Unit Outline

This unit introduces students to essential skills in technical English communication in engineering contexts enabling them to develop vocabulary, speaking, writing and comprehension of technical terms and grammar structures used in engineering. Students will attend a weekly Engineering lecture where they will be exposed to technical engineering terms in a variety of topics relevant to their specialization, this will be followed by weekly tutorials where students will further develop their understanding and capability to use technical terms and their general academic English communication skills. By completing this unit students will have acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to engage with new technical engineering terms which will be introduced throughout their engineering units and to communicate professionally and effectively as an engineer.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Apply appropriate technical engineering terms and grammar structures in order to communicate as an accredited professional engineer.
2	Describe engineering concepts and problems using appropriate subject terminology to a professional engineering audience.
3	Review a wide range of academic texts in order to evaluate their relevance to contemporary engineering practice.
4	Listen strategically and actively to comprehend information, ideas and arguments in a range of engineering contexts.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Some guest lecture content modified

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Workshop (Design Skills)	Week 4	10 %	LO1, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Test	Week 7	10 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 3:	Workshop (Professional Conduct)	Week 10	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Research Report	Week 10	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 5:	Weekly paragraph	Week 12	20 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 6:	Presentation	Week 12	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Workshop (Design Skills)

Task Description:

Students will put their engineering design skills into practice by performing the early stages of the engineering design process in order to interpret, and refine their understanding of the needs of a client. During this in-class activity, students will be presented with a design brief and will need to interpret the needs of the client into a clear set of requirements for the design. Additionally, students will need to ask questions of the client in order to clarify their understanding of the design brief.

Assessment will include a peer feedback components and lecturer feedback.

Assessment task is due during the in-class workshop.

Task Length:

2 hour workshop

Due Date:

Week 4 (19/Aug/2024)

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Present a clear and accurate set of requirements for the design	LO1
2	As a team, prepare and ask the client suitable questions to collect information	LO1, LO4
3	Professionally engage with the client	LO1, LO4

Assessment Task 2: Test

Task Description:

Students will complete a 50 minute test assessing their reading, writing and listening skills in specialization related contexts.

In particular during the test students will complete reading comprehension tasks, demonstrate their capability to follow verbal instructions and integrate appropriate technical terms into their writing.

Due during the scheduled class

Task Length:

50 minutes

Due Date:

Week 7

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Correct answers to test questions through application of appropriate technical terms	LO1
2	Correct answers to test questions by describing engineering concepts and problems	LO2

Assessment Task 3: Workshop (Professional Conduct)

Task Description:

In small groups of 2-3 students will be given a topic in the area of professional and ethical conduct in engineering and given 2 weeks to research information and develop their personal point of view on the topic.

During the tutorial in week 10 students will complete the in-class discussion activity on the topic. This in-class workshop will involve small group discussions regarding the topic and developed personal points of view from the preparation work completed. Each team will then collaborate to develop a short 2-3 minute presentation to the class on their topic.

Students will be assessed on their participation in their team discussion (both through peer ratings and tutor observations), their presentation to the class and participation through asking relevant questions of other presenting teams.

Assessment task is due during the in-class workshop.

Task Length:

2 hour workshop

Due Date:

Week 10 (30/Sep/2024)

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Develop and Communicate a personal point of view on an ethical issue	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Present to the class an ethical issue with a focus on the delivery and structure of the presentation	LO1, LO2
3	Participate in a discussion on ethical issues	LO4

Assessment Task 4: Research Report

Task Description:

Students will complete a professional report applying the conventions they have learned in the tutorials and specialization terminology.

Task Length:

Maximum 20 pages

Due Date:

Week 10 (04/Oct/2024)

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Prepare a professional report while meeting all the report writing requirements outlined	LO1
2	Utilise appropriate subject terminology to describe engineering concepts and problems	LO2
3	Integrate references to a high standard throughout the report and evaluate the relevance of the chosen references to the engineering field of practice	LO3

Assessment Task 5: Weekly paragraph

Task Description:

Each week following the lecture students will write a weekly paragraph related to the main lecture topic for the week and integrating a particular language skill they have been working on during the tutorials (for example, passive voice, active voice, first person, third person etc.)

Feedback will be provided on 2 weekly paragraphs which students submit. However all students are expected to submit a paragraph each week. Student submissions will be selected for marking and feedback randomly from the first 2 submissions, and remaining 8 submissions.

Due weekly

Task Length:

Paragraph

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe engineering concepts and problems to a high standard.	LO2
2	Apply appropriate subject terminology and use appropriate grammar structures to complete the task requirements.	LO1

Assessment Task 6: Presentation

Task Description:

Students will complete a 10 minute speaking task on an engineering topic relevant to their engineering specialization.

Topics will be agreed with the unit coordinator prior to the presentation.

Students will be required to integrate technical English terms relevant to their topic and communicate effectively and professionally including through the use of appropriate visual aids.

Peer assessment will also form an important part of this task, with students being required to actively listen to their classmates presentations and provide evidence of this on a peer feedback proforma.

The presentation grade makes up 75% of the grade for this task. The remaining 25% comes from your feedback and active listening of peer presentations.

Presentations will occur during the scheduled classes in week 12.

Task Length:

10 minutes

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Speak using a range of pronunciation features to achieve clarity and fluency	LO1
2	Speak using appropriate body language and eye contact	LO1
3	Develop and analyse ideas and information	LO2
4	Apply knowledge of sentence structure and intermediate level grammar	LO1
5	Maintain academic integrity	LO3
6	Actively listen to classmates' presentations and provide peer feedback	LO4
7	Apply structural and stylistic conventions to tasks	LO1
8	Use a range of appropriate vocabulary, including integration of technical English terms relevant to the topic	LO2

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

To demonstrate that you have met a learning outcome you must achieve an aggregate mark of 50% or greater across the assessment criteria associated with that learning outcome.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.