Discipline-specific

knowledge and
capabilities
Communication skills

Digital literacy

Critical thinking

Problem solving

Self-management

Teamwork

Global citizenship

ABSTRACT
Using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change is
one of Deakin Universitys eight Graduate Learning Outcomes. It is important for all Deakin
graduates to have mastered the generic skill of communication in order to attain employment,
be successful in their future careers and engage in professional written, oral and interpersonal
communication with colleagues, clients and the general public. It is important that units
and courses teach and assess communication skills in order to provide students with the
opportunity to develop what are important employability skills.
The following information is set out to assist academics at Deakin University to explore, create
and re-imagine what teaching and assessing communication as an outcome means.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

ORAL COMMUNICATION

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

WHY IS TEACHING COMMUNICATION AS AN OUTCOME

IMPORTANT FOR ACADEMICS?

WHY ARE COMMUNICATION SKILLS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS?

ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION TO CONSIDER

CULTURE

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL)

STUDENTS NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

INCLUSIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES AND COMMUNICATION

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

BODY LANGUAGE

TEACHING COMMUNICATION SKILLS

ORAL COMMUNICATION

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

ASSESSING COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND RUBRICS

10

HOW TO ASSESS

10

RUBRICS

11

WHO SHOULD ASSESS

11

FURTHER READINGS AND OTHER RESOURCES

13

JOURNAL ARTICLES / REPORT ARTICLES

13

DEAKIN RESOURCES

13

YOUTUBE AND OTHER CLIPS

13

REFERENCES

14

DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS RESOURCE

15

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
Communication has traditionally been seen as verbal or non-verbal (Iksan et al. 2012).
However, our understandings of communication are based on a rapidly evolving field that
incorporates many different domains. These domains are not necessarily mutually exclusive
and can transcend a traditional perception. These domains include face-to-face interactions
(e.g. premium located meetings), digital literacy including, email and texting, social media and
virtual environments for instance, ePortfolios, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The protocols
of communicating within each domain are different in regards to the length of message,
the texts used for specific communicative purposes, intended audience, acceptable norms,
nomenclature, spelling/grammar conventions, etc.
There are many elements to communicating effectively that individuals need to consider when
entering into some kind of communicative interaction. Some of these elements include. the
aim of the communication, level of formality (usually based on relationships of power and
purpose for the communication), consideration of audiences prior knowledge, cultural aspects
etc. Some elements specific to oral, written and interpersonal communication are listed below:

Oral communication
empathy
use of visual aids in a presentation
amount of information/detail in visual aides
provision of handouts
feedback from audience
engagement with audience
responding to questions from the audience
voice modulation
tone of voice
eye contact
presenters positioning within the room

Written communication
text type (e.g. report, case study, essay, reflective piece, annotated bibliography etc.)
appropriate length of document
structuring of the argument (usually presented as one main idea with supporting
evidence for each idea)
appropriate level of detail within document (e.g. presentation of supporting evidence,
referencing system)
ratio of white:black space (i.e., avoid long chunks of dense text)
font style/size
adherence to reference conventions (Harvard, APA, Vancouver etc.)

Communication skills 1

Interpersonal communication
emotional intelligence
body language
posture
sensitivity to the audience demonstrated through appropriate behaviour
active listening.

WHY IS TEACHING COMMUNICATION AS AN

OUTCOME IMPORTANT FOR ACADEMICS?
The teaching of communication as an outcome, along with expert content, is important as
it prepares students to better communicate through their assessment, enter into dialogue
with peers and academics, formulate questions to further their learning etc. It is also integral
to preparing for various professional environments and develop skills that are important as
graduates, and sought after by employers.

WHY ARE COMMUNICATION SKILLS IMPORTANT

FOR STUDENTS?
Effective communication skills are essential for Deakin University graduates to, gain entry to
and be successful in, their future professions. Learning and developing effective written, oral
and interpersonal communication skills will develop students emotional intelligence and
empathy through an understanding of their audience; these skills contribute significantly
toward positioning graduates as global citizens.
In the workplace and professions, graduates will be required to communicate with multiple
individuals these may include:
colleagues
employers and managers
clients
the media
the general public
This communication could take multiple forms, for example:

Communication skills 2

 Written communication
applications
proposals
applications for promotion
letters
memos
emails
purchase orders
publications
reports
media releases
Oral communication
oral presentations
meetings
client interviews
Effective communication skills will be needed by graduates for tasks such as:
providing instructions
resolving conflicts
negotiating
sharing ideas.

