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Manual 2014/2015
WAG1PAVE – Professional Behaviour and Communication - part A

Study unit Year 1 Terms 1 and 2
Size Study Unit: 5 ECTS
Programme: all programmes
Study Unit coordinator: Ivonne de Moor

Document version: August 2014
Information Coordinator
Name: Ivonne de Moor
E-mail: [e-mail]
Phone number: ([phone]

Information Document
Authors: Ivonne de Moor
Name document: Manual PBC Y1T12 2014
Number of Pages: 12
Version: August 2014

Table of Contents

1. Study Unit Description
1.1 Introduction
In today’s world, innovations and fast developments in technology and knowledge are part of life. More and more, professionals are expected to keep up with changes, to frequently adapt and to keep developing themselves. Insights have changed, not only in the ‘hardware’ (technologies, innovative solutions) but also in the ‘software’: ways of working, management strategies, relations in the workplace, and communication practice.

It is not always easy to distinguish the important ideas from the less important ones, what is going to be a temporary fashion and what will really be of help to a company or an organization. Even after university studies, it is not always easy for professionals to stay up-to-date and at the same time trust their existing expertise. Professionals also have to be prepared to switch jobs, get used to new working environments and stay flexible. And finally they have to deal with high expectations and the pressure to perform.

Of course there are different programmes to choose from at VHL Wageningen, and one student is different from another. But many of you aspire to become professionals often in an international context, and you will come across the situation as described above. since you all. So what else do you have in common?
You will work with other people (colleagues, clients, commissioners) and you have to relate to them in one way or another. That means communication is central.
English is crucial: you now need to learn to use spoken and written English, so that it becomes natural to you to work and learn in that language.
You will need to act professionally, that means you need to show certain professional behaviours and a ‘grown-up’ attitude. Other people need to rely on you and your sense of responsibility.
You have to learn how to learn, get to know yourself and develop yourself. So that you can make the right (career) choices in life, and do things as well as you can without underperforming or overstretching yourself.
This is why we try to prepare you for a professional career, so that you can be confident that upon graduation, you a have more than sufficient skills and knowledge, as well as the right attitude, to work in such changing environments, whilst keeping your head cool. So that, wherever you are and wherever you work, you are aware of the things that you still need to learn, but also of the things that you are good at and that you can rely on. And that whatever happens, you are prepared to find out and communicate with other people about what is needed. Whether you are working as an employee or perhaps later, in a more senior position, managing others.

In more formal terms, the goal of working on your competences F and G is therefore ‘to develop students’ abilities to communicate and collaborate professionally in an international context, and to engage in a process of developing themselves professionally. This is done through a combined programme of Mentoring, Training and English sessions.’

In the first two terms of year 1, we take the first steps towards that goal.

1.2 General Content
The study unit is offered through a combined programme of Mentoring, Training and English sessions.
Mentoring:
Topics
Performance and study progress of student
Professional orientation
Wellbeing of student
Description
Monitoring of study progress and support of the individual student in relation to her/his personal and professional behaviour and development. The mentor (a staff member from the Course Programme) supports professional orientation: at the end of term 2 in the choice of major.
Training:
Topics
Communication, feedback (incl. peer assessment skills)
Teamwork, Task process and team process, exercises)
Reflection
Planning work and study skills
Description
Three training sessions per term in order to start understanding the above mentioned topics and begin to demonstrate skills and use tools that are practiced in the sessions.
English:
Topics
Pre-test level B2 CEFR vocabulary acquisition listening and reading basic and formal writing skills, introduction to (ESAP) English for Specific and Academic Purposes
Description
Six sessions per term in which students first do a preliminary test. Students are instructed on vocabulary acquisition, and have the opportunity to write practice papers during the term targeted on specific purposes. Sessions further emphasize on writing skills. In addition, students practice text analysis & reading comprehension with (critical) analysis.
Please note that for the English sessions there is a separate manual.

