Graduate Attributes are the qualities, skills and understandings a university community agrees its students should develop during their time with the institution.
Bowden, (2000).
Graduate Attribute 6: Communication and Social Skills
An example of how communication skills are embedded in teaching practice is found in an online third year unit from the Bachelor of Business course. A number of smaller assessments build upon one another towards a final Blackboard Collaborate presentation. Communication skills of the students are developed in various stages and involve the use of different technologies.
The student first uses a wiki to record the research for their chosen topic. Other students then provide comment and contribute to the research, developing a collegial approach to learning.
The student then prepares for a 30 minute presentation using Blackboard Collaborate. The first stage involves an opportunity for practice where the student self-critiques their own presentation recording. The final Blackboard Collaborate live presentation before teacher and peers, involves a 20 minute presentation followed by a 10 minute Q&A.
The last assessment involves the student to watch and self-reflect on their live presentation by typing into an online learning journal. After watching their live recording students are able to identify their communication strengths and weaknesses as the assessment requires a high level of student-to-student interaction.
Self-reflection is critical to help deepen the student's understanding of the importance and value of good communication skills. These communication strategies and the incorporation of a range of tools are purposefully designed to encourage students to learn that communication happens in different ways and through different media. Familiarity with different communication strategies is an important graduate skill.
The table below highlights how this Graduate Attribute relates to unit learning outcomes, and demonstrates relevant learning strategies.
| Learning Outcome and Communication and Social Skills (GA6) | Assessment Task Examples |
|---|---|
|
Learning Outcome- effectively communicate (written and oral) with medical specialists and non-specialist in cross-cultural contexts |
Laboratory manual questions and laboratory session:
|
|
Learning Outcome- discuss the range of coastal management problems in Australia and the agencies involved in decision making for the coastal zone |
Blog post and reflection, followed by peer review:
|
Communication and social skills is defined as "the ability to communicate and collaborate with individuals, and within teams, in professional and community settings (SCU Graduate Attribute 6)."
The ability to communicate clearly and to work well in a team setting is critical to sustained and successful employment. Good communication and social skills involve the ability to listen to, as well as clearly express, information back to others in a variety of ways - oral, written, and visual - using a range of technologies. It involves the ability to be respectful with precision of thought and clarity of expression.
A student demonstrates well-developed communication and social skills when they listen, understand and convey their ideas and issues in a way that is comprehensible and appropriate. Teamwork hinges on effective communication skills that are equally about listening, as well as expression.