Example: Student perspective of communication skills

This is an example from a Deakin University Engineering student explaining why
communication skills are important for engineers:
http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/services/careers/mycoursemycareer/scitech/
engineering/communication.php

Communication skills 3

ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION TO CONSIDER

Culture
Different cultures have different cultural norms in regards to communicating. In other words,
what is acceptable within one culture may not necessarily be appropriate, meaningful or even
acceptable within another culture. Academics should be cognisant of some of the following
cultural norms:
In some cultures it is not appropriate for students to ask the lecturer questions in what
can be deemed such a blunt way by some of our overseas students, nor to critique or
question published work as this maybe regarded as disrespectful. Thus, what can seem
to the lecturer as passivity by students in the classroom can be misleading. In order to
assist students engage more actively in the class activities it may be beneficial to explain
to students in what ways questioning is regarded as appropriate, also to encourage
questioning by eliciting student engagement right at the very beginning (e.g. today we
are discussing (topic). What questions do you have about this topic before we start?)
In some countries it is unacceptable to address academics by their first name. Thus
ensure that you explicitly inform your students how you would prefer to be called to
avoid any awkwardness.
Students can also be uncertain about whether it is appropriate to contact their lecturer
outside of class time. Thus it is worthwhile informing students how best to contact you
(e.g. via email, phone, in person at a designated consultation time) when you meet them
for the first time and in what time frame you intend to respond (if they email you).

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Some students within your class may be English as Additional Language (EAL) students. Deakin
has a range of services that may be of assistance to these students in order to improve their
communication skills. You may wish to draw students attention to the services offered by
Deakin. Some of these are listed below:
Deakin University English Language Institute (DUELI)
International students

Students needing assistance with their communication skills

Despite being native speakers, students will always be challenged by their studies to develop their
communication skills repertoire in different ways. However, should some students require specific
assistance or support ensure they are direct to study skills and assessment support programs at
the Division of Student Life at Deakin university.

Students with learning difficulties

Academics need to be aware that some students may have learning difficulties (such as an
Autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia) and/ or impairments (such as visual, auditory and
physical disabilities). To respond to these learning difficulties and/or disabilities inclusive
teaching strategies or reasonable adjustments to complete assessment tasks may be drawn
upon to ensure more satisfying teaching and learning experiences. For further information,
please contact the Disability Resource Centre.

Communication skills 4

Inclusive learning strategies and communication

Adjusting to university can be especially difficult for some students. Some may have difficulty
expressing themselves due to language problems, social barriers or under-developed
communication skills and may need assistance at various stages of their university experience.
There are a range of inclusive teaching strategies that can assist all students to develop good
communication skills, and manage their study independently. Universal Design for Learning
(UDL) strategies scaffold learning for students by offering more than one choice or way for
expressing themselves. For example, there are a variety of opportunities and models for
building fluency in oral communication. First year students may commence with an audio
recording, then move onto a video recording of an oral presentation to demonstrate the
same learning outcome. Performing in pairs can also build self-confidence. Students can then
graduate to presenting their own oral with assurance and self-determination.
There are a number of resources in a variety of media to support the implementation of
Universal Design for Learning.

Emotional intelligence
There is no one universally accepted definition for emotional intelligence, however, generally,
but in general these definitions all relate to being able to understand ones own emotions,
being able to regulate them and use emotions to guide our behaviour (Seema 2012).
Furthermore, emotional intelligence is about being able to understand other peoples emotions
and being able to respond to them in a culturally appropriate fashion (Seema 2012). Those
who have an awareness of their own emotions and those of others and can integrate this
information to guide their actions are said to have a high level of emotional intelligence (Seema
2012).
Emotional intelligence can be a useful tool for individual or team oral presentations or general
teamwork interactions (also refer to teamwork resource). For example, generally, when
giving an oral presentation the speaker can perceive the emotions of their audience and
use this information to guide their talk. In this instance if the audience conveys the message
of confusion via their facial expressions then the speaker will need to stop and clarify any
misconceptions the audience may have had prior to progressing further. It is still uncertain as
to whether emotional intelligence can be taught (Zeidner et al. 2002).

