DISCUSS THE WAYS IN WHICH IAGO CONTROLS AND MANIPULATES...

DISCUSS THE WAYS IN WHICH IAGO CONTROLS AND MANIPULATES TWO OTHER CHARACTERS IN ‘OTHELLO’ Iago controls and manipulates many characters in ‘Othello’ including Roderigo, Brabantio, Cassio, Emilia, Desdemona, and even Othello himself. I will only be looking at Cassio and Othello because the fate of Iago’s plans rest in their actions, therefore he controls and manipulates them more than any of the other characters like Roderigo who is also manipulated by Iago for a lot of the play but I found the relationship between Othello, Cassio, and Iago more interesting because they are both his superiors so Iago has to be more careful with how he manipulates them. When Iago speaks to Roderigo he can tell him a lot that may or may†¦show more content†¦Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio is a young and inexperienced soldier (we are told this in the beginning of the play when Cassio is first spoken of), whose high position is much resented by Iago. Truly devoted to Othello, Cassio is extremely ashamed after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and lo sing his place as lieutenant. Iago uses Cassio’s youth, good looks, and friendship with Desdemona to play on Othello’s insecurities about Desdemona’s fidelity. Iago controls Cassio for most of the play. It is important for Iago to control Cassio in the way that he does because it allows Iago to get exactly what he wants. Iago uses Cassio’s faults to manipulate him, like Cassio’s looks and his flirtatious personality to Cassio’s own disadvantage because Iago gets Othello to think that Desdemona is having an affair with him. It all starts when he persuades Cassio to join in with the festive drinking even though Cassio has a weak alcohol tolerance level ‘I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking’ this shows that Iago can still persuade Cassio to drink a lot of alcohol even though he knows that he cannot take it. Iago implies that he and Cassio have the same friends which makes Cassio think that they are best friends; he does this by calling the other men â€Å"our† friends which implies that they too would be friends. Iago also tells Cassio that he will drink for Cassio which makes Cas sio think

Financial Crisis Impact On Institutions And Markets

Financial Crisis Impact on Institutions and Markets The financial crisis, beginning in 2007, negatively impacted the stability of financial institutions and markets across the world. While there are many speculative causes of the financial crisis, dealings in subprime mortgages are considered the biggest culprit. As a result, those involved in subprime mortgages, such as lenders, investment banks, credit rating agencies and securities investors were among the first to feel the crisis’ ramifications. Moreover, adjustments made to lending stipulations and interest rates produced a housing bubble within the United States priming the market for an inevitable collapse. Once the housing bubble burst, the risk associated with subprime†¦show more content†¦government has instilled greater regulations, in an effort to prevent a crisis of this magnitude from happening again. Cause of the Financial Crisis The new millennium of the early 2000’s, brought forth a multitude of factors initiated by the financial industry and the United State government which unknowingly primed the economy for failure. In an effort to stimulate the economy and boost consumer spending, the United States Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to one percent after the dot-com bubble in 2000 and the September 11th terrorist attacks of 2001. In return, the value of real estate improved drastically, motivating home owners to refinance their loans, and potential owners to seek out loan approval. As banks began dealing with increased loan demand, they sought to lower loan qualification standards to meet the demand, helping banking institutions to supply loans to the masses (Li Li, 2012). Through reduced loan qualification standards and with an extended effort to maintain low credit standards, mortgage issuers substantially reduced the need for borrower down payments and viab le income documentation (Tiller, 2009). Consequently, unbeknownst to corporations involved, the uprising of subprime mortgages had initiated Subprime mortgages Once loan qualification standards decreased the issuance of subprime mortgage loans spread throughout the country. Subprime mortgages are defined by Funk Wagnall’s

Common Treatment Options For Esophageal Cancer - 1524 Words

One of the most common type of cancers around the world is esophageal cancer. The common risk factors that increase esophageal cancer are the use of tobacco and alcohol, and gastric reflux. More men than women are affected by esophageal cancer [7]. The risk of cancer can be reduced by quitting smoking and quitting drinking alcohol, eating nutritious food, and doing exercise [6,7]. The common treatment options available for esophageal cancer are chemoradiation, invasive surgery, and photodynamic therapy. The most effective therapy used in treating all stages of cancer is chemoradiation, which uses both chemical drugs and intensive radiation. The research studies on esophageal cancer stated that, â€Å"Three-dimensional conformal definitive radio(chemo) therapy is well tolerated and leads to long-term survival in more than 20 % of patients with advanced disease and/or contraindication to surgery† [1]. Chemoradiation is used on patients with or without surgery and also used as pa lliative therapy for patients with an advanced cancer to alleviate pain. INTRODUCTION Esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancerous growths. Cancer in the esophagus is found to be three times more common in men than in women and also the risk of cancer increases with age group [6]. Esophageal cancer is not very common in United States, but it is common in Asian and African countries [7]. The common risk factors that may increase the chances of esophageal cancer are tobacco and alcohol use, andShow MoreRelatedEsophageal Cancer : A Lethal Variation Of Cancer1449 Words   |  6 Pages Esophageal cancer, or oesophageal cancer, is a lethal variation of cancer globally ranking sixth as the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths and eighth as the most common type of cancer (Pennathur et al. 2013). In contrast to other parts of the world, the United States has experienced a decrease in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma incidence rates and a distinct increase in esophageal adenocarcinoma, which corresponds to increased obesity and gastroesophageal reflux rates over the years (SimardRead MoreHow Technology Has Impacted Our Society1739 Words   |  7 Pagesor disorder before it has completely developed. Now one might think, â€Å"Why should I care about such a thing?† Well, these folks should think about a person they cherish the most. How would it affect them if they discovered that their loved one had cancer, but it was too late to treat it? This does not always have to be the case with early detection and diagnosis. People around the world ought to embrace the beauty of technology, and take every measure possible to continue living a healthy, happy lifeRead MoreBarium Swallow : Patient Clinical Details3364 Words   |  14 Pagespatients clinical details. Esophageal carcinomas are able to be diagnosed from: †¢ Barium swallow †¢ Chest MRI or thoracic CT †¢ Endoscopic ultrasound †¢ Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and biopsy †¢ PET scan Because barium swallows are non-invasive and clearly outline the shape of the esophagus, the radiologist decided this form of imaging was best suited to the patient and his clinical details which strongly suggested cancer to be the cause of the clinical details. Esophageal cancers usually present withRead MorePatient Clinical Details And Treatments3642 Words   |  15 Pagesstrictures or narrowing s in this region which would account for the patients clinical details. Diagnosis of esophageal carcinomas require imaging to visualise the involvement: Barium swallow are the most common form of imaging and diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma but other procedures such as Chest MRI or thoracic CT, Endoscopic ultrasound and some nuclear medicine scans will demonstrate esophageal carcinomas Because barium swallows are non-invasive and clearly outline the shape of the esophagus, theRead MoreDiverticular Disease and Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease Essay1231 Words   |  5 Pagescomplications in the digestive system are not preventable. There are a small amount of diseases that can be not only prevented, but also corrected by eating the proper nutrition or maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as Diverticular Disease and Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease. Diverticular disease consists of the involvement of two conditions that are associated with the development of small sacs or pockets in the wall of the colon. These conditions are called diverticulosis and diverticulitis. ToRead MoreStress And Cancer : Causes, Treatment, And Role Of Lifestyle Plays Essay1224 Words   |  5 PagesStress and Cancer Disorder; Causes, Treatment, and Role of lifestyle plays Background information Stress does not produce cancer, but it decreases or weaken the immune system, then a person not able to control or fight cancer disease. Cancer increases many psychological difficulties for the client’s family member, physicians, and other groups of the cancer care team. For example; parents of a child that diagnosed with cancer is very stressful than compared, who not diagnosed with cancer. ParentsRead MoreCancer Is The Second Leading Cause Death Globally2235 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Esophageal cancers (EC) are a significant worldwide health problem