EFFECTIVE SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS AT WORK
Syllabus
EN
IT
Course Description
This module aims to strengthen each student’s knowledge and understanding of 1) key issues of working in a professional environment and the dynamics of a workplace; 2) the student’s abilities to communicate verbally and in writing, using styles appropriate for a professional setting; 3) to use and strengthen their interpersonal skills in delivering a cooperative project, and, additionally, 4) it aims to strengthen each student’s personal confidence and capacities in starting and shaping their career, including, 5) in understanding and producing documents useful to use in the ‘professional marketplace’.
Students will learn about key management approaches and competencies in the workplace regarding planning, decision-making, verbal and non-verbal communication, and will have the opportunity to practice these techniques and skills, to support their professional growth. A wide variety of employment and workplace topics will be covered, tailored to the needs and interests of the student group.
It will cover the writing of clear and engaging CVs & Resumes, Cover Letters, and Personal Statements - ‘personal marketing material’ - which can be used when applying for jobs, apprenticeships, placements and further studies. It will also focus on identifying opportunities, and on strengthening job interview skills through practical exercises.
Teaching Method
The topics will be covered using a mix of lectures, class discussions, class presentations and exercises giving the students opportunities to explore and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts. Regular class attendance and active participation are expected, as they are key to achieving the learning outcomes. As well as using diagnostic assessments, and the presentation of formative assignments, for the final summative assignment, students will be expected to prepare and carry out original research through group work, and then submit an individual written report detailing the research goals, procedures, outcomes and conclusions based on the data gathered by the group.
Topic 1
Management Skills in the Workplace Leadership and Team Working Change Management Human Resource Theories Problem Solving and Analysis
Topic 2
Project Management The theory of Project Management Lectures with practical exercises A practical group project to plan, coordinate and deliver a class presentation that draws upon their knowledge and interests
Topic 3
Communication Skills
Working in teams
Group roles and dynamics
Interpersonal skills
Topic 4
Formal Written Communication Writing Styles of Essays and Academic Papers Research, Citation and Plagerism Report Writing Report Presentation
Topic 5
Tools and Techniques for Career Management
Writing CVs and Resumes
Writng Cover Letters and Personal Statements
Lectures with practical exercises
Interview Skills
Techniques for career planning and job hunting
Networking
Learning Objectives
Course Description
This module aims to strengthen each student’s knowledge and understanding of 1) key issues of working in a professional environment and the dynamics of a workplace; 2) the student’s abilities to communicate verbally and in writing, using styles appropriate for a professional setting; 3) to use and strengthen their interpersonal skills in delivering a cooperative project, and, additionally, 4) it aims to strengthen each student’s personal confidence and capacities in starting and shaping their career, including, 5) in understanding and producing documents useful to use in the ‘professional marketplace’.
Students will learn about key management approaches and competencies in the workplace regarding planning, decision-making, verbal and non-verbal communication, and will have the opportunity to practice these techniques and skills, to support their professional growth. A wide variety of employment and workplace topics will be covered, tailored to the needs and interests of the student group.
It will cover the writing of clear and engaging CVs & Resumes, Cover Letters, and Personal Statements - ‘personal marketing material’ - which can be used when applying for jobs, apprenticeships, placements and further studies. It will also focus on identifying opportunities, and on strengthening job interview skills through practical exercises.
Teaching Method
The topics will be covered using a mix of lectures, class discussions, class presentations and exercises giving the students opportunities to explore and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts. Regular class attendance and active participation are expected, as they are key to achieving the learning outcomes. As well as using diagnostic assessments, and the presentation of formative assignments, for the final summative assignment, students will be expected to prepare and carry out original research through group work, and then submit an individual written report detailing the research goals, procedures, outcomes and conclusions based on the data gathered by the group.