Body language
Communication is not just about verbal language but it is also about how our bodies are
positioned within space. For example, in some cultures, individuals using up a lot of space
via spreading their limbs and holding their head up are portrayed as being powerful whereas
the contrast is true for those curled up with their arms crossed and their head down (see
TED talks video). Students can learn to be more powerful and assertive in presentations/
job interviews by controlling their posture and use of space. That is not to say that students
should sit with their upper limbs in the air but they should not have their arms crossed and be
hunched over looking downwards. Cuddys TED talks video on Your body language shapes
who you are provide an overview of body language in regards to discussing the following:
1. why we use body language and how this is used amongst animals including humans
2. interesting research studies on body language
3. the relationship between body language and the mind (especially in giving a job
interview and giving an oral presentation)
4. the association between body language and the hormones testosterone and cortisol, and
5. how one can actively control body language.
Communication skills 5

TEACHING COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The substantial breadth and depth of what is meant by communication skills means that
teaching these skills requires various techniques, tools and resources. These in turn, need to
be modified depending on the experience of the student (e.g., a first year Bachelor student
compared to a Masters level student). It is also important to remember that communication
skills should be modelled and taught through different locations and mediums, for instance:
work integrated learning (Deveugele et al. 2005) e.g., work and/or site placements
role-playing (Deveugele et al. 2005) e.g., scenarios of simulated learning
watching videos (Deveugele et al. 2005)
practising in a virtual environment (Hussainy et al. 2012; Stevens et al. 2006).
Some general points to remember when teaching communication skills in teams:
teaching and assessing communication skills in teams and for individuals requires
different techniques.
the dynamics of the team also need to be considered when team communication
presentations are being undertaken
team communication tasks will enable greater utilisation of interpersonal communication
as the team members will need to communicate with each other as well as the audience
although a number of students will be nervous about communicating in a team, others
may be overly assertive and this may need to be addressed during the process so that all
students are able to develop communication skills
The following resources provide some guides for teaching select communication skills. It might
also be useful to look at the rubrics presented in the Assessing communication skills Table 4
for a list of skills that can be taught to students:

Communication skills 6

Oral communication
Oral communication and public speaking can be one of the most confronting tasks for students
and any stress may be increased when the presentation is being assessed.
The following points give some guidance on how to teach oral communication:
place an appropriate weighting on the assessment this should be high enough to
recognise the importance placed on communication, but not so high that the assessment
causes undue stress
clearly identify what is being assessed (e.g. content, structure, eye contact). This can be
done by using a rubric such as those in Assessing communication skills and rubrics
below.
identify what will not affect the mark (e.g. hands shaking or voice tremors)
be aware of added complexity for students from diverse backgrounds
provide a safe environment for the students to present in:
acknowledge to the class that there will be significant variation in presentations due to
students previous experience in oral communication outside the specific course and the
university (e.g. sporting club participation or part-time job). Provide opportunities for
students who require more assistance.
model good oral communication in your lectures and tutorials
student preparation is very important
consider providing class time for trial runs. This can also provide opportunities for
students to highlight concerns and be used for academics and peers to provide formative
feedback
provide resources and opportunities for students to practice oral communication outside
of the classroom http://www.toastmasters.org.au/ or http://www.rostrum.com.au/
Wilder (1999) outlines the Five fears of public speaking; understanding what these fears are
can enable the academic to address them (Table 1).

Table 1: Wilders Five fears of public speaking

Career Terror

Job-related functions promotions, presentation to a hostile boss, using new

technology such as video conferencing, insufficient time to prepare, talking about
unfamiliar topics

Perfectionism

Bright, clever, successful people with high standards and high achievement.
When they have to speak they expect perfection and forget that it is about
communication, not perfection.

Panic

Negative self-thoughts about forgetting words, shaking hands, etc.

Your head becomes full of your fear, not your talk.

Avoidance

Self-sabotage putting off deadlines and preparation.

Can be rooted in perfectionism. The truth is you put it off because of fear of
failure but when its done you almost always succeed.

Trauma

Memory of a specific incident or continuing experience.

Being told you cant do it that youre not capable.

(Wilder, L 1999)

Communication skills 7

Tips and suggestions that can ease student anxiety associated with public speaking are
presented in Table 2 and are discussed further in Griffith University: Oral Communication
Tool Kit. Although these specifically focus on public speaking, they could also be applied to
decreasing anxiety with any form of oral communication.

Table 2: How to manage student presentation anxiety

Convincing students of
need

When students understand the importance of oral communication in their studies

and future professional role, they will actively participate in class activities.

Model behaviour from

week one

Establish a routine of dialogue in the first class session to set the pattern for
subsequent weeks.