because of its poor prognosis and specifically, esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) incidence has been rising at an alarming rate for the past few decades (Howlader N et al., 2011). It is estimated that in 2013, 17,990 people in the United States will be diagnosed with esophageal cancer and greater than 85% of those diagnosed will succumb to the disease (Cancer StatisticsRead MorePrevention Of Cancer And Early Detection1293 Words   |  6 PagesOctober is Breast Cancer Awareness month and it is just timely that I would like to delve into one most of the debilitating chronic diseases worldwide. Cancer affects millions of people in all ages, various races, and all walks of life. all forms of media, prevention of cancer and early detection has been propped up to increase public awareness and improve the quality of life of those people suffering from this serious condi tion. The aforementioned topic has caught my eye especially recentlyRead MoreEssay Epidermolysis Bullosa987 Words   |  4 Pagessweating ï  ¶ Difficulty swallowing (dysphasia) ï  ¶ Alopecia (hair loss) ï  ¶ Respiratory difficulties ï  ¶ Squamous cell skin cancer- if someone with E.B. survives childhood this skin cancer is the most common form of death. This cancer usually appears from age 15 to 35. In treating Epidermolysis Bullosa the goal is to prevent any formation of the blisters. The amount of treatment however depends on the case. Preventing infection requires excellent skin care. Good dental hygiene is required and properRead MoreThe Topic Of Cancer By Christopher Hitchens1042 Words   |  5 PagesTopic of Chemotherapy I chose to write an essay about the â€Å"Topic of Cancer† by Christopher Hitchens. In this short autobiographical essay, Hitchens discusses his experience with Esophageal cancer. Just one day after lanching his book â€Å"Hitch-22† Hitchens was made aware of his illness, where he later describes the news as â€Å"taking me from the country of well, to the stark frontier.† It was then he chose to write about his experience for the purpose of documenting the changes that he, and his body were

Battle in Seattle - 1046 Words

Hollywood has a way of turning real life events appear dramatically different from the real life experience. They want to show what people want to see rather than what really happened. Violence and sex sell so that’s often what they tell. Hollywood can take a real life event such as the protest in Seattle against the WTO and turn it into a completely different story to make it sell. The movie Battle in Seattle is meant to be a story about the protests against the WTO but it doesn’t exactly tell the truth of how the protest actually happened, yes it does follow the story correctly but it is enhanced to make it more seem more appealing to the general population. On November 30, 1999 protesters lined up all over the main streets of Seattle†¦show more content†¦He had contacted David Solnit, who had helped organize some aspects of the protests such as the art, plays, and puppets used in the streets; to try and think of alternative ways of protesting. Once Solnit had heard he was making a movie he asked for the script to read, and he didn’t agree with much of it. He had written down some changes that he wished to make but Townsend had refused, so â€Å"he had contacted other protesters and organized a pressure campaign† (David Solnit, The Battle for Reality, Yesmagizine.org.) to get Townsend to do so. Although it didn’t get much changed about the script Townsend did make some minor changes. The movie portrays the protesters want for a nonviolent protest greatly, it shows the meetings, and how majority of them don’t want to cause harm, they just want to make their statements made, however, the movie according to Solnit portray the reason the protesters won correctly saying, â€Å"the movie implies that the activists won because the police were caught by surprise, were to lenient, and waited too long to use violence and criminal weapons, and to make arrests† (Solnit, The Battle for Reality, Yesmagizine.org). There is such a big gap between Hollywood and the reality of things simply because of money. If you’re going to make a movie, you want it to sell, and sex and violence sell. Even though Stuart Townsend followed the protests in Seattle, he had added aspects to make it more appealing to the population. People aren’t goingShow MoreRelatedAssessment of the Speech against Water Taxis724 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction I found a speech on YouTube about water taxis. The clip is a minute long. The narrator is Dow Constantine, a West Seattle politician who is announcing the arrival of the water taxi, and promoting the program. The context is that the service had come under attack from rival politicians, but there was ultimately a decision to maintain the water taxi service in West Seattle. Assessment of the Speech The body language of Mr. Constantine is casual. Speaking at a pulpit, he is almost slouchedRead MoreThe History for Control over the Pacific Northwest654 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout the history for control over the Pacific Northwest many battles were fought. We found the ancestors of our families to be taken by surprise of the many actions we took. Many different tribes had established long lasting communities in the 18th century. Such as the Chinook, Salish and Nez Perce etc. The land was spread throughout the cascades through the Rocky Mountains. Years of torment and battle began from the Spanish and British explorers looking for the land. They searched for whatRead MoreKansas City s Super Bowl 50 Next Month1513 Words   |  7 Pagesmonth ago and will be seeking revenge. After a bye in the opening round of the playoffs, the Cardinals enter the postseason coming off a 36-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. Arizona won nine straight games prior to the loss to Seattle, and how much that defeat will factor into the Cardinals’ psyche heading into their postseason battle with Green Bay is unknown. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer threw for a season-low 129 yards in Week 17, but Green Bay’s defense is not on the level ofRead MoreThe Pacific Northwest Region Is A Good First Step1188 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiencing economic boom. Industrialization of many of the region’s commodities like salmon processing flooded the region with money and immigrants. These peoples came from the Far East to work in the factories and lumber mills that were making Seattle and other cities such as Portland and Tacoma booming hubs of trade. Foreigners took note of the changes as well, Rudyard Kipling was just a young man when he visited the region but he wrote about the progress in his journals. â€Å"More Chinamen with yellowRead MoreThe United States Responsibility, Isis Can Not Be Stopped Alone1251 Words   |  6 Pagesstates sent troops to Iraq (The Seattle Globalist). The damage caused to Iraq has led to crisis among their citizens, which leaves them vulnerable of attacks, so the United States military should step in and try to alleviate some of the damage they have caused. Other nations must come together alongside America to help these people. There are some who hold the view that ISIS does not pose a threat and therefore, the United States should not become involved in the battle. In Inveen’s article, he includesRead MoreCoffee As A Daily Part Of My Life Essay1057 Words   |  5 Pagesand I visited Seattle, we had to stop by the Tully s factory there. That s when I tried my first cup. I was a fan from then on. I purchased several bags of their coffee and was making it every day until we ran out. Years later, we still buy this coffee. I ve always seen it available at my local grocery stores and I usually buy their House Blend. It s so smooth and creamy and it tastes just like I had it in Seattle. It always brings me back. Seattle s Best Coffee - I guess Seattle really is knownRead MoreTheorizing globalization (Doughlas Kellner) Essay693 Words   |  3 Pagesdefinitions of globalization:   from above and from below.   To illustrate his point, Kellner uses the internet as an example.   For a globalization fro m below definition, Kellner notes how the internet was used to mobilize resistance to the WTO meeting in Seattle in 1999.   In addition, the internet also provided critical coverage of the protests that weren’t given any time by corporate networks.     Yet, at the same time, the Internet is progressively colonized by private interests that impose a capitalist logicRead MoreEuthanisa Outline1008 Words   |  5 Pageswill die. The Hospice Foundation notes that the best pain cure will not always lessen pain. 2. Quadriplegic poet Ramon Sampedro, who committed suicide with the help of friends in 1998, wrote in his will, â€Å"life is a right, not an obligation† (Seattle Times) D. Pain management operates with a narrow definition of suffering that focuses solely on the patient’s physical state. When we look at the patient’s mental state and personal preferences, we cannot simply suggest that pain management is sufficientRead More Comparing The Real World and Survivor Essay1417 Words   |  6 Pagesdistricts[4] of these cities because MTV chooses only fashionable areas that certainly do not represent entire cities. The second category continually attracts viewers whose surroundings contrast with exotic cities such as Miami (Rivo Alto Island), Seattle (Pier 70 on Elliott Bay), Hawaii (Diamond Head State Monument), New Orleans (Belfort Mansion, Garden District), Las Vegas, Paris (Le Vesinet, 30 minutes from Paris), and San Diego (Point Loma). The Las Vegas season epitomizes fantastic settings ofRead MoreReview Of Grey s Anatomy 1563 Words   |  7 PagesGrey’s anatomy is a television show about a group of surgeons and interns who work at Seattle Grace Hospital. The series emphasizes on a group of doctors who fight to save their patient s lives while contending to become the head surgeon. Aside from the competition, they go through a lot of heartbreak; either relationships problems or family crises throughout each of their lives. The series began with Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) starting her career as a medical intern with other interns, who

