of the technology.The technology could be from any era, past or even present day. If you are examining past technolo gy, your focus needs to be on the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology itself for its intended purpose regardless of other influencing factors such as the introduction of other technology as a result of invasion, colonisation, or economic factors. Alternatively, the technology could be in current use or development, such as reversions to more environmentally sustainable technologies, for example, wind power. (Wake, 2002) CONCLUSION By promoting a shared agenda between language and engineering disciplines it is suggested that this may also promote student intuition of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by various programs discussed here, increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry.The program developed by School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide represents a successful integr ative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in an Australian university, which aims to develop communicative ability, community engagement and an awareness of the social, cultural, political, international, environmental and ethical contexts in which professional engineers practice. 55 ACKNOWLEDEMENTS Thanks go to many colleagues and friends, and to staff and students of the School of Mechanical Engineering who provided input (often unwittingly) to this research proposal. Thank you to Karen Adams for the stimulating and frequent discussions on many things educational and philosophic and Colin Kestell engineering lecturer extraordinaire who can always be relied on to stimulate teaching enthusiasm and creativity.Many thanks go to wonderful colleagues Elizabeth Yong and Kristin Munday whose ample work is also represented here, and to Catherine Irving and Patricia Zoltan whose support, intellectual contributions and hard work have also contributed to this program. Thank you also to Barbara Wake whose commitment to and knowledge of academic communication which, together with the vision of Colin Hansen, Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering have enabled the development of such a successful program of professional and academic engineering communication.Special thanks to Roxanne Missingham for the editing and encouragement. 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