Icebreakers

Involve whole class in speaking in safe, interesting, fun ways.

Be forthcoming

Provide information about yourself, your interests and background.

First meeting tasks

Try to include some two-person tasks in first class. Then pyramid into a four-person
group, which pools ideas and reports outcomes to class.

Provide opportunities

Include regular opportunities in class for oral expression, building from small tasks
to larger tasks.

Provide feedback

Use peers to provide feedback this allows for both sides to benefit from the
experience.

Self-assessment

For formative and summative assessment ask students to evaluate their own oral
performance on pre-set criteria.

Classroom arrangement

Use seating patterns which allow eye contact between students, not just between
students and teacher.

Modular furniture

Use tables and chairs that arent fixed, if possible, as this allows moving from large
group to sub-groups.

(Griffith Institute for Higher Education 2004)

Written communication
The three main components of written communication are:
1. Structure
2. Style
3. Content
Table 3 summarises points that can guide students in reviewing their written communication
in light of each of these components. These points can also be used to structure a lecture or
tutorial to teach written communication.

Communication skills 8

Table 3: Questions for structure, style and content of written communication

Structure

discipline specific guidelines e.g., Psychology normally has strict constraints regarding the how
to write Psychology reports
are the use of headings appropriate?
is there a logical introduction and conclusion?

Style

is it concise?
check for clarity, brevity, simplicity, and humanity (Zinsser 2010)
length of sentences and paragraphs
avoidance of jargon
suitable for the audience (e.g. final year students, general public)
avoidance of repetition

Content

check spelling and grammar

is there a logical argument?
are references relevant and contemporary?

(University of Kent, retrieved 30 May 2013, http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/written-communication.

htm)

Other points to consider:

Types of writing
academic
reflective
creative
scientific
business/professional
Students should understand that the easiest way to understand the conventions of
the particular style of writing they are trying to undertake is to read multiple examples
of that style. Academics may need to guide students in this process should that the
examples that they are reading are of an appropriate level.

Communication skills 9

ASSESSING COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND RUBRICS

How to assess
Assessing communication skills can be subjective which can lead students to feel that they are being
assessed unequally. To make the process more objective and enable the academic to impartially
compare communication skills, rubrics can be used. Table 4 describes the component skills that may
be assessed and provides examples of rubrics with which to undertake the assessment.

Table 4: Components of communication to be taught and assessed

Component of
communication

Description

References

Oral communication
skills

A composite including:
appropriate vocabulary, speaking
voice, verbal techniques
(including silence) and ability to
engage the audience

UWA Business School Oral Presentation Skills Rubric:

http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0007/1548187/Rubric_oral-presentation-skills.pdf

Written
communication skills

A composite including: writing

style, synthesis, analysis and
persuasiveness.

UWA Business School Written Communications Skills

Rubric:
http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0006/1548186/Rubric_written-communicationskills.pdf

Clarity of ideas
expressed

Ideas are threaded throughout

the presentation and develop in
a logical manner

Utah Education Network:

http://www.uen.org/Rubric/rubric.cgi?rubric_id=1226

Organisation

Clearly structure presentation;

if a team presentation, then all
team members have a defined
role

Ohio State University:

http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~neelam/abet/
DIRASSMNT/oralTeamPresRubric.html

Eye contact

Student looks at the audience

instead of just reading from
notes

Griffiths University:
http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0018/162720/oral.pdf

Delivery

Clear enunciation with good

modulation of voice that
enhances presentation

Ohio State University:

http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~neelam/abet/
DIRASSMNT/oralTeamPresRubric.html

Content selection

Well evidenced content and

pitched at the correct level

UWA Business School Oral Communications Skills Rubric:

http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/
pdf_file/0011/1548146/Rubric_oral-communicationskills-3.pdf

Accompanying
handouts

Comprehensive and appropriate

handouts

University of Hawaii:
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment/resources/
rubrics/OC_rubric_presentations_2009-01-21.pdf

Visual aids used

during a presentation

Visual aids or PowerPoints are

not distracting and link with the
verbal communication

University of Hawaii:
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment/resources/
rubrics/OC_rubric_presentations_2009-01-21.pdf