Vampire Academy Chapter 19 Free Essays

string(21) " Mia was a survivor\." NINETEEN IT’S HARD TO SAY WHAT finally made me do it. I’d held on to so many secrets for so long, doing what I believed best protected Lissa. But hiding her cutting did nothing to protect her. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Academy Chapter 19 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I hadn’t been able to make her stop – and really, I now wondered if it was my fault she’d ever started. None of this had happened until she healed me in the accident. What if she’d left me injured? Maybe I would have recovered. Maybe she would be all right today. I stayed in the clinic while Dimitri went to get Alberta. He hadn’t hesitated for a second when I told him where she was. I’d said she was in danger, and he’d left immediately. Everything after that moved like some sort of slow-motion nightmare. The minutes dragged on while I waited. When he finally returned with an unconscious Lissa, a flurry arose at the clinic, one everyone wanted me kept out of. She had lost a lot of blood, and while they had a feeder on hand right away, rousing her to enough consciousness to drink proved difficult. It wasn’t until the middle of the Academy’s night that someone decided she was stable enough for me to visit. â€Å"Is it true?† she asked when I walked into the room. She lay on the bed, wrists heavily bandaged. I knew they’d put a lot of blood back into her, but she still looked pale to me. â€Å"They said it was you. You told them.† â€Å"I had to,† I said, afraid to get too close. â€Å"Liss†¦you cut yourself worse than you ever have. And after healing me†¦and then everything with Christian†¦you couldn’t handle it. You needed help.† She closed her eyes. â€Å"Christian. You know about that. Of course you do. You know about everything.† â€Å"I’m sorry. I just wanted to help.† â€Å"What happened to what Ms. Karp said? About keeping it all secret?† â€Å"She was talking about the other stuff. I don’t think she’d want you to keep cutting yourself.† â€Å"Did you tell them about the ? ®other stuff’?† I shook my head. â€Å"Not yet.† She turned toward me, eyes cold. † ? ®Yet.’ But you’re going to.† â€Å"I have to. You can heal other people†¦but it’s killing you.† â€Å"I healed you.† â€Å"I would have been okay eventually. The ankle would have healed. It’s not worth what it does to you. And I think I know how it started†¦when you first healed me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I explained my revelation about the accident and how all of her powers and depression had started after that. I also pointed out how our bond had formed after the accident too, though I didn’t fully understand why yet. â€Å"I don’t know what’s going on, but this is beyond us. We need someone’s help.† â€Å"They’ll take me away,† she said flatly. â€Å"Like Ms. Karp.† â€Å"I think they’ll try to help you. They were all really worried. Liss, I’m doing this for you. I just want you to be okay.† She turned away from me. â€Å"Get out, Rose.† I did. They released her the next morning on the condition that she’d have to come back for daily visits to the counselor. Dimitri told me they also planned on putting her on some sort of medication to help with the depression. I wasn’t a big fan of pills, but I’d cheer on anything that would help her. Unfortunately, some sophomore had been in the clinic for an asthma attack. He’d seen her come in with Dimitri and Alberta. He didn’t know why she’d been admitted, but that hadn’t stopped him from telling people in his hall what he’d seen. They then told others at breakfast. By lunch, all the upperclassmen knew about the late-night clinic visit. And more importantly, everyone knew she wasn’t speaking to me. Just like that, whatever social headway I’d made plummeted. She didn’t outright condemn me, but her silence spoke legions, and people behaved accordingly. The whole day, I walked around the Academy like a ghost. People watched and occasionally spoke to me, but few made much more effort than that. They followed Lissa’s lead, imitating her silence. No one was openly mean to me – they probably didn’t want to risk it in case she and I patched things up. Still, I heard â€Å"blood whore† whispered here and there when someone thought I wasn’t listening. Mason would have welcomed me to his lunch table, but some of his friends might not have been so nice. I didn’t want to be the cause of any fights between him and them. So I chose Natalie instead. â€Å"I heard Lissa tried to run away again, and you stopped her,† Natalie said. No one had a clue why she’d been in the clinic yet. I hoped it stayed that way. Running away? Where in the world had that come from? â€Å"Why would she do that?† â€Å"I don’t know.† She lowered her voice. â€Å"Why’d she leave before? It’s just what I heard.† That story raged on as the day passed, as did all sorts of rumors about why Lissa might have gone to the med clinic. Pregnancy and abortion theories were eternally popular. Some whispered she might have gotten Victor’s disease. No one even came close to guessing the truth. Leaving our last class as quickly as possible, I was astonished when Mia started walking toward me. â€Å"What do you want?† I demanded. â€Å"I can’t come out and play today, little girl.† â€Å"You sure have an attitude for someone who doesn’t exist right now.† â€Å"As opposed to you?† I asked. Remembering what Christian had said, I did feel a little sorry for her. That guilt disappeared after I took one look at her face. She might have been a victim, but now she was a monster. There was a cold, cunning look about her, very different from the desperate and depressed one from the other day. She hadn’t stayed beaten after what Andre had done to her – if that was even true, and I believed it was – and I doubted she would with Lissa either. Mia was a survivor. You read "Vampire Academy Chapter 19" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"She got rid of you, and you’re too high and mighty to admit it.† Her blue eyes practically bugged out. â€Å"Don’t you want to get back at her?† â€Å"Are you more psycho than usual? She’s my best friend. And why are you still following me?† Mia tsked. â€Å"She doesn’t act like it. Come on, tell me what happened at the clinic. It’s something big, isn’t it? She really is pregnant, right? Tell me what it is.† â€Å"Go away.† â€Å"If you tell me, I’ll get Jesse and Ralf to say they made all that stuff up.† I stopped walking and spun around to face her. Scared, she took a few steps backward. She must have recalled some of my past threats of physical violence. â€Å"I already know they made it all up, because I didn’t do any of it. And if you try to turn me against Lissa one more time, the stories are going to be about you bleeding, because I’ll have ripped your throat out!† My voice grew louder with each word until I practically shouted. Mia stepped back further, clearly terrified. â€Å"You really are crazy. No wonder she dropped you.† She shrugged. â€Å"Whatever. I’ll find out what’s going on without you.† When the dance came that weekend, I decided I really didn’t want to go. It had sounded stupid to begin with, and I’d only been interested in going to the after-parties anyway. But without Lissa, I wasn’t likely to gain admission to those. Instead, I holed up in my room, trying – and failing – to do some homework. Through the bond, I felt all sorts of mixed emotions from her, particularly anxiety and excitement. It had to be hard hanging out all night with a guy you didn’t really like. About ten minutes after the dance’s start time, I decided to clean up and take a shower. When I came back down the hall from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my head, I saw Mason standing outside my door. He wasn’t exactly dressed up, but he also wasn’t wearing jeans. It was a start. â€Å"There you are, party girl. I was about ready to give up.† â€Å"Did you start another fire? No guys allowed in this hall.† â€Å"Whatever. Like that makes a difference.† True. The school might be able to keep Strigoi out, but they did a horrible job at keeping the rest of us away from each other. â€Å"Let me in. You’ve got to get ready.† It took me a minute to realize what he meant. â€Å"No. I’m not going.† â€Å"Come on,† he prodded, following me inside. † ? ®Cause you had a fight with Lissa? You guys are going to make up soon. No reason for you to stay here all night. If you don’t want to be around her, Eddie’s getting a group together over in his room later.† My old, fun-loving spirit perked its head up just a bit. No Lissa. Probably no royals. â€Å"Yeah?† Seeing that he was starting to get me, Mason grinned. Looking at his eyes, I realized again how much he liked me. And again I wondered, Why couldn’t I just have a normal boyfriend? Why did I want my hot, older mentor – the mentor I’d probably end up getting fired? â€Å"It’ll just be novices,† Mason continued, oblivious to my thoughts. â€Å"And I have a surprise for you when we get there.† â€Å"Is it in a bottle?† If Lissa wanted to ignore me, I had no reason to keep myself sober. â€Å"No, that’s at Eddie’s. Hurry up and get dressed. I know you aren’t wearing that.