ACIT4065 Introduction to Engineering Communication in Global Contexts Course description

This course is an introduction to the area of global engineering communication. It provides students with an overview of the main histories, theories, practices and methods of engineering communication in global contexts. The main emphasis is given to developing a research-based understanding in students of the importance of communication and communication skills for global engineering work, the typical frameworks and organizational structures used by global companies and organizations to plan, organize, and execute professional communication. Students engage in guided writing and research projects relevant to the topics of the course.

This course is designed and run in collaboration with Louisiana Technology University.  

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

By the end of the course, the students have:  

Knowledge 

On successful completion of this course the student has: 

• an understanding of the role communication plays in international engineering work 

• familiarity with the current theories, practices, and methods of global engineering communication, from current research in the field of engineering communication 

• Be able to engage in guided research on the topic of global engineering communication 

• knowledge of the main communication technologies used for global engineering communication and skills in the use of those technologies 

Skills 

By the end of the course, the students are able to: 

• apply the acquired knowledge to the design, implementation, and assessing the success of global engineering communication projects and tasks 

• use the knowledge of research literature in professional communication to name, explain, and discuss main theories, methods, and practices in global engineering communication 

• critically evaluate and apply communication technologies used for global communication, to international engineering communication contexts. 

General competence 

On successful completion of this course the student can: 

• demonstrate knowledge of the main frameworks, theories, methods, and practices in global engineering communication 

• dritically evaluate competing views on those topics, as evidenced in research literature, and generate frameworks and approaches to own communication projects  based on such evaluation. 

• Current theories, frameworks, and methods of planning, carrying out, and assessing global engineering communication projects. 

• Current theories, frameworks, and issues in intercultural communication which may impact the effectiveness of global engineering communication 

• Main views, trends, and arguments on the topic as evidenced in research literature in engineering communication 

• Critical analysis and use of communication technologies for global engineering projects, including issues of access, usability, and user experience. 

This course is run in collaboration with Louisiana Technology University. During the 2024-2025 academic year, the course will be offered online (digitally). The majority of the instruction will take place asynchronously (in Canvas), with periodic 1-hour long synchronous meetings, in Zoom or Teams. 

In line with best teaching practices from the field of professional communication, the following teaching methods will be used (listed here in order of priority and frequency of use): 

• Active learning and flipped classroom methods 

• Peer review and peer-learning 

• Short lectures and presentations by instructor(s), followed by discussions and informal assessments 

The role of the teacher is to be a facilitator and an expert-coordinator of course work, who guides the students through the content of the course 

1. Three written assignments, written individually and in teams. 

1. Weekly reading response and peer-review assignments. A minimum of 75% (9 out of 12)  out of the reading response and peer-review assignments must be approved. 

Detailed description of all assignments will be provided to the students in Canvas. 

The exam will be a ‘capstone’ written report in groups (max 5 students), between 5000 and 6000 words. 

Students will be provided with a detailed description of the task. Both the quality of the final text and each student's contribution to the group effort will be assessed.  

The exam can be appealed. 

New/postponed exam: In case of failed exam or legal absence, the student may apply for a new or postponed exam. New or postponed exams are offered within a reasonable time span following the regular exam. The student is responsible for applying for a new/postponed exam within the time limits set by OsloMet. The Regulations for new or postponed examinations are available in Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet. 

All members of the group receive the same final grade. Under exceptional circumstances, individual grades can be assigned at the discretion of the Course Coordinator  and Head of Studies.  

All aids are permitted, provided the rules for plagiarism and source referencing are complied with. 

For the final assessment a grading scale from A to E is used, where A denotes the highest and E the lowest pass grade, and F denotes a fail. 

Two internal examiners. External examiner is used periodically. The exam grade can be appealed. 

Pavel Zemliensky