2. Competences and Learning objectives

2.1 Competence and level
This study unit develops two very related competences, which are offered for students of all Bachelor programmes of VHL in a generic way.
Competence F: To communicate in an international setting
Competence F is a very broad competence encompassing spoken and written English, developing skills such as listening, presenting, interviewing, writing, working in teams effectively. It is focused on communication in the professional international setting and at times this also touches on interpersonal (life) communication skills too: eg reflecting, giving and receiving feedback, cross-cultural understanding. At higher levels the practice and understanding of similar qualities may be repeated but in more complex situations, or in a different role, eg as a manager, advisor etc.
Competence G: To develop professional behaviour
Competence G is all about learning to adopt an attitude needed for a professional: taking responsibility, performing according to your abilities and qualities, being able to adapt to the circumstances, including handling cultural differences. This includes knowing yourself well with your strengths and weaknesses, acting upon those weaknesses eg by setting learning goals for yourself. Again, the focus is on qualities needed for a professional attitude but these qualities are never far from more general life qualities, eg setting priorities, making choices.
It is obvious that professional behaviour is often very much integrated with communication (so with competence F) and therefore the two competences are usually mentioned together. In the first year of studies these competences are offered at level 1:
Please be reminded that for the English sessions there is a separate manual.

2.2 Learning objectives
The objectives for this study unit (terms 1 and 2 of year 1) are as follows:
Students show knowledge and understanding of interpersonal professional communication, and of the importance developing these competencies for their studies at VHL.
Students show reflection skills focused on their teamwork experience and begin to use different instruments to study effectively, to communicate and develop professionally.
Students begin to feel at ease with using the English language on a daily basis and learn to use it correctly and independently in a professional and academic context both in verbal and written forms. Level of English is based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), year 1: B1 for reading, listening, and writing skills. B2 for speaking skills.

2.3 Professional role

The relevance of what students learn in this study unit is that it gets them started in their studies and the way of studying and learning at VHL. This includes how to get to grips with a task as a team. Besides teamwork, we also wish to train students in becoming reflective about the quality of their (team) work: how did it go? What was my role? What did others do? How could I do better next time?

In many professional situations team work is a key feature of day to day work and by starting to do this early on, we intend to train students thoroughly. We use the same teams that work together on assignments for other study units.

3. Learning methods and Learning activities

3.1 General outline
Generally speaking there are 3 methods of teaching and learning in the study unit Professional Behaviour and Communication, and they complement each other. On Blackboard you will find an overview of different activities related to the first and second term of PBC under the name Timeline PBC.
Mentoring:
Mentoring means the monitoring of your study progress and supporting you as an individual student in relation to your personal and professional behaviour and development. The mentor is usually a staff member from your Course Programme and will also support you in your professional orientation, for example at the end of term 2 in the choice of major.
In the mentoring time, you have individual meetings with your mentor. In several cases you have to prepare yourself for such meetings, for example by writing something in advance and by placing it on your own digital space on Blackboard.
Usually your mentor will meet her or his group of mentoring students (10 students) all together, in the first or second week of each term. After that, 2 individual meetings will be held each term and you and your mentor have to arrange for this.
Training:
Each term, three training sessions (of 3 hours each) are held. These trainings are interactive group sessions, where a lot of communication skills and certain tools are being practiced and discussed, and real-life situations are simulated. Your trainer is a specialised communication trainer and he or she will not be afraid to challenge you and invite you to go just a little further than what you normally do. Trainings are often fun but of course it is all about very serious and real competences to be developed.
In several cases you have to prepare yourself for your training, for example by self-study (reading or writing something in advance) and bringing examples from your own experience to the training room, and/or by placing something you have written on your digital space on Blackboard.

English:

Six interactive sessions are held per term and this is combined with an intensive programme of self-study as instructed in the separate manual.
At the beginning of the first term students do a preliminary test. Students are instructed on vocabulary acquisition, and have the opportunity to write practice papers during the term targeted on specific purposes. Sessions further emphasize on writing skills. In addition, students practice text analysis & reading comprehension with (critical) analysis.
Please be reminded that for English there is a separate manual.