† I looked down at my ripped jeans and University of Oregon T-shirt. Yeah. Definitely not wearing this. Fifteen minutes later, we cut across the quad back over to the commons, laughing as we recounted how a particularly clumsy classmate of ours had given himself a black eye in practice this week. Moving quickly over the frozen ground wasn’t easy in heels, and he kept grabbing my arm to keep me from falling over, half-dragging me along. It made us laugh that much more. A happy feeling started to well up in me – I wasn’t entirely rid of the ache for Lissa, but this was a start. Maybe I didn’t have her and her friends, but I had my own friends. It was also very likely that I was going to get head-over-heels drunk tonight, which, while not a great way to solve my problems, would at least be really fun. Yeah. My life could be worse. Then we ran into Dimitri and Alberta. They were on their way somewhere else, talking guardian business. Alberta smiled when she saw us, giving us the kind of indulgent look older people always give to younger people who appear to be having fun and acting silly. Like she thought we were cute. The nerve. We stumbled to a halt, and Mason put a hand on my arm to steady me. â€Å"Mr. Ashford, Miss Hathaway. I’m surprised you aren’t already in the commons.† Mason gave her an angelic, teacher’s-pet smile. â€Å"Got delayed, Guardian Petrov. You know how it is with girls. Always got to look perfect. You especially must know all about that.† Normally I would have elbowed him for saying something so stupid, but I was staring at Dimitri and incapable of speech. Perhaps more importantly, he was staring at me too. I had on the black dress, and it was everything I’d hoped it could be. In fact, it was a wonder Alberta didn’t call me on the dress code right there and then. The fabric clung everywhere, and no Moroi girl’s chest could have held this dress up. Victor’s rose hung around my neck, and I’d done a hasty blow-dry of my hair, leaving it down the way I knew Dimitri liked it. I hadn’t worn tights because no one wore tights with dresses like this anymore, so my feet were freezing in the heels. All for the sake of looking good. And I was pretty sure I looked damn good, but Dimitri’s face wasn’t giving anything away. He just looked at me – and looked and looked. Maybe that said something about my appearance in and of itself. Remembering how Mason sort of held my hand, I pulled away from him. He and Alberta finished up their joking remarks, and we all went our separate ways. Music blasted inside the commons when we arrived, white Christmas lights and – ugh – a disco ball casting the only light in the otherwise darkened room. Gyrating bodies, mostly underclassmen, packed the dance floor. Those who were our age stood in too-cool clusters along the edges of the room, waiting for an opportune time to sneak off. An assortment of chaperones, guardians and Moroi teachers alike, patrolled around, breaking up those dancers who did a little too much gyrating. When I saw Kirova in a sleeveless plaid dress, I turned to Mason and said, â€Å"Are you sure we can’t hit the hard liquor yet?† He snickered and took my hand again. â€Å"Come on, time for your surprise.† Letting him lead me, I walked across the room, cutting through a cluster of freshmen who looked way too young to be doing the kind of pelvic thrusts they were attempting. Where were the chaperones when you needed them? Then I saw where he was leading me and came to a screeching halt. â€Å"No,† I said, not budging when he tugged my hand. â€Å"Come on, it’s going to be great.† â€Å"You’re taking me to Jesse and Ralf. The only way I can ever be seen with them is if I’ve got a blunt object, and I’m aiming between their legs.† He pulled me again. â€Å"Not anymore. Come on.† Reluctant, I finally started moving: my worst fears were realized when a few pairs eyes turned our way. Great. Everything was starting all over again. Jesse and Ralf didn’t notice us at first, but when they did, an amusing array of expressions played over their faces. First they saw my body and the dress. Testosterone took over as pure male lust shone out of their faces. Then they seemed to realize it was me and promptly turned terrified. Cool. Mason gave Jesse a sharp poke in the chest with the end of his finger. â€Å"All right, Zeklos. Tell her.† Jesse didn’t say anything, and Mason repeated the gesture, only harder. â€Å"Tell her.† Not meeting my eyes, Jesse mumbled, â€Å"Rose, we know none of that stuff happened.† I almost choked on my own laughter. â€Å"Do you? Wow. I’m really glad to hear that. Because you see, until you said that, I’d been thinking it had happened. Thank God you guys are here to set me straight and tell me what the hell I have or haven’t done!† They flinched, and Mason’s light expression darkened to something harder. â€Å"She knows that,† he growled. â€Å"Tell her the rest.† Jesse sighed. â€Å"We did it because Mia told us to.† â€Å"And?† prompted Mason. â€Å"And we’re sorry.† Mason turned to Ralf. â€Å"I want to hear it from you, big boy.† Ralf wouldn’t meet my eyes either, but he mumbled something that sounded vaguely like an apology. Seeing them defeated, Mason turned chipper. â€Å"You haven’t heard the best part yet.† I cut him a sidelong look. â€Å"Yeah? Like the part where we rewind time and none of this ever happened?† â€Å"Next best thing.† He tapped Jesse again. â€Å"Tell her. Tell her why you did it.† Jesse looked up and exchanged uneasy looks with Ralf. â€Å"Boys,† warned Mason, clearly delighted about something, â€Å"you’re making Hathaway and me very angry. Tell her why you did it.† Wearing the look of one who realized things couldn’t get any worse, Jesse finally met my eyes. â€Å"We did it because she slept with us. Both of us.† How to cite Vampire Academy Chapter 19, Essay examples

Communication Skill free essay sample

International Conference Conferences, Symposia and Campus Events 2006 The Integration of Professional Communication Skills into Engineering Education Dorthy Missingham University of Adelaide Originally published in the Proceedings of the EDU-COM 2006 International Conference. Engagement and Empowerment: New Opportunities for Growth in Higher Education, Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia, 22-24 November 2006. This Conference Proceeding is posted at Research Online. http://ro. ecu. edu. au/ceducom/91 Missingham, D. The Universtiy of Adelaide, Australia. The Integration of Professional Communication Skills into Engineering Education Dr Dorthy Missingham School of Mechanical Engineering The University of Adelaide. Australia dorothy. [emailprotected] edu. au ABSTRACT Conventional Engineering curriculum is strongly focused on the development in students of technical knowledge and skills. However, in recent years, employers have increasingly acknowledged that this traditional preparation of Engineering students‘ is inadequate, as graduates lack the wide range of written and spoken communication skills required to engage with members of other professional groups and with the broader community. Recognition of the important role that communicative competence plays in professional success within the engineering industry has, as a result, led to a number of tertiary institutions developing curricula to address these needs. This paper presents a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in an Australian university, which aims to develop both communicative ability and community engagement. The courses that form the Engineering Communication Program provide for critical awareness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustainability and gender, English for academic and professional Engineering purposes for both English as an Additional Language (EAL) and English background students and advanced research communication for postgraduate students. All courses are strongly informed by scaffolded learning techniques, systemic functional linguistics and genre theory, and most are run collaboratively by Engineering, Education and Applied Linguistics lecturers. The aims of the Program are to raise awareness in Engineering students about, and to equip them with skills for, their future roles and responsibilities, and to provide the community with engineers whose strong technical knowledge is balanced by an appreciation of the broader social contexts with which they will engage in their professional lives. INTRODUCTION The need for engineering students to acquire professional skills, in addition to technical skills, in order to enhance both community engagement and career success has been increasingly articulated by educators and industry professionals alike. Professional skills mentioned variously include teamwork, conflict resolution, and an awareness of social justice, sustainability and ethics. However, as highlighted by Adams and Missingham (2006) the need for improved communicative competence in engineering graduates has been the professional skills area most widely discussed in research and the engineering profession. Increasingly, engineers work in knowledge-intensive fields that require both high level communication and problem-solving skills (Alvesson 2004). In the Australian setting this need is recognised in the National Generic Competence Standards formulated by Engineers Australia, which extensively refers to communicative abilities throughout its descriptors of competencies required by engineers (IE Aust 1999). However, research on employer satisfaction with engineering graduates‘ communication skills indicates they are below desired requirements, both in Australia (DEETYA 2000) and abroad (Lee 2003). This paper discusses a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in The University of Adelaide, which aims to develop both communicative ability, and an understanding of the need and ability for community engagement. The paper begins with a brief comparative examination of engineering communication education in other universities, both in Australia and overseas. 