ABSTRACT
Computer Science majors must be able to communicate effectively. Industry surveys identify the development of communication and critical thinking skills as key to the reform of the higher education sector. However, academics are challenged by time and discipline content pressures, as well as a lack of familiarity with the teaching and assessment of communication skills content. There is considerable existing work in the area of communication skills development, positioned both in terms of curriculum guidelines for effective communication skills development, and example communication skills activities. However, this research is deficient in detailed, contextualised methodologies and frameworks for the development of communication skills within the Computer Science curriculum. We present a new methodology, building upon well established theoretical frameworks, designed to assist academics in the development of communication skills activities integrated with discipline content across the curriculum. We illustrate this methodology in the design of a CS1/CS2 communication skills course.
- J. Bransford. How people learn: brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.L National Academy Press, 2000.Google Scholar
- M. Collins. Using short pieces of writing (microthemes) to improve student learning. In Teaching tips: innovations in undergraduate science instruction, pages 7--8. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press, 2004.Google Scholar
- E. Derrick. Tools for student engagement that facilitate development of communication skills. In Advances in Computer, Information and Systems Sciences, and Engineering, pages 481--483, 2006.Google Scholar
- H. Drury and C. Taylor. Providing the discipline context for skills development: report on the production of an interactive video for oral and visual communication in the biological sciences. In Proceedings of HERDSA, 1999.Google Scholar
- R. Dugan and V. Polanski. Writing for computer science: A taxonomy of writing tasks and general advice. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 21(6):191--203, June 2006. Google ScholarDigital Library
- J. Emig. Writing as a mode of learning. College Composition and Communication, 28(2):122--128, 1977.Google ScholarCross Ref
- H. Fell, V. Prouix, and J. Casey. Writing across the computer science curriculum. In Proceedings of SIGCSE, pages 204--209, 1996. Google ScholarDigital Library
- P. Forsyth. Writing to inform - and impress. Engineering Management, 14(4):40, 2004.Google ScholarCross Ref
- T. Fulwiler and A. Young. Language Connections: Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. National Council of Tearchers of English, Urbana, Illinois, 1982.Google Scholar
- E. Giangrande. Communication skills in the CS curriculum. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 24(4):74--79, 2009. Google ScholarDigital Library
- W. Gribbin. Writing across the curriculum: Assignments and evaluation. The Clearing House, 64(6):365--368, 1991.Google ScholarCross Ref
- P. Gruba and H. Søndergaard. A constructivist approach to communication skills instruction in computer science. Computer Science Education, 11(3):203--219, 2001.Google ScholarCross Ref
- J. Hartman. Writing to learn and communicate in a data structures course. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 21(1):32--36, February 1989. Google ScholarDigital Library
- D. Kay. Computer scientists can teach writing: An upper division course for computer science majors. In Proceedings of SIGCSE, pages 117--120, 1998. Google ScholarDigital Library
- T. Koppi and F. Naghdy. Managing educational change in the ICT discipline at the tertiary education level. Australian Learning and Teaching Council, 2009.Google Scholar
- Y. Korsarts, A. Fischback, J. Rufinus, J. Utell, and S.-L. Yoon. Developing oral and written communication skills in undergraduate computer science and information systems curriculum. In Proceedings of ISECON, pages 1--10, 2009.Google Scholar
- C. Kussmaul. Using Agile development methods to improve student writing. Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 20(3):148--156, 2005. Google ScholarDigital Library
- G. McDonald and M. McDonald. Developing oral communication skills of computer science undergraduates. In Proceedings of SIGCSE, pages 279--282, 1993. Google ScholarDigital Library
- H. McGregor, S. Saunders, K. Fry, and E. Tayler. Designing a system for the development of communication abilities within an engineering context. Australian Journal of Communication, 27:83--94.Google Scholar
- S. McLeod and E. Maimon. Clearing the air: WAC myths and realities. College English, 62(5):573--583, 2000.Google ScholarCross Ref
- M. Michael. Fostering and assessing communication skills in the computer science context. In Proceedings of SIGCSE, pages 119--123, 2000. Google ScholarDigital Library
- L. Pollock. Integrating an intensive experience with communication skills development into a computer science course. SIGCSE Bulletin, 33(1):287--291, 2001. Google ScholarDigital Library
- J. Pomykalski. Teaching systems analysis and design as a writing-intensive course. Information Systems Education Journal, 4(70):1--10, September 2006.Google Scholar
- S. Sonnentag. Expertise in professional software design: A process study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(5):703--715, 1998.Google ScholarCross Ref
- W. Taffe. Writing in the computer science curriculum. Writing Across the Curriculum, 1(1):17--22, June 1989.Google Scholar
- J. Zobel. Writing for Computer Science. Springer-Verlag, 2004. Google ScholarDigital Library
Index Terms
- Integrating communication skills into the computer science curriculum
Recommendations
Fostering and assessing communication skills in the computer science context
In accord with a college-wide assessment program at the author's institution, a required major course approximately midway through a student's college career forms the matrix for an intensive project which both develops and evaluates the student's ...
Integrating communication skills into the computer science curriculum (abstract only)
SIGCSE '13: Proceeding of the 44th ACM technical symposium on Computer science educationThe fact that employers regularly list communication skills among their top requirements for graduates of Computer Science programs and that communication skills are specifically included in ABET program outcomes attests to their significance for ...
Evaluating a communication-intensive core course in the CS curriculum
This is an experience paper that describes the strategies for creating a communication intensive core course within the CS curriculum. The paper covers the evolution of such a course since its inception in 2007 where both oral and written communication ...
Comments