Learning @ Algonquin - Essential Employability Skills

Communication - Delivery

In the Communication skill category, there are six defining skills that relate to two learning outcomes.

DEFINING SKILLS: Skill areas to be demonstrated by graduates:	LEARNING OUTCOMES: The levels of achievement required by graduates. The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
Reading Writing Speaking Listening Presenting Visual literacy	1. communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken, and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience. 2. respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.

Introduction

This section provides some suggestions for the delivery of material related to Essential Employability Skills Outcomes 1 and 2: the communication skills. There are two sections. The first looks at learning activities and assignments that would support the teaching of these outcomes and address the assess component. The second section provides sample evaluation tools that focus on these two outcomes.

Learning Activities and Assignments

The following list provides some suggested learning activities and assignments that would support the teaching and assessment of the outcomes in the Communication skill category.

1. communicate clearly

written assignments

presentations

preparation or development of other tools intended to communicate information

poster boards

2. respond effectively

summaries, both oral and written

scenarios and activities using instructions provided orally

meeting simulations

providing narrative or reflective responses to circumstances and situations

When considering the teaching and assessment of the Communication skill category, it is important to distinguish between the focus on reading, writing, speaking, listening, presenting, and visual literacy for their own sake, and the use of these skills as a way of demonstrating the achievement of other outcomes. For instance, students may be required to present the results of their research orally to the rest of the class. If this presentation is the means of ensuring that the research has been done, then it is less likely that the focus is on the EES Communication skill category.

As with other EES skill categories, it is important to distinguish between expectations of student performance and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are being assessed.

Evaluation Tools

The evaluation tools provided below are intended to help with the visualisation of the outcomes in terms of student achievement.

General Examples

In order to provide a broader picture of the possibilities for evaluating these outcomes, the EES committee has prepared rubrics for each outcome. Following the work of Fostaty Young and Wilson, the rubrics have been developed using the ICE model, which, among other things, allows for a consideration of components of the outcome with increasing depth, through a movement from Ideas to Connections to Extensions.

• ICE rubric for EES Outcome #1 (Adobe Acrobat File)
• ICE rubric for EES Outcome #2 (Adobe Acrobat File)