346 COMPARATIVE APPROACHES The critical role that communicative competence plays in both academic and professional success has, over the past decade, been recognised nationally and internationally in a number of tertiary institutions involved in engineering education (Najar 2001, Riemer 2002, Einstein 2002). A review of literature, relating to engineering communication education, reveals several significant trends common both within Australia and overseas. These trends identify three major areas of academic and professional engineering communication recognised by educators as important skills needed by graduating engineers. The teaching of oral communication, written communication and teamwork skills have been introduced as part of the undergraduate engineering curricula in various Universities world wide (Einstein 2002, Schowm Hirsch 1999). Whilst the combination of communication skills taught and the methodologies used may vary between institutions one particular theme or approach frequently emerges. An interdisciplinary approach to the teaching and learning of engineering communication (Artemeva, Logie St-Martin 1999, Jennings Ferguson 1995) is being practiced by a small but increasing number of engineering faculties and colleges. Examination of interdisciplinary approaches is important in relation to the integrative approach used by engineering and communication educators within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide. In this respect, learning and teaching of oral and written communication skills in engineering communication curricula have been examined whereas team work skills have not been specifically examined for this particular discussion, as it is considered as worthy of separate dedicated research . Studies undertaken within Australian universities attest the need for high level communication skills. According to Najar (2001) communicative competence, including teamwork and professional writing skills for example, the ability to ? research, write and format basic research reports‘ as well as developing formal oral presentation skills is important to prepare students for both ?academic success and the workplace‘. Similarly Riemer (2002) claims that whilst engineering knowledge and technical expertise are important attributes the graduate engineer must be able to present this knowledge ? ith an excellent standard of communication skills‘. However, where Najar emphasises written and teamwork communication skills, Riemer (2002) claims that emphasis on oral communication skills is highly valued by employers. Riemer further elabourates that oral communication and presentation skills are ? career enhancers‘ which may be considered as ? the biggest single factor in determining a student‘s career success or failure‘ (Beder 2000 cited in Riemer 2002). Despite the apparent emphasis that Riemer places on oral communication skills he also acknowledges that there are a number of areas of communication skills which are necessary for engineers, including written communication skills, technical terminology and professional jargon. The later two areas are probably best described in linguistic terms such as genre and discourse, which are indicative that for each specific discipline there is an accompanying language culture. Internationally, universities are also engaged in the teaching and learning of engineering communication skills. Einstein in his 2002 overview of changes in engineering education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes a new approach implemented in the School of Civil Engineering which was developed in response to the view that what was being taught in universities was increasingly divorced from practice. As a result twelve courses were either created or developed in most of which ? regular oral, written and illustrated presentations‘ were required. Similarly Carlton University in Canada also recognised that the engineering discipline had specific needs in the teaching and learning of communication skills (Artemeva et al 1999). These needs related directly to the transition of engineering students from an ? academic to a workplace environment‘. In the case of Carlton University engineering communication studies emphasise written communication skills. The Carlton University approach described by Artemeva et al (1999) is in contrast to Riemers (2002) theoretical proposition on the prominence required in developing oral communication skills for the workplace. One other key difference in Riemers (2002) paper to the approaches suggested by Artemeva et al (1999) as well as Najar (2001) and Einstein (2002), is that Artemeva et al, Najar and Einstein are all overviewing programs of engineering communication already in existence. A common theme emergent in the literature is that many institutions recommend an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching and learning of engineering communication. Various researchers and educators claim that linking acquisition of academic communication skills to authentic engineering tasks 347 both challenges students negative attitudes, towards what they term ? earning English‘, as well as promotes student motivation. Shwom and Hirsch (1999) claim that shared agenda between disciplines recognises the equal status of engineering and communication, or the ? equal place at centre stage of the course‘. This view is also reinforced by Jennnings and Ferguson in their 2002 study, of communication engineering skills in Queen‘s University, Belfast, which states that through linking the study of communication skills to the exploration of engineering issues that communication skills become a key element in the educational process. Furthermore, ? here is a greater likelihood that students will develop a better overall perspective on their (engineering) subject‘. Significantly, many courses which have implemented an interdisciplinary approach have combined the teaching of communication skills with engineering design subjects. In an approach similar to that of the School of Mechanical Engineering, at The University of Adelaide, engineering schools at Northwestern University, USA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and Flinders University, South Australia advocate an interdisciplinary approach that combines engineering communication with engineering design. In reference to the program at Northwestern University, Shwom Hirsch (1999), claim that design and communication are ? ideal partners‘ and that students ? combined knowledge of both fields will make them both better designers and better communicators‘. Additionally students are convinced of the importance of communication in engineering. Of the interdisciplinary approach taken at MIT, Einstein (2002) describes design as a synthesising process which requires various visual, written and problem solving skills inferring therefore that it is the natural setting for teaching and learning communication skills. He goes on to state that ? design (synthesis), coordination and communication‘ are regarded as the major features of the MIT , Civil and Environmental approach to engineering education. Najar (2001) discusses the Language in Use (LIU) modules linked directly to engineering design project work at Flinders University. A notable similarity with the approach of Adelaide University‘s School of Mechanical Engineering approach is that the development of students engineering knowledge is supported in an integrated way by the acquisition of professional and academic communication skills. Skills common to both universities include; how to communicate orally, how to research, and how to write and format research reports. Similarly the interdisciplinary approach employed in the Civil Engineering Department at Queens University, Belfast covers related communication issues in use of the library (how to research), English composition and technical report writing (written communication) and Public speaking (oral communication). Additionally Queens University covers poster presentation (visual communication) an area that the Adelaide University program covers in fourth year but which is not mentioned in the Flinders University program. It is apparent from the literature therefore, that the need for communicative competence in engineering education has been recognised in a number of places worldwide. In particular, an interdisciplinary education approach in engineering communication has been introduced in a range of Universities which offer engineering studies. Despite some differences in the methodologies, curricula and elements of communication addressed by different universities, including the University of Adelaide, these studies indicate that the synthesis of engineering design, which is inherently practical in nature, with the need to communicate the design process and outcomes is both an ideal setting and an important factor for positively influencing student motivation and skills in the study of professional communication. By promoting a shared agenda between disciplines the literature also suggests that this may also promote student recognition of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by the programs discussed here the literature agrees that increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry. THE ADELAIDE APPROACH Background The teaching of professional communication skills within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide has evolved over a number of years since the mid 1990s. This evolution has experienced different iterations with the current approach developing more directly from a combination of initiatives taken both within the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering, and by the then Advisory Centre for University Education (ACUE), now the Centre for Learning and 348 Professional Development (CLPD). These initiatives led to the creation of various courses in Engineering Communication including courses for International Students. The Faculty wide Engineering Communication (EAL) course was traditionally managed by the School of Mechanical Engineering. In Semester 2, 2006 this course was transferred to management by the Faculty Academic Registrar in order to reflect the Faculty wide nature of