Electrical engineers´ perceptions of communication training and their recommendations for curricular change: results of a national survey

Author

Vest, David ; Long, Marilee ; Anderson, Thad

Author_Institution

Dept. of Speech Commun., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO, USA

Volume

39

Issue

1

fYear

1996

fDate

3/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

38

Lastpage

42

Abstract

In a national random sample of electrical engineers, respondents answered questions relating to the adequacy of communication preparation at their undergraduate institutions, and they provided recommendations for curricular change to better prepare students for common communication tasks in the work place. The results of this survey are compared to observations made by engineers during in depth interviews (see ibid., March 1995). In both studies, engineers report that communication is a central activity that consumes fully half of the working day. Based on both the survey and interview data, the authors recommend adjusting curricula to include the practice of cooperative problem-solving, to make evaluation of communication competence a component of grades, and to require students to take both a technical writing and public presentation course

Keywords

educational courses; electrical engineering education; professional communication; communication training; cooperative problem-solving; curricular change; educational course; electrical engineering education; electrical engineering students; national survey; public presentation; survey; technical writing; undergraduate institutions; Data engineering; Electrical engineering; Engineering profession; IEEE Membership Directory; IEEE members; Oral communication; Problem-solving; Professional communication; Sampling methods; Writing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0361-1434

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/47.486046

Filename

486046