Overview
This unit introduces you to professional communication concepts that are relevant to a career in information and communication technologies (ICT). Topics include negotiation, teamwork, conflict management, academic referencing, library skills, and oral and written communication. The unit introduces awareness of cultural diversity and its management in a multicultural workforce.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
COMM11003 Communication in Professional Contexts is an anti-requisite for COIT11239.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation and self-reflection.
The assessment requirements need to be clearer.
The assignments will be reviewed prior to publishing.
Feedback from Student evaluation and self-reflection.
Improve slides and video.
We will improve the clarity of the explanations on the slides and the videos. We will seek feedback regarding the slides and videos.
Feedback from Student evaluation.
Students liked various components including the writing style, research and argument sections, the relevance to industry was highlighted, and this unit helped them build skills needed for other units. International students appreciated learning more about Australian culture.
We will continue to seek opportunities to strengthen the industry relevance of the sections in this unit.
- Explain communication concepts and strategies
- Show confidence and skills in oral communications and presentations
- Work effectively as part of a team
- Communicate effectively in a professional context
- Define and demonstrate conflict management and resolution strategies.
- Core skill, Business Skills: Communication skills and teamwork
- Relationship management (RLMT)
- Information Management (IRMG)
- Research (RSCH)
- Innovation (INOV)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Presentation - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Presentation - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
This unit uses the following textbook:
Business Communication for Success 2015, University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, Minneapolis.
This textbook will be made available as a free download from the COIT11239 unit web site.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Office including Word, Powerpoint and Excel
- Webcam, microphone and speakers (or headset)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.elkhodr@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Importance of Communication Skills in ICT
Chapter
1 Effective Business Communications
3 Understanding Your Audience
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Interpersonal Communication
Chapter
12.5 Organizing Principles for Your Speech
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Writing Style
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Arguments
Chapter
6.3 Making an Argument
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ass 1 Presentations & Role plays
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Academic Skills
Chapter
6.4 Paraphrase and Summary versus Plagiarism
8.4 Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Teamwork & Intercultural Communication
Chapter
18 Intercultural and International Business Communication
19 Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
ICT Communication in Action
Chapter
9 Business Writing in Action; upto 9.3 Business Proposal
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assignment 3 Preparation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No class
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete unit feedback survey in Moodle - the red "Have your say" button.
There is no exam for COIT11239.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Break Week: 03/12/2018 till 09/12/2018 inclusive
Christmas vacation: 21/12/2018 till 31/12/2018 inclusive
Unit coordinator: Mahmoud El Khodr, m.elkhodr@cqu.edu.au
1 Group Work
The aims of this assignment are to develop your skills in oral communication and interpersonal conflict management. This assignment usually involves tasks such as:
- Undertake a team leadership task or give a presentation
- Role play conflict scenarios.
Your role plays and presentations will be assessed during your Week 5 class.
Distance students will require a web cam, microphone and speaker or headset. You will be assessed during the Week 5 online class.
Further details, including leadership tasks and presentation topics, will be provided to you on the Moodle unit website.
Week 5 Monday (10 Dec 2018) 1:00 am AEST
Your (distance and oncampus students) presentation and role play are assessed during your Week 5 class. Video recordings of your leadership communications are due by the assignment deadline.
Week 7 Friday (4 Jan 2019)
Feedback will be returned within a fortnight of assessment when the moderation process is complete. Any feedback you receive prior to the moderation process might change.
The assignment criteria usually includes aspects such as stage presence, nonverbal gestures, listening skills (e.g. use of paraphrasing) and conflict management skills (e.g. appropriate use of “I” phrases).
Plagiarism will dealt with according to University policy. Your assignment might be assigned a zero grade or reported for further action.
Incomplete submissions such as those in which staff are unable to access linked material, for example, due to insufficient permissions, might not be marked or a late penalty might be applied.
No submission method provided.
- Show confidence and skills in oral communications and presentations
- Work effectively as part of a team
- Define and demonstrate conflict management and resolution strategies.
- Communication
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
This assessment usually involves answering short answer questions related to the unit materials.
Please refer to the unit website.
Week 9 Tuesday (15 Jan 2019) 1:00 am AEST
Week 11 Monday (28 Jan 2019)
A moderation process is used to ensure marker consistency. Feedback and marks will be returned within a fortnight of submission when the marking and moderation process is completed.
The criteria includes aspects such as communication strategy design, adherence to a style guide, writing style, correct classification of arguments, analysis of the validity of arguments, and your writing mechanics, for example, spelling and grammar.
Your assignment may be checked for plagiarism and the use of rewriting engines, also known as synonym generators or spinners. Your assignment might be assigned a zero grade or reported for further action.
Incomplete submissions such as those in which staff are unable to access linked material, for example, due to insufficient permissions, might not be marked or late penalties might be applied.
No submission method provided.
- Explain communication concepts and strategies
- Communicate effectively in a professional context
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Social Innovation
3 Presentation
The aim of this assignment is to help you develop the skills to apply and share expert Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge. Usually this assignment involves tasks such as:
- Find research papers that discuss a communication concept or strategy relevant to the ICT industry
- Summarise the researchers’ recommendations in a business report, and
- Give a presentation
You (distance and oncampus students) will present during your Week 11 class. Distance students will require a web cam, microphone and speaker (or headset).
Further details about this assignment, including the communication concept or strategy to research, will be available on the Moodle unit website in Week 1 of this term.
Week 11 Monday (28 Jan 2019) 1:00 am AEST
The presentation is due during your Week 11 class. Any extension provided to one group member for the presentation component will not apply to the other group members.
Week 12 Friday (8 Feb 2019)
Your grades and feedback for the report and the presentation will usually not be available until after the grade certification date.
The criteria for the report usually include aspects such as the quality of your references, your summaries, the report organisation and framing, the writing style, the use of CQUni Harvard referencing, grammar and spelling.
The criteria for the presentation usually include aspects such as your stage presence, your gestures and your slideshow’s structure, framing and mechanics, including the style, grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Usually, all group members will receive the same mark for the some components. Your presentation skills are usually marked individually.
The unit coordinator must be informed prior to submission if a group decides to split.
If a group member does not attend on the day of the presentation, the remaining group members must be ready to present. The absent students will be allocated zero marks for the presentation component.
Plagiarism and the use of a rewriting engine such as a synonym generator or a spinner will dealt with according to University policy. Plagiarism penalties and academic misconduct charges may apply to all group members for group components. Your assignment might be assigned a zero grade or reported for further action.
Incomplete submissions such as those in which staff are unable to access linked material, for example, due to insufficient permissions, might not be marked or late penalties might be applied.
No submission method provided.
- Explain communication concepts and strategies
- Show confidence and skills in oral communications and presentations
- Work effectively as part of a team
- Communicate effectively in a professional context
- Define and demonstrate conflict management and resolution strategies.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
