ACIT4095 Structure and Style for Effective 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.

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.

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

Grade scale A-F.

The course provides a broad theoretical and practical basis in anatomy, pathology, terminology and methods used in the dissection of selected surgical specimen in a pathology department. It also focuses on issues relating to fixation time and its significance for subsequent analyses of removed tissue as well as procedures concerning biobanking of material.

Students must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health and Technology - Specialisation in Biomedicine. The course is also offered as an individual course, with the same admission requirements as for the specialisation.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student 

• can discuss laws and regulations that apply to the handling, documentation and banking of human biological specimen
• can assess the macroscopic and microscopic appearance of normal tissue as well as common pathological changes in the relevant tissues and organs
• can describe the anatomy, pathology and terminology for selected surgical specimen

Skills 

The student 

• can observe applicable safety regulations and satisfy hygiene requirements during work involving equipment, chemicals and biological specimen
• can identify macroscopic changes in the relevant specimen in an independent manner
• can perform dissection of pathological changes in tissue in a structured and quality assured manner

General competence

The student 

• can work on the basis of knowledge of dissection in their own department
• can critically assess, discuss and convey procedures for dissection and contribute to the establishment of new procedures
• can critically assess the processing of human biological specimen for special analysis, biobanking and research

The course is largely web-based and includes digital lectures, digital group assignments and self-study. Self-study includes some training in dissection. In addition, there will be a compulsory three-day session at OsloMet that includes demonstration of dissection in a pathology department. The group assignments include oral presentations where students receive feedback on their work from fellow students and the lecturer.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam: 

• minimum attendance of 80% at scheduled digital lectures
• minimum attendance of 80% at campus-based session
• individual presentation of report from independently performed dissection, time frame: 15-20 min.

Individual oral exam, up to 30 min.

The exam can be taken in English or a Scandinavian language.

None.