Communication skills 10

Rubrics
Some rubrics have also been designed to assess the contribution made by multiple students
within a team. Below are some examples of rubrics created by other institutions which may be
useful for you to design your own rubric to assess communication skills.
General rubric for both oral and written communication with expectations for beginners
through to professionals can be found at:
http://www.catl.uwa.edu.au/projects/communication
http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/learning/rubric-skills-criteria
http://www.ubalt.edu/merrick/student-resources/rubrics.cfm
The following website may be useful to use as a framework for developing your own
assessment rubric: http://edtechteacher.org/index.php/teaching-technology/assessmentrubrics
Guidelines for assessing Deakin Graduate Learning Outcome 2: Communication can be found
at:
AQF level 7 (Bachelor degree)
http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/17236/aqf7.pdf
AQF level 8 (Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma Courses)
http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/17237/aqf8.pdf
AQF level 9 (Masters degree)
http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/17251/aqf9.pdf

Who should assess

The question of who should assess students communication skills has received some attention
within the literature particularly within medicine where students communications skills are
predominantly assessed via the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
Possible assessors include academics, clinical supervisors, patients or clients in a simulation or
peers and employers. As an example of scaffolded communication assessment across a course,
consider the following table.

Communication skills 11

Table 5: Teaching communication skills across the course

Year

Task

Spiral evidence
- based
practice

Example

Communication skills

Pre-

Shop
Assistant

N/A

Student interacts with

multiple customers and
fellow employees at
casual /part-time job

Demonstrate basic oral and

written skills for interacting with
people.

Observer

Replicator

Student observes
a doctor taking a
medical history and
writes a report.

Observe interpersonal
communication such as body
language, active listening and
posture

Report writing

Student takes a
medical history with
an actor portraying a
patient and responds
to scenarios and
provides reflective
feedback and writes.

Practice interpersonal
communication such as body
language

Practice oral communication

Report writing

Student takes a
medical history with
a real patient under
supervision and
provides reflective
feedback and final
report.

Demonstrate interpersonal
communication such as body
language, active listening, posture

Demonstrate oral communication

Report writing

university

Simulation

Real Life
Scenario

User

Doer

An e-portfolio could be used as scaffolding approach across the course for students to evidence
the development of their communication skills.
There are pros and cons to each assessor, the following references may be of interest in regards
to who should assess communication skills:
Cooper, C & Mira, M 1998, Who should assess medical students communication skills:
their academic teachers or their patients?, Medical Education, vol. 32, no. 4, July,
pp. 41921, retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.13652923.1998.00223.x
Hodges, B, Turnbull, J, Cohen, R, Bienenstock, A & Norman, G 1996, Evaluating
communication skills in the objective structured clinical examination format: reliability
and generalizability, Medical Education, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 3843, January, retrieved
30 May 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.1996.
tb00715.x
Humphris, GM & Kaney, S 2001, Assessing the development of communication skills in
undergraduate medical students, Medical Education, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 22531, March,
retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.13652923.2001.00869.x

Communication skills 12

FURTHER READINGS & OTHER RESOURCES

Journal articles/report articles
Mills, JN, Baguley, J, Coleman, G & Meehan, M 2009, Enhancing communication and life skills in
veterinary students: curriculum development and assessment of methods (PP7340), Australian
Learning & Teaching Council, NSW, July, pp. 125, retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://www.olt.gov.au/system/files/resources/PP7-340%20Murdoch%20Mills%20ECALS%20
2009%20Final%20Report%20.pdf
Wu, C & McLaughlin, K 2012, Bridging the gender gap in communication skills, Advances in
Health Science Education, vol. 18, no. 1, March, pp. 12931, retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10459-012-9420-x
Young, MR & Murphy, JW 2003, Integrating communications skills into the marketing
curriculum: a case study, Journal of Marketing Education, vol. 25, no. 1, April, pp. 5770,
retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://jmd.sagepub.com/content/25/1/57.full.
pdf+html

Deakin resources
This website provides information in regards to the importance of communication skills within
engineering. (Deakin University, Developing communication skills, Vic., retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/services/careers/mycoursemycareer/scitech/
engineering/communication.php)
Communication skills is one of the generic skills that employees are seeking
(Deakin University, Employability skills what employers are seeking!, Vic., retrieved 30 May
2013. http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/services/careers/mycoursemycareer/
artsedu/comm-media/employability.php)
Career development skills communication skills is one of the generic skills that employees are
seeking. (Deakin University, Career development skills, Vic., retrieved 30 May 2013.
http://www.deakin.edu.au/health/ens/careers/Dietetics/career-development-skills.php)