the need for dedicated engineering communication course for international undergraduates. Within the School other initiatives led to the teaching of Engineering Communication to 3rd year students. Initially taught as a separate subject this course was combined with the Level III Design in 2004. In the same year the School of Mechanical Engineering also created a new course, Engineering Planning Design and Communication (EPDC), for entry level students. The Mechanical Engineering Communication approach consists of a fully integrated, nested curriculum of courses, designed to; explicitly link communication learning to learning in engineering at all year levels, ? develop students‘ ability to construct and present logical argument discursively, ? oster language development from sentence level skills to large document written and oral communication, ? encourage active participation through class discussion and response to formative feedback, ? foster the ability to communicate problem identification, formulation and solution to diverse audiences and ? use development in communicative ability as a vehicle for fostering students‘ insight into and perspective on engineeri ng practice in the community, including the social, cultural, political, international and environmental context of professional engineering practice. Each course in the program, illustrated below in Figure 1, addresses these aims while embedded within either broader Engineering course curricula or, in the case of Engineering Communication EAL, within a curriculum that employs specific strategies that address the needs of EAL Engineering students (Adams Missingham 2006). 349 EPDC Level I 2 Engineer Communication EAL 1 Design Practice Level I I 2 Engineering and the Environment Level III 2 Design Commun. Level III 2 Research Communication Program 1 Design Project Level IV 2 (Postgraduate) Figure 1: Mechanical Engineering Communication courses showing their relationships to each other and the broader Engineering curriculum. 1 for students enrolled in all Engineering disciplines 2 for students enrolled in Mechanical Engineering Theory The theoretical underpinning of the first year Engineering Planning Design and Communication course and the third year Design and Communication course is based on the notion of ? ocial constuctivism‘ as advanced by Vygotsky. In particular, Bruners‘ concept of ? scaffolded‘ learning (Wood, Bruner Rose 1975) informs the student based approach that is centred on active participatory curricula which aims at assisting students to develop increasingly skilled levels of academic and professional communication. Social constructivism grew from a view that educational methods needed to be base concepts of learning beyond rote memorisation, ? egurgitationâ₠¬Ëœ of facts and the division of knowledge into different subjects. Early approaches sought to provide appropriate learning situations where teachers allowed students to develop their own knowledge, meaning and truth in a context which would enable them to use the learning throughout their life. Vygotsky developed this philosophy, noting that ? the central fact about our psychology is the fact of mediation‘ (Vygotsky 1978 p. 166). Social constructivists consider that the dynamic interaction between instructors, learners and tasks provides the opportunity for learners to create their own understanding through the interaction with others and is the most optimal learning environment. The constructivist approach, guiding the Mechanical Engineering communication courses is further reinforced in the application of Brunerian notions of the ? spiral curriculum‘. Bruner postulated that ? A curriculum as it develops should revisit the basic ideas repeatedly, building on them until the student has grasped the full formal apparatus that goes with them‘ (Bruner 1960) p. 3). 350 In the School of Mechanical Engineering these theories guide the designing of courses which are aimed at developing generic language skills which can be used as the basis for current and future application within the engineering industry, rather than a language course focussed solely on communicating engineering terms. The learning and t eaching of communication skills across all levels of the undergraduate program enables scaffolding of knowledge to be integrated rather than focussing on a short d of student teacher interaction. Through this approach skills acquired in first year communication are reinforced in second year Design Practice, extended and elaborated on in the level III course and then reinforced again through workshops and practice in the fourth year Design Project. Borrowing from neuroscience research into learning. the 2006 Level III and semester 2 EAL students have informed the idea of a concept of developing an habitual intellectual framework. Whilst relying on heavily on scaffolded learning, this concept also aims to redress some of the negative perceptions that engineering student have about ? earning English‘ by encouraging students to acquire higher cognition learning in communication skills which they can then apply as habit. PRACTICE AND PERCEPTION Three dedicated communication courses are provided at undergraduate level, Engineering Communication EAL (English as an Additional Language), Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III). The overall aim of the three courses is to provide students with an nderstanding of the importance of communication to the professional engineer and to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, flexibility and confidence to be good engineering communicators. Through the application of Student Experience of Teaching and Learning (SELT) surveys students are able to comment on and assess the effectiveness of the courses to their needs. At the same time instructors are able to monitor student needs and make appropriate changes to the curriculum and methodology if required. Engineering Communication EAL Engineering Communication EAL was designed specifically to meet the particular needs of international students and to be complementary to the technical engineering courses students undertake to complete their degrees. Through a variety of formal and informal learning strategies students are introduced to and practice basic research techniques. These techniques include ? locating, critically reading and interpreting academically acceptable sources ? presenting their analysis in the form of evidenced based propositions with sources integrated appropriately ? resenting the argument in both a written and an oral form suitable for an academic audience. The strategies used emphasise participation and practice as key elements to becoming effective communicators. Therefore, classes are very active, sometimes rowdy and frequently fun with group discussions and impromptu presentations of issues, group and individual exercises integrated with peer teaching/learning through guided presentation of answers to the class, and open class discussion inviting students to academically critique their own and others responses. Student Experience of Teaching and Learning (SELT) surveys consistently indicate that learning outcomes for students are enhanced by ? full participation on (sic) the aims of the course‘, ? giving feedback to students about their participation‘, adjusting the teaching ? of various topics accordingly (sic) to the class – enabling faster, more effective learning‘, ? very dynamic lessons‘ and being ? able to stimulate my learning‘. Formal assessment strategies involve a series of formative assessments which involve students applying feedback provided to a subsequent assignment. Student comments indicate that this approach is highly effective. Design and Communication courses The Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III) courses are provided for all students undertaking degree programs in the School of Mechanical Engineering. The integration of communication and engineering design was devised specifically to emphasise the importance of professional engineering communication and to ensure that communication is not seen by students as a stand alone subject that can be completed and then forgotten about. The effectiveness of this approach in highlighting the importance of communication has been recognised by students who report that the course(s) ? improves your speaking and writing skills‘, 351 ?helps with the written work in other subjects‘, they have ? learnt how to write for university assignments‘, and ? learning academic writing (is) useful to further years of study‘. A number of students have explicitly stated that the course taught them ? to communicate effectively and should be compulsory for all engineer‘?. These comments are also consistent with graduate attributes specified as important not only by the Faculty but also by the engineering industry, including ? the ? ability to communicate effectively‘, ? the ? ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution‘ ? the acquisition of skills to enable the ? pursuit of life long learning‘. Course material is also designed to be complementary to the Engineering Communication EAL course by providing reinforcement of and extension to the skills learnt. For example, the Level I course provides students with the additional educational framework and the opportunity to apply skills learnt in ESL to the needs of report writing and the oral presentation of progress reports on a Planning and Design project. Student feedback through SELT surveys consistently evidence the importance of these skills, for example, ? It was great knowing how to structure a report properly‘ and the ? introduction to engineering report writing is very comprehensive‘. A further integrative approach that has been taken in the Level I and Level III courses is reflected in the establishment of the relationships with prior learning and future learning. For example, Level III examines structure, cohesion, critical thinking and analysis, the use of evidence, presenting arguments both in written and oral form and report writing at a more advanced level than the Level I course. The Level III communication course is also an important prerequisite to level the IV Design Project, where all students must write an extensive design report and present a professional seminar on their project. Challenges and Outcomes Empirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that engineers are poor communicators and that one of the factors which influences student choice in undertaking engineering studies is the belief they will not need ? English?. Therefore, discussions and exercises are designed to encourage students to participate and practice skills, to be flexible in their approach to language and its uses, to contribute their ideas, to build on their strengths and to develop confidence. The value placed on practical evidencing of communication is reflected in a participation mark, worth 20% of the total assessment. As a result classes are noisy and dynamic. Students also find that effective communication can be both useful and enjoyable. For example, SELT comments show ? I like the idea of students presenting ideas on overheads (transparencies) in class activities‘, the course ? keeps people interested in tasks that could be very boring‘, ? A good environment for learning is provided‘ and ? interactivity of the class in tasks helps us to gain a better understanding of the subject‘. Similar strategies of regular class and group discussions as well as workshop exercises are used throughout the courses to ensure students regularly practice the skills of communication. Student response indicates that group learning and discussion ? stimulates learning without placing student under pressure‘ and that all students‘are able to learn something regardless of language ability‘. Individual students and groups are invited to present analyses and answers to the whole class and then to call for comments from their peers. The importance to student learning of this approach is exemplified in the following SELT comment ? Doing exercises and presentations in class forced me to do the work which I otherwise would not have touched if it had been set as homework. I appreciate that. Students are encouraged to form cross cultural groups during classes, so that a greater understanding of diversity and its value in engineering is promoted. At the same time students must undertake practical work in developing effective team work skills in order to be able to complete tasks and class based exercises. Students frequently comment that the group work is th e best aspect of the course as it provides opportunity to improve interpersonal communication skills and to gain a real sense of diversity through their interaction with students of different socio-cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Student comments indicate that working in cross cultural groups encourages ? acceptance of all ideas‘. Students discuss and at times challenge the characteristics of English for academic and professional purposes as presented in these courses. In doing so, students become increasingly aware of how purpose and socio-cultural factors shape the kind of language used in different contexts rather than 352 viewing language as simply correct or incorrect, or based predominantly on the rules of grammar. Issues of ethics and social responsibility arise naturally in relation to topics and lecturers encourage students to discuss these in class. Similarly communication and management themes highlight the nontechnical role aspects of engineering. Students have reflected that ? This (allows you to) practice skills you actually need‘ and there is a ? good balance for a broad variety of skills‘ development. Links to industry expectations are also reinforced through guest presentations from graduate engineers, Engineers Australia and industry leaders. In these way students are encouraged to broaden their perception of the engineering industry as a technical culture to include the understanding that engineering is also a communicative culture. Formal Assessment of Student Work A series of formal assessments, both oral and written are also undertaken to ensure that students can also apply research and analytical skills in a ? planned and timely manner‘ as highlighted by engineering graduate attributes. Formative feedback is given on all assignments in order that students may take full advantage of self directed learning. Students who apply the feedback to subsequent assignments are rewarded for both the attempt and the quality of the improvements made. Students report that this approach provides ? constructive criticism‘ which ? helps each student‘ to ? check their drafts carefully‘. Assessment criteria and their relationship to graduate attributes are fully discussed in both the course notes and in conjunction with exercises, and students have expressed this helps them to place learning in the context of professional and industry expectations, ? hen it‘s explained, it makes sense that engineers spend so much time writing reports, talking to clients and presenting project ideas to meetings‘. RESEARCH TOPICS AND TOPICAL RESEARCH To broaden student awareness of their professional responsibilities as engineers within society, in addition to operating within a company framework, research topics are carefully chosen to reflect community and industry concerns. In particular th e topics chosen provide for critical awareness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustainability and social justice. For example, the research topic for the current semesters Engineering Communication EAL course is the Role of Engineers, through which students are exploring issues such as personal and interpersonal skills, engineering education and life long learning, ethical responsibilities, social and environmental factors, holistic thinking, entrepreneurship as well as technical skills. Previous topics have included an examination of gender issues in engineering education and the profession, forensic engineering, and the effects of teamwork on the outcomes of engineering projects. The imbedded nature of the Engineering Communications courses within the engineering curriculum ensures that the research topics are relevant to engineering practice, topical and frequently devised in collaboration with engineering lecturers. Level III Design and Communication research topics, for example, are devised together with the design lecturer and sometimes also with reference to other departmental members. The current semesters‘ research topic was directly linked to the Design Project topics. These topics and the communication research topic specifically designed to be co-related. Through this collaborative approach aspect of sustainability in engineering practice are reinforced and student skills in critical thinking, analysis and evaluation of research information are further developed. In Design the projects are to design a Formula SAE Car, Bio-Oil Trike, Biodiesel Bike, 1. 0 litre Biodiesel Taxi Tuk-Tuk, Hybrid Solar Electric Vehicle, Biodiesel Boat, Formula SAE Aircraft, Alternative Energy 2-Seater Aircraft, Hybrid Solar/Biofuel Generator, Fossil-Fuel-Free irrigation system or a Nano-satellite. The topic for the Communication assignments is ? ustainability‘, applied to the chosen design project. , as outlined below. Topic The broad objective of sustainable development is ? to achieve social justice, sustainable economies, and environmental sustainability? ( European Conference on Sustainable Cities Towns, 1994). Australia has a National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development which aims to ? meet the needs of Australians today, while con serving our ecosystems for the benefit of future generations? (Office of Sustainability, Department of Environment and Heritage, 2006). 53 Task Environmental sustainability is a fundamental aspect of sustainability. For your Communication assignments you should identify how environmentally sustainable features can be incorporated in the design of your project, for example a bio-diesel boat, or alternative energy 2-seater aircraft. In addition, you should compare the effects of these features to a traditionally designed version of your project. You are not expected to justify sustainability. Your research must focus on the specific features of sustainable transport. Yong Missingham, 2006) Previous research topics have included the following: Investigate an ethical dilemma in an engineering project, and critically evaluate the response of the engineering company or companies involved, in terms of relevant tenets of the IEAust Code of Ethics. (Yong Missingham, 2005) Select an example of technological development that is prominent in industrialised society and analyse the benefits as well as the adverse effects of this technology to individuals, society and the environment. Yong Missingham, 2004) A high level of both professional communication skills and an appreciation of community concerns required to be developed by the Level III Mechanical Engineering students. The topic descriptions have also been carefully devised to illustrate to students the inter-relationship of effective communication and an understanding of the social, cultural, political, international and environmental impacts implicit in the professional practice of engineering. These expectations are detailed in the Research Topic paper given below. ?Your research is to be based on a topic which has social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications. Engineers work in every sphere of life. As a professional engineer you will be working in an array of industries, in various contexts, and making contact with many people about professional organisations, government departments and