3.2 Supporting lessons

Mentoring programme
Term 1
1. Plenary introduction to PBC by the co-ordinator:
What is PBC, meaning of competences F&G
Pathway of year 1 focussing on PBC
Important tips (use of your digital space on Blackboard, prepare for your sessions)
2. Group meeting with your mentor:
Getting to know your mentor and each other
Submitting your cv and portrait
3. Two (2) individual meetings with mentor:
Discuss progress and difficulties: study skills, team work
Term 2
4. Study Abroad Event in week 1
5. Group meeting about choice of major and placement (with mentor or otherwise)
6. Two (2) individual meetings (or 3 very short ones) with mentor:
Discuss results of first term, discuss reflective report written for assessment term 1
Discuss progress and difficulties: study skills, team work

Training sessions
Term 1
1. Introduction to communication and Team work I:
What is communication and why is it so important? What is the scope that we have in these trainings?
What is Team work? The 3 aspects of team work: Product (or task), Task process, Team process. In this term we’ll focus on Task process: the ‘hardware’ of the collaboration process, or the procedures and steps involved.
Practicing with task process (exercise in class). How to make sure to use this in your term team assignment?

2. Study skills:
Discussing and practicing different skills: Planning, preparing, reading books, writing an action plan, summarizing, repeating, asking questions.
Discussing experiences with teamwork during the term. Tips for improvement.
3. Reflection I and Practice for assessment:
What is reflection and why should we reflect?
Using a format for reflection, formulating reflection questions, writing a reflective report.
Practicing the procedure for the assessment.
Term2
4. Teamwork II:
Looking back in plenary on Task process in 1st term. Lessons learnt
Repeating 3 aspects of Team work, now focus on Team process: the ‘software’ of collaboration.
Exercise with team work, focusing on team process
5. Face to face communication skills:
Discussing and practicing different skills: listening, summarizing, asking questions, paraphrasing, non-verbal reactions.
Feedback: rules of giving and receiving feedback, Johari window.
6. Preparing for a Personal Development Plan:
Using a format for a PDP
Formulating SMART: what is it, why is it important.
Practicing the use of the format in a SMART way

English sessions
Be reminded that for English there is a separate manual, giving you all the details of the lessons and preparations needed.

3.3 Assignments
On Blackboard you will find an overview of different activities related to the first and second term of PBC under the name Timeline PBC. In this ‘Timeline’ you also find products that we expect you to submit or upload on your digital space in Blackboard.
In summary the assignments for mentoring and training (not including English) are as follows:

Term 1
Week 1 - Initial choice of major – for mentor, major co-ordinators and programme co-ordinators.
Week 2 – Submit your cv and portrait by uploading on your digital space on Blackboard – for mentor. Not marked
Week 8/9 – Write reflective report for assessment. Exact deadline to be communicated by trainer. Upload on Blackboard – for assessor to be marked, also visible for mentor.
Term 2
End of week 8 – Write and submit Personal Development Plan including initial choice of major and an image of your ‘dreamed’ first placement. Upload on Blackboard – for mentor, also visible for trainer. Not marked, but will be subsequently discussed with mentor at the beginning of term 3.
In addition to the above, you are strongly advised to prepare for the individual mentoring meetings by thinking about how you are doing study-wise, what needs your special attention, what should be discussed with the mentor, … This may also include writing down a number of points.

4. Examination
4.1 General outline
For this study unit, two partial examinations are organised, WAG1PA1W (40%) and WAG1PA2W (60%), together providing the final grade for this study unit. Together the two exams need to have a weighted average of 5,5 to pass the study unit (of 5 EC).
WAG1PA1W “Reflecting on team work”
Examination in term 1
Type of assessment: team meeting (week 7 or 8), individual written paper (week 8/9)

Description
In week 7 or 8 a team meeting is organised for the team that worked together during term, under guidance of the trainer, in which a ‘peer assessment’ is carried out, with a duration of 45 minutes total. Immediately before this team meeting, students get 30 minutes to prepare individually. The peer assessment discusses task process (procedures, road map, methods) and team process (task sharing, team meeting skills, communication skills). Afterwards, at home, students write an individual reflection paper (based on a format) about teamwork during the term and taking on board the feedback from peers. Paper is marked.