YouTube and other clips

tamuwritingcenter 2010, Are communication skills important?, video post, YouTube,
Engineering Career Fair, 13 September, Spring, retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Vltfc1GptZQ
Hersey, J 2010, 8 ways to improve your communication skills, video post, YouTube, 5 May,
retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNDa6c7_mpM
communicationpower 2008, Effective communication skills, video post, YouTube, 8 October,
retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfM7Py5TA98
BananaManaTV 2010, Ep 6. Forgetting the words public speaking effective presentation
skills, video post, YouTube, 10 May, retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Sx6_CIZIHek
eloquentbuzz 2010, Teaching doctors good communication, video post, YouTube, 21 January,
retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BaqmMOOva8
handsonerp 2010, Project management PMP communication skills, video post, YouTube, 19
June, retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaXuMjQTLnY

Communication skills 13

HEATINCca 2010, Communication skills in clinical practice, part 2 dealing with feelings by Dr
Robert Buckman, video post, YouTube, 25 June, retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=XhOXzf3CrEU
Cuddy, A 2012, Amy Cuddy: your body language shapes who you are, TED talks, video post,
October, retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_
language_shapes_who_you_are.html
(This video discusses 1. Body language in relation to evolution (e.g., alpha males); 2. How
body posture is related to dominance (e.g., being stretched out vs. curled up) and hormones
(testosterone and cortisol); 3. Low and high power poses; 4. Experimental research in regards
to poses and risk taking and job interviews; 5. How to fake it).

REFERENCES
Bruner, JS 1960, The process of education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massuchusetts.
Deveugele, M, Derese, A, De Maesschalck, S, Willems, S, Van Driel, M & De Maeseneer, J 2005,
Teaching communication skills to medical students, a challenge in the curriculum?, Patient
Education and Counseling, vol. 58, no. 3, September, pp. 26570, retrieved 3 June 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2005.06.004
Griffith Institute for Higher Education 2004, Griffith University, Nathan campus, Brisbane,
Australia.
Hussainy, SY, Styles, K & Duncan, G 2012, A virtual practice environment to develop
communication skills in pharmacy students, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, vol.
76, no. 10, December, p. 202, retrieved 3 June 2013.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3530064/
Iksan, ZH, Zakaria, E, Meerah, TSM, Osman, K, Lian, DKC, Mahmud, SND & Krish, P 2012,
Communication skills among university students, Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences,
vol. 59, pp. 716, retrieved 3 June 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.247
University of Kent, Communication skills: writing, The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent,
retrieved 30 May 2013. http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/written-communication.htm
Seema, G 2012, Emotional intelligence in classroom, Advances in Management, vol. 5, no. 10,
October, pp. 1623, retrieved 3 June 2013.
http://www.managein.net/pdf_Articles/October%202012/16-23=Article=1_713%20
(11.06.11)%20(Repaired).pdf
Stevens, A, Hernandez, J, Johnsen, K, Dickerson, R, Raij, A, Harrison, C, DiPietro, M, Allen, B,
Ferdig, R, Foti, S, Jackson, J, Shin, M, Cendan, J, Watson, R, Duerson, M, Lok, B, Cohen, M,
Wagner, P & Lind, DS 2006, The use of virtual patients to teach medical students history
taking and communication skills, The American Journal of Surgery, vol. 191, pp. 80611,
retrieved 3 June 2013. http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.
amjsurg.2006.03.002
Wilder, L 1999, 7 steps to fearless speaking, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Zeidner, M, Roberts, RD & Matthews, G 2002, Can emotional intelligence be schooled? A
critical review, Educational Psychologist, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 21531, retrieved 3 June 2013.
http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3704_2
Zinsser, W 2010, Writing places, HarperCollins, Australia.

Communication skills 14

DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

RESOURCE:
Developed by Dr. Nicole Koehler and Dr. Rachael Hains-Wesson, Deakin Learning Futures,
Deakin University.
The valuable assistance of the following people is gratefully acknowledged: Dr. Elizabeth
Thyer, Dr. Teresa De Fazio, Spero Tsindos and Assoc. Prof. Kylie OBrien (Director, Assessment
& Learning Design) of Deakin Learning Futures. Also, members of the Course Enhancement
Reference Group.
Graphic Design work by Johnny Terziovski.
The series of Teaching Resources is edited by Dr. Teresa De Fazio, Deakin Learning Futures with
the assistance of Assoc. Prof. Kylie OBrien and Anna Grbin.

Communication Skills 15