A constructivist approach to communication skills instruction in computer science

作     者：Gruba, Paul Søndergaard, Harald 

作者机构：Centre for Communication Skills and English as a Second Language Australia Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering University of Melbourne VI Australia 

出 版 物：《International Journal of Phytoremediation》 (Int. J. Phytorem.)

年 卷 期：2001年第21卷第1期

页      面：203-219页

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 071001[理学-植物学] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 07[理学] 0901[农学-作物学] 0902[农学-园艺学] 

摘      要：From the social constructivist perspective of education, learning is best achieved when students face complex, real world problems in which there are no clear answers. Faced with a sizable common goal, students work collaboratively towards outcomes and maintain ownership over key decisions. The role of staff is that of facilitators whose role is to challenge learners to explore multiple aspects of the problem as they go about reaching viable solutions. Such a role contrasts, for example, to an approach which sets out to lead students to a presumed correct solution that is already possessed by the instructor. Based on these principles we designed and implemented a course on communication skills in computer science. Here, we describe our experiences using a student-run conference as a means to teach communication skills. In this approach, students were charged with the task of planning and organising a conference, including peer review, publicity, budget, sponsorship, web design, conference program, presentation schedule, speaker support, and catering. We describe the principles and their implementation and reflect on the outcome. © 2001, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.