Prerequisites
No formal pre-requisites
Program
Topic 1
Management Skills in the Workplace Leadership and Team Working Change Management Human Resource Theories Problem Solving and Analysis
Topic 2
Project Management The theory of Project Management Lectures with practical exercises A practical group project to plan, coordinate and deliver a class presentation that draws upon their knowledge and interests
Topic 3
Communication Skills
Working in teams
Group roles and dynamics
Interpersonal skills
Topic 4
Formal Written Communication Writing Styles of Essays and Academic Papers Research, Citation and Plagerism Report Writing Report Presentation
Topic 5
Tools and Techniques for Career Management
Writing CVs and Resumes
Writng Cover Letters and Personal Statements
Lectures with practical exercises
Interview Skills
Techniques for career planning and job hunting
Networking
Books
A wide variety of Professor-generated and class-generated learning material will be provided by the Professor to both attending and non-attending students for study by uploading the material to the DIDA learning platform and sending relevant material directly to students.
Bibliography
Textbooks and Materials
Throughout classes, the Professor will draw material from the following publications:
Topic 1: Covey, S.R. (2004) 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon and Schuster, London
The Essential Manager’s Handbook (2016), DK, Penguin Random House, London.
Topic 2: Newton, R. (2007) Project Management Step by Step, Pearson Business, London.
Topic 3: Morris, D. (2002) People Watching, the Desmond Morris guide to body language, Vintage, London.
Pease, A. & Pease, B. (2004) The Definitive Book of Body Language, McPhearsons, Australia
Kuhnke, E. (2012) Body Language for Dummies, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, England.
Topic 4: Reid, M. (2012) Report Writing, Palgrove Macmillan, London.
Bowden, J. (2011) Writing a Report, 9th Edition, How to Books, London.
Topic 5: Whitmore, T. (2021), How to Write an Impressive CV and Cover Letter: A Comprehensive Guide for Jobseekers, Robinson, UK.
Moses, B. (2003) What Next? The complete guide to taking control of your working life, DK, London.
Tupper, H. and Ellis, S. (2020) The Squiggly Career – Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career, Portfolio Penguin, UK.Rogers,
J. (2011) Job Interview Success: Be Your Own Coach, Open University Press, UK. Kennedy, J.L. (2011) Job Interview for Dummies, 4th Edition, Wiley, UK.
Throughout classes, the Professor will draw material from the following publications:
Topic 1: Covey, S.R. (2004) 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon and Schuster, London
The Essential Manager’s Handbook (2016), DK, Penguin Random House, London.
Topic 2: Newton, R. (2007) Project Management Step by Step, Pearson Business, London.
Topic 3: Morris, D. (2002) People Watching, the Desmond Morris guide to body language, Vintage, London.
Pease, A. & Pease, B. (2004) The Definitive Book of Body Language, McPhearsons, Australia
Kuhnke, E. (2012) Body Language for Dummies, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, England.
Topic 4: Reid, M. (2012) Report Writing, Palgrove Macmillan, London.
Bowden, J. (2011) Writing a Report, 9th Edition, How to Books, London.
Topic 5: Whitmore, T. (2021), How to Write an Impressive CV and Cover Letter: A Comprehensive Guide for Jobseekers, Robinson, UK.
Moses, B. (2003) What Next? The complete guide to taking control of your working life, DK, London.
Tupper, H. and Ellis, S. (2020) The Squiggly Career – Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career, Portfolio Penguin, UK.Rogers,
J. (2011) Job Interview Success: Be Your Own Coach, Open University Press, UK. Kennedy, J.L. (2011) Job Interview for Dummies, 4th Edition, Wiley, UK.
Teaching methods
The course combines different teaching methods: lectures; seminars; student presentations. The lectures will provide the students with the necessary information and reading guidelines on the phenomena under study, while seminars will see students critically engage with this knowledge and encourage/participate in class debates. Students are expected to attend each class, to come to class prepared and to participate in discussions.
Students will agree the topic of their presentations with the lecturers and give assessed Power-point presentations in which they will critically evaluate the content and argument of a chosen topic and introduce related questions for the class discussion.
Students will agree the topic of their presentations with the lecturers and give assessed Power-point presentations in which they will critically evaluate the content and argument of a chosen topic and introduce related questions for the class discussion.
Exam Rules
Course assessment
During the classes, students are expected to work in small groups and to be part of the delivery of two group presentations in class. The final assignment will be for the student, individually, to use the research findings of his/her own research group and to produce a two formal Reports which presents and discusses the findings of the research.
Students will be graded on their preparation, attendance and active class participation, and by their final written work, including, primarily, the Research Reports, but also on the presentation of the draft material and of polished CVs, Cover Letters and Statements. The final mark for the course will include 25% for participation in class, and 75% for the written assessments.