agencies, allied industries and organisations, academics, and others. As an effective communicator and decision maker, you will need to be able to present your interpretation and findings on a range of issues, as will occur in the negotiation and management of projects, the submission of tenders, and the advising of clients. The topic for your research in this subject aims to provide you will strategies to both write and talk about your interpretation and findings about diverse issues. Your writing and your presentations will be an attempt to convince a nonspecialist audience of your point of view. You may choose one of the following areas of research for your project. Topic A – the impact of engineering projects on local communities The projects you may work on as an engineer could have significant social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications for people and communities who are not directly involved in the implementation of the project. Your research task is to: Discuss an engineering project which has, or has had, a significant impact/s on local communities Your research is to examine the impacts and outcomes of a specific engineering project on a community or communities. Examples of engineering projects could be dams or hydro-electric projects, weapons testing, mining, the building and operation of chemical or other industrial plants, building roads and railways, and others. The size of the project is unimportant, rather it is its impact on the local community which will be the focus of your research. The impacts could be one of the following scenarios, or a combination of scenarios: ? Well recognised and integrated into the planning of the engineering project, yet have provided, or are providing, difficulties in the implementation and outcomes of the project ? Recognised by the local communities or interest groups, but rejected or ignored by project planners and workers ? Unrealised in past projects, with the long-term consequences now the subject of community and/or legal dispute. 354 Your discussion needs to be an examination, that is, an analysis of the impacts arising from the project. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history of the project, the engineering technicalities, or merely describing the impacts. You need to read as widely as possible about the project you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) impact/s of the project. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, analyse only two or three impacts of the project. The word limit set for your assignments means you will not be able to cover all aspects of the project. Your focus needs to be an in-depth examination rather than a broad sweep of issues. Topic B – the impact of seemingly simple technology on the existence of communities. This topic also aims to examine the impact of (seemingly simple) technology on the existence and quality of life for those who use or used the technology. Your task is to: Discuss the impact of a seemingly simple technology on the existence of a community This research topic involves examining the design logic underpinning the technology and importantly the effectiveness of its use. Examples of apparently simple technology could be the boomerang, other hunting implements, for example, harpoons and poison arrows, a specific type of irrigation system, terracing for the cultivation of crops, and others. Your research needs to take account of: ? The design logic underpinning the technology ? The quality of life and survival provided for those who used the technology ? Any evidence which debates the effectiveness of technology, particularly its long term use. The technology you are examining may have been beneficial for a community in the short term, but in the longer term, further developments, modifications, abandonment of the technology, may have ensured a better quality of life, even survival, of a community. Long term environmental impacts could be important in your study. Your discussion needs to be an analysis of the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history or the form of the technology. This information needs to be only brief background information. You need to read as widely as possible about the technology you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) effects of its use. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, on the analysis of two or three aspects of effectiveness of the technology. The technology could be from any era, past or even present day. If you are examining past technology, your focus needs to be on the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology itself for its intended purpose regardless of other influencing factors such as the introduction of other technology as a result of invasion, colonisation, or economic factors. Alternatively, the technology could be in current use or development, such as reversions to more environmentally sustainable technologies, for example, wind power. (Wake, 2002) CONCLUSION By promoting a shared agenda between language and engineering disciplines it is suggested that this may also promote student recognition of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by various programs discussed here, increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry. The program developed by School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide represents a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in an Australian university, which aims to develop communicative ability, community engagement and an awareness of the social, cultural, political, international, environmental and ethical contexts in which professional engineers practice. 55 ACKNOWLEDEMENTS Thanks go to many colleagues and friends, and to staff and students of the School of Mechanical Engineering who provided input (often unwittingly) to this research proposal. Thank you to Karen Adams for the stimulating and frequent discussions on many things educational and philosophical and Colin Kestell engineering lecturer extraordinaire who can always be relied on to stimulate teaching enthusiasm and creativity. Many thanks go to wonderful colleagues Elizabeth Yong and Kristin Munday whose considerable work is also represented here, and to Catherine Irving and Patricia Zoltan whose support, intellectual contributions and hard work have also contributed to this program. Thank you also to Barbara Wake whose commitment to and knowledge of academic communication which, together with the vision of Colin Hansen, Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering have enabled the development of such a successful program of professional and academic engineering communication. Special thanks to Roxanne Missingham for the editing and encouragement. REFERENCE Adams, K D Missingham (2006) Contributions to Student Learning: An overview of Engineering Communication courses in Mechanical Engineering education, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide, unpublished (internal) report. Alvesson, M (2004) Knowledge Work and Knowledge-intensive Firms, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Artemeva, Natasha, Logie, Susan St-Martin, Jennie (1999) ? From Page to Stage: How Theories of Genre and Situated Learning Help Introduce Engineering Students to Discipline-Specific Communication? Technical Communication Quarterly, Summer, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 301-316. Bruner, J (1960) The Process of Education, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (2000) Employer satisfaction with graduate skills: research report, by AC Nielsen, DEETYA, Canberra. Einstein, H Herbert 2002, ? Engineering Change at MIT†˜, Civil Engineering, October, vol. 72, i. 10, pp. 62-69. European Conference on Sustainable Cities Towns, Aalborg, Denmark, 1994, Charter of European Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability, p. http://ec. europa. eu/environment/urban/pdf/aalborg_charter. pdfgt; viewed 21 July, 2006 Institution of Engineers Australia (1999) National Generic Competence Standards, IEAust, Canberra. Jennings, Alan Ferguson JD (1995) ? Focussing on Communication Skills in Engineering Education‘, Studies in Higher Education, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 305-314. Lee, Tong Fui (2003) ? Identifying essential learning skills in students‘ Engineering education‘, paper presented at the Annual HERDSA Conference, 6-9 July, Christchurch, New Zealand. Najar, Robyn L (2001) ? Facilitating the development of disciplinary knowledge and communication skills: Integrating Curriculum‘, paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Freemantle, 2-6 December. Newell, James A, Marchese, Anthony J, Ramachandran, Ravi P, Sukumaran, Beena Harvey, Roberta (1999) ? Multidisciplinary Design and Communication‘, International Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 1-7. Office of Sustainability, Department of Environment and Heritage, Government of South Australia, (2006) What is sustainability? viewed 21 July, 2006 356 Riemer, Marc J (2002) ? English and Communication Skills for the Global Engineer‘, Global Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 6, no. 1. Shwom, Barbara Hirsch, Penny (1999) ? Re-envisioning the writing requirement: an interdisciplinary approach‘, Business Communication Quarterly, March, vol. 62, i. 1, pp. 104-108. Vygotsky, L S (1978) Mind in Society, MIT Press, Cambr idge, Mass. Wake, B (2002) Engineering Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Wood, D, Bruner, J, Rose, S (1975) ? The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving‘, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 17, pp. 89-100. Yong, E Missingham, (2006) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Yong, E Missingham, (2005) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Yong, E Missingham, (2004) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. 357