Study and Communication Skills

Scholar Year: 2014/2015 - 1S

Occurrence: 2014/2015 - 1S

Courses

Teaching - Hours Theorethical and Practical classes: 2 Practices: 2 Type Teacher Classes Hours Theorethical and Practical classes Totals 3 6,00 Elisabete Lopes   6,00 Practices Totals 3 6,00 Elisabete Lopes   6,00

Responsibilities Teacher Responsability Olgierd Swiatkiewicz Head

Teaching weeks:

15

Teaching language

Portuguese/English

Aims

The aim is to develop 4 groups of skills.

Regarding metacognitive skills, the student should:

- Develop skills which allow him/her to manage his/her study successfully, in the transition phase to Higher Education (increase of autonomy).


In what concerns communicative skills (mother tongue) the student should:

- Structure and write correctly a report in Portuguese;
- Use efficiently communication and presentation techniques with resource to visual support (Power Point).


As regards linguistic skills (foreign language) the student should:

- Become familiar with linguistic conventions and technical language vocabulary, directly related with the area of expertise of each one of the courses;
- Create a document about a technical topic to be defined according to the respective course;
- To present the document in public.


Concerning transversal skills the student should:

- Develop skills in order to work autonomously and as member of a group;
- Acquire research, register and information treatment methods and techniques;
- Use efficiently information and communication technologies.

Program

The syllabus is divided into four components.

1. Study Skills (15h class + 12h autonomous work - 1 ECTS):

– Motivation Strategies;
– Time Planning and Management;
– Study Conditions: environmental and personal;
– The Memory - “the treasure room of all things”;
– General Assessment.


2. Portuguese and Communication Techniques (15h class + 25h autonomous work - 1.5 ECTS):

- The report: organisation, presentation, language level, concepts and bibliographic reference norms, improvement of writing rules.
- Presentations: preparation, visual support, PowerPoint, communication techniques (posture, body language, voice collocation, interconnection between voice and image).


3. Technical English - Modules (15h classwork + 12 h autonomous work - 1.5 ECTS):

Five modules (1 a week/every two weeks) of texts about technical topics related to the course area, aiming to get the student familiar with technical concepts and its terminology, the conventions and ‘styles’ of technical documents as well as the development of reading skills.

Each module is prepared autonomously and the knowledge acquired is assessed in class.


4. Technical English – Project and Presentation. (15h classwork + 12h autonomous work - 1 ECTS):

To strengthen the development of skills and knowledge acquired in the components of Portuguese and Communication Techniques and Technical English – Modules, through the writing and presentation of a short project about a technical topic, in English, making use of visual support (e.g.: PowerPoint).

Teaching methods

Activity-based work (e.g.: questionnaires and small assignments) about topics discussed in class and prepared autonomously (individually or in group).

Assessment method

Attendance

Every assessment moment will take place in class.

Final Mark

Component of Study Skills: 25%
Component of Portuguese and Communication Techniques: 25%
Component of Technical English (Modules): 25%
Component of Technical English (Project): 25%

Special Evaluation

Exam – booked previously with teacher responsible for the module (1 month in advance).
For the students who are attending the subject for the first time, the exam consists of two written parts, one in Portuguese and one in English, and a PowerPoint presentation in English.
For the students who have attended and passed Technical English in previous years, the exam consists of a written part and a PowerPoint presentation, both in Portuguese.

Primary Bibliography