2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

FOBS2240 Skills in Communicating Research beyond the University

10 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Dr Charlotte Haigh
Email: C.Haigh@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

This module is approved as a discovery module

This module is approved as a skills discovery module

Module summary

This module will allow you to develop your skills in communicating current research ongoing in your discipline of study to selected audiences from outside the University. Within academia we are trained in writing and presenting to colleagues and peers, but little about communicating research at an appropriate level, and in an interesting way, to an audience group from the general public.This module will enable you to develop key skills that both graduate employers and the research community are looking for. You will be able to design, and implement effectively, appropriate activities to communicate the research to a general audience. The skills covered will include an overview of aims and purposes of engaging a wider audience, event management, marketing, communication, role of the media, funding, what makes quality public engagement, skills for effective partnership, working with museums, understanding your audience, using social media to engage, ethics and evaluation for impact.These are all key skills which will make you competitive, and help you succeed in the global research and employment market.This is a discovery module, open to all students, emphasising the link between research and student education. Working in partnership across the University:Students will be working with networks and services across the institution (e.g. Sustainability, Student Volunteering, Digital Team, Alumni, Educational Engagement and Communications, Employability Officers, Engagement Champions, Outreach Fellows and the University’s Public Engagement Network members) and in consultation with other Institutions, to learn from best practice.

Objectives

By the end of this module, students should have a basic understanding of the research ongoing in their part of the University focussing through the assessment on one aspect, and be able to communicate this to a variety of audiences outside of the University community.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module students will be able to:
- highlight the importance of engaging the wider public audience with research at the University, plan events, market and communicate these effectively;
- be aware of health and safety and ethical issues;
- understand different audiences and be able to create bespoke activities dependant on audience needs;
- enhance their communication skills, both written and verbal, and learn about working within the museum sector;
- be aware of the potential to work with the public in co-designing research and collaborating with them;
- learn about evaluation and self-reflection of practice and how public engagement can lead to demonstrating impact of research;
- be made aware of potential employment opportunities that have these skills embedded within.

This is a theoretical module but skills will be assessed through the production of the written assessment.

Skills outcomes
This module is completely multi-disciplinary and should appeal to students irrespective of the programme of study. The project can take the multi-disciplinary skills learnt from the module and put them in context with the students course of study or research area of interest within their discipline.

Syllabus

- Topical research issues in the discipline of interest
- Importance of Public engagement with the University
- Planning and event management
- Health, safety and ethics
- Know your audience
- Media and marketing
- Communication skills
- Working with external organisations
- Collaboration, co-design, participatory research
- Evaluation
- Demonstrating impact
- Employability

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	1	1.00	1.00
Seminar	12	2.00	24.00
Independent online learning hours			5.00
Private study hours			70.00
Total Contact hours			25.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Private study will involve work prior to and following workshops. It will involve study for the piece of summative assessment submitted.
Submission to a reflective blog as formative assessment.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Engagement with the module will be assessed by submission to the reflective online blog, attendance at the workshops, attendance and engagement in the one to one tutorial.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	20 page report	80.00
Oral Presentation	Present project plan to group	20.00
Reflective log	Engagement with the module will be assessed by submission to the reflective online blog 4 times during the semester, attendance at the workshops, attendance and engagement in the one to one tutorial.	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Reflective log will be required to pass the module.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 08/05/2017

Disclaimer

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• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

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