Topic outline

  • Welcome to Business Communication Skills

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      Course information and schedule Page
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      This course is organized as a "flipped classroom," which means that you are expected to prepare for classes beforehand by watching input videos and reading input materials.

      During the course, you will find all necessary materials and information in MyCourses. Please make sure you receive emails from "Announcements", as all course messages will be sent through that forum.

      The information in these MyCourses pages is organized as follows:

      Schedule

      You can find the schedule on the course homepage, below this information. In it, you can see what you are expected to do before coming to each class and what we will do in class.

      Assignment instructions and submissions

      You can find all assignment instructions and submission boxes in the "Assignments" folder (see left-hand side panel). The only exception is A3a quiz that you can find from the left-hand side panel itself. Please submit all assignments by the given deadline, as late assignments will not be accepted.

      Materials that you need to study

      You can find all the materials that you are expected to study in the "Materials" folder (see left-hand side panel). 

      The materials are organized by week. Always study the materials for any given date before coming to class that day. We will not cover the information as such in class, as you will be expected to have studied it beforehand.  

      If you have any questions at any point, remember to ask!

      Christa


      JANUARY 13 (Week 1)

      Before class (individual preparation):

      • Read Reading input 1 (Communicating strategically)
      • Watch course videos 1, 2 and 3 (Course introduction, Communicating strategically 1 and 2)
      • Read Assignment 1 instructions

      In class:

      • Exercise on communicating strategically
      • Discussion on grading principles
      • Exercise on A1

      ___________________________________________________________________________

      JANUARY 20 (Week 2)

      Before class (individual / pair preparation):

      • Read Reading inputs 2 and 3 (Persuasive techniques and Reader-focused business writing)
      • Watch course videos 4-6 (Videos on Effective writing)
      • Prepare A1 version 1 with your pair, and upload it to A1 Peergrade by 9.00 am on the day of class.

      In class:

      • Writing exercises (e.g. choosing appropriate style and tone when writing; written request analysis)
      • Comment on another pair’s A1 in Peergrade before 8 pm

      ___________________________________________________________________________
      JANUARY 27 (Week 3)

      Before class (individual and pair preparation):

      • Read Reading input 4: Impactful presentations
      • Watch videos number 5-8 by Paul Savage, https://vimeo.com/showcase/5978020
      • Watch course videos number 7 and 8 (Preparing impactful presentations 1 and 2)
      • Write and submit A2a outline to MyCourses before 9.00 am on the day of class
      • Prepare and rehearse your A2b presentation
      • Finalize A1 with your pair and upload to A1 submission box by 9.00 am on the day of class

      In class:

      • A2b presentations
      • A3 instructions
      ___________________________________________________________________________

      FEBRUARY 3 (Week 4)

      Before class:

      • Study for A3 quiz and written task (review reading inputs 1-4 and videos 2-5)

      In class:

      • A3 quiz and written task
      • A4 team presentation instructions

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      FEBRUARY 10 (Week 5)

      Before class (individual and team preparation):

      • Watch course videos 9 and 10 (Visual design), as well as 11 (Nonverbal communication)
      • Prepare your team’s A4 presentation and visuals. Upload the visuals to the correct discussion forum below A4 submission box by 9.00 am on the day of class.

      In class:

      • Attend your team's presentation consultation session according to the following schedule:

      9.00-9.20 Team A

      9.20-9.40 Team B

      9.40-10.00 Team C

      10.10-10.30 Team D

      10.30-10.50 Team E

      10.50-11.10 Team F

      11.20-11.40 Team G

      11.40-12.00 Team H

      • Give peer feedback on another team’s A4 visuals in the Discussion forum by 8 pm

      ___________________________________________________________________________

      FEBRUARY 17 (Week 6)

      Before class (team preparation):

      Finalize A4 team presentation based on feedback on visuals

      In class:

      A4 team presentations according to the following schedule:

      9.00-10.30 Teams A-D

      10.45-12.15 Teams E-H


      Afterwards (individual work):

      A5 Individual reflection on presentations (to MyCourses by 11 pm on February 21)


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