MEEN40820 Technical Comms (Online)

Academic Year 2022/2023

See sample lesson

What will I study?
This module focuses on making presentations. To do this an understanding of the entire communication chain is required (eg. handouts, questions, follow-up meetings etc.) It works off the assumption that you already have the skills necessary to make a presentation – your conversational skills. The challenge is to set out your material in an audience-friendly so that you can deliver it with the same style, and as easily, as if you were talking to a friend.

How will I study? (delivery methods e.g., online videos, live lectures, tutorials etc)
The module will include:
• Extensive set of videos demonstrating best practice and conversational techniques.
• Themed podcasts edited from interviews with people who present as part of their jobs.
• Small-group work for preparing for each presentation task.
• Discussion boards and several scheduled live group/class discussions.
• 2 sessions, on UCD campus, during the term to deliver group presentations.
• Online feedback sessions on presentations.

Expected Commitment
Students are not required to attend lectures on the UCD campus. However they are expected to view all of the 14 online lessons (in place of lectures) that have been posted.
Also, to deliver each of the presentation tasks, students are required to attend 2 separate sessions during the term to make group presentations and receive feedback. These dates are not fixed and there may be more than one date for each deliverable (different groups present on different days) to facilitate participants’ varied commitments.
Finally there will be a 1-hour in-term theory exam at 1-2pm on the Saturday of week 9 or 10 (TBC) at UCD, Belfield. This isl worth 20% of the total marks.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module I will be able to:
• Adapt your personal conversational style to the task of presenting.
• Analyse your presentation task and set realistic goals.
• Learn design principles of effective visual aids.
• Use of communication tools – examples, analogies, stories, demo’s, infographics, videos, visuals, interaction.

Indicative Module Content:

As outlined in module descriptor, above.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

75
Conversation Class

6
Online Learning

14
Total

95
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Group presentations
Video review of group presentations
In-class short group exercises
In-class theory exam
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
MEEN40670 - Technical Communication


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Group Project: Group presentation and report critiquing two communication samples. Week 7 n/a Graded No

30
Project: Presentation outline plan, audience analysis and visual samples. Done individually. Week 4 n/a Graded No

20
Group Project: Presentation and report (on presentation plan) on a technical topic. Week 11 n/a Graded No

30
Class Test: In-semester exam on course theory. Week 9 n/a Graded No

20

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

After each of three group presentations, each group gets specific feedback on their assignment before proceeding to the next assignment.