Students who do not submit by the agreed due date, or fail the work assignments, will be required to fulfill the exam requirements of non-attending students, and be marked accordingly.
Minimum score for passing the written test 18 out of 30.
After listening to the presentations, the lecturers communicate the results to the students registered for the examination via the Delphi system.
Students may take the examination on all available dates. there is no roll-call jump.
The examination will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• FAIL: important deficiencies and/or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited ability to analyse and synthesise, frequent generalisations and limited critical and judgemental skills, the topics are set out inconsistently and with inappropriate language;
• 18-20: Barely sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topics with possible generalisations and imperfections; sufficient capacity for analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgement, the topics are frequently exposed in an incoherent manner and with inappropriate/technical language;
• 21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; ability to analyse and synthesise correctly with sufficiently coherent logical argumentation and appropriate/technical language
• 24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; Good analytical and synthetic skills with arguments expressed in a rigorous manner but with language that is not always appropriate/technical.
• 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the topics; considerable capacity for analysis and synthesis. Good autonomy of judgement. Arguments presented in a rigorous manner and with appropriate/technical language
• 30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and thorough understanding of topics. Excellent analytical and synthetic skills and independent judgement. Arguments expressed in an original manner and with appropriate technical language.
Course evaluation for attending students:
• In-class presentations (100 %)
• Rules for the presentation: Students can work on their presentations alone or in groups. A group may comprise 2 to 4 students. The students agree on the topic of the presentations with the lecturers, individually or in groups. Each student/group prepares its presentation and emails it to the lecturers at least one day in advance of the day scheduled for class discussion. In the case of group presentations, each group member receives the same final grade.
Course evaluation for non-attending students:
• Final oral exam (100%).
• Rules for the oral exam: the final exam consists of an approximately 20-minute oral test with questions on one of the textbooks indicated above,
During the classes, students are expected to work in small groups and to be part of the delivery of two group presentations in class. The final assignment will be for the student, individually, to use the research findings of his/her own research group and to produce a two formal Reports which presents and discusses the findings of the research.
Students will be graded on their preparation, attendance and active class participation, and by their final written work, including, primarily, the Research Reports, but also on the presentation of the draft material and of polished CVs, Cover Letters and Statements. The final mark for the course will include 25% for participation in class, and 75% for the written assessments.
Students who do not submit by the agreed due date, or fail the work assignments, will be required to fulfill the exam requirements of non-attending students, and be marked accordingly.
Minimum score for passing the written test 18 out of 30.
After listening to the presentations, the lecturers communicate the results to the students registered for the examination via the Delphi system.
Students may take the examination on all available dates. there is no roll-call jump.
The examination will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• FAIL: important deficiencies and/or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited ability to analyse and synthesise, frequent generalisations and limited critical and judgemental skills, the topics are set out inconsistently and with inappropriate language;
• 18-20: Barely sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topics with possible generalisations and imperfections; sufficient capacity for analysis, synthesis and autonomy of judgement, the topics are frequently exposed in an incoherent manner and with inappropriate/technical language;
• 21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; ability to analyse and synthesise correctly with sufficiently coherent logical argumentation and appropriate/technical language
• 24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; Good analytical and synthetic skills with arguments expressed in a rigorous manner but with language that is not always appropriate/technical.
• 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the topics; considerable capacity for analysis and synthesis. Good autonomy of judgement. Arguments presented in a rigorous manner and with appropriate/technical language
• 30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and thorough understanding of topics. Excellent analytical and synthetic skills and independent judgement. Arguments expressed in an original manner and with appropriate technical language.
Course evaluation for attending students:
• In-class presentations (100 %)
• Rules for the presentation: Students can work on their presentations alone or in groups. A group may comprise 2 to 4 students. The students agree on the topic of the presentations with the lecturers, individually or in groups. Each student/group prepares its presentation and emails it to the lecturers at least one day in advance of the day scheduled for class discussion. In the case of group presentations, each group member receives the same final grade.
Course evaluation for non-attending students:
• Final oral exam (100%).
• Rules for the oral exam: the final exam consists of an approximately 20-minute oral test with questions on one of the textbooks indicated above,