The procedure of the peer assessment will be practiced during one of the training sessions.

WAG1PA2W “Writing a formal paper”

Examination in term 2
Type of assessment: written exam

Description
The written assessment takes place in a computer room on a stand-alone computer, so students can only use Word. Students are allowed to bring dictionaries and grammar reference books, which are clean (no notes inside) and may be inspected by the supervisor. Students get a writing assignment at the start of the assessment and then write a paper (memo, letter, report, proposal, essay) of about 350 words in 120 minutes.
Topic of the paper is only known in the exam room. Paper is assessed on English proficiency using criteria such as accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, mindfulness of organization and structure of paragraphs, and awareness of style and audience.

4.2 Criteria and grading
WAG1PA1W “Reflecting on team work”

Bottom mark: 5
Weighing: 40%

Marking criteria:
Student is capable of writing a 750-1000 words reflective paper, in which the opinions of others are compared with those of self.
Student uses the offered format for reflection.
Student selects relevant situations and can formulate appropriate reflection questions about these situations.
Student draws conclusions and lessons learnt.
Student has included the feedback forms as an appendix.

WAG1PA2W “Writing a formal paper”

Bottom mark: 5
Weighing: 60%

Description
The written assessment takes place in a computer room on a stand-alone computer, so students can only use Word. Students are allowed to bring dictionaries and grammar reference books, which are clean (no notes inside) and may be inspected by the supervisor. Students get a writing assignment at the start of the assessment and then write a paper (memo, letter, report, proposal, essay) of about 350 words in 120 minutes.
Topic of the paper is only known in the exam room. Paper is assessed on English proficiency using criteria such as accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, mindfulness of organization and structure of paragraphs, and awareness of style and audience.

Marking criteria:
Students can write an accurate, formal paper
Students start becoming aware of and are capable of applying basic rules of paragraphing and layouts of different types of professional and academic documents.
Students start becoming aware of differences in formal and informal writing styles
Students start increasing their corpus of active vocabulary in both writing and speaking.
Together the two exams need to have a weighted average of 5,5 to pass the study unit (of 5 EC).

4.3 Resit

A partial examination has to be retaken when the grade is lower than 5. When both partial exams are 5 or higher but the weighted average is lower than 5,5, the student can choose which exam to resit.
Both partial examinations can be retaken in the term following the normal assessment moment. WAG1PA1W (Reflecting on team work) is a paper which can be rewritten if necessary, in term 2. The preceding team meeting in which a peer assessment took place, cannot be redone; the outcome of that meeting remains the basis upon which the paper is written. WAG1PA2W (Writing a formal paper) can be resat in term 3; a new topic is given in the exam room and the same procedure applies.

5. Additional Information

5.1 Staff information

Staff involved in Professional Behaviour and Communication:
Ms Reena Bakker-Dhaliwal (English language teacher). 86256. bakke153
Mr Harm Klein (Communication trainer). 86294. klein034
Ms Ivonne De Moor (Co-ordinator PBC). 86291. moor001
Mr Pierre Van Rijn (Communication trainer). 86295. rijn011
Ms Sigrid Wintermans (Communication trainer). 86251. winte029

For names and details of mentors, please check information on Blackboard.

5.2 Recommended reading
Grit, R. Guit, N. Sijde van der, Managing your competencies 3rd edition, 2012. Noordhoff.
Lee-Davies, Linda-Lee. Developing work and study skills. 2007. Thomson.
Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary with Oxford Writing Tutor (iWriter), 1952 pages Oxford University Press | 8th Revised edition (also apps available for iPhone and iPad) Argent, S, Olwyn A, Access EAP, Garnett Education, ISBN 978185964524-6