Communicative skills

Structure Type: Course
Code: KB02AVITE5
Type: Compulsory
Level: Bachelor
Credits: 5.0 points
Responsible Teacher: Sarvikas, Helena
Language of Instruction: Finnish

Learning Outcomes

The course comprises two parts:

1. Language and Communication for the Working World: 3 cr

Students will be competent in choosing appropriate communication tools for given situations. They will be able to use language and means of influence effectively, and be competent in assessing and developing their own communicative skills.

2. Communication in Forestry: 2 cr

Students will become familiar with communication as a function in the work community. They will be aware of the goals of internal and external communication as well as the more common purposes of such communication. Students will be familiar with the Finnish culture of communication in forestry and its underlying factors. They will be introduced to organisations and partners involved in field-related communication and the channels of publicity and how various media work. Students will have command of the appropriate and successful ways experts influence an organisation's publicity, build an organisation's image, and communicate with partners. Students will be competent in applying the knowledge of communication they have learned to practical situations in their future work community in the field of forestry.

Student's Workload

Will be announced at the beginning of the course.

Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses

No previous studies are required.

Contents

1. Language and Communication for the Working World: two areas of emphasis
- Communication as an expert
- Group communication for the working world

Students will engage in both oral and written exercises pertaining to communication; some will be completed independently and some in groups.
- Dialogues and presentations for different situations
- Compiling common documents with consideration to layout and content, tools and target groups as well as special features
- Familiarisation with various cultures of communication, especially field-related communication
- Communication in groups: roles, documentation and assessment
- Significance of customer-service skills in communication situations in the working world

2. Communication in Forestry
- Internal and external communication in organisations and enterprises: publicity, maintaining contacts, company image, and company relations
- Image of forestry in Finland and abroad, organisations involved in forestry communication, target groups, communicativeness
- Newscasting, publicity and publicity crises.
- Channels of publicity in forestry, working with the media
- Organising excursions to the forest, public meetings

Recommended or Required Reading

1. Language and Communication for the Working World:
-Iisa K., Oittinen H. & Piehl A. 2006. Kielenhuollon käsikirja. Yrityskirjat Oy.
-Repo I. & Nuutinen T. 2003. Viestintätaito. Otava.
-Koskimies R. 2002. Asiantuntijan esiintymistaito. Oy Finn Lectura Ab.
-Mattila H., Ruusunen T. & Uola K. 2006. Viestinnän työkaluja amk-opiskelijalle.
-Uimonen T. 2003. Taitoa tekijälle. Tehoa teksteihin. Opas tiedottavaan kirjoittamiseen. Inforviestintä Oy.

- Various works of fiction pertaining to the forest

2. Communication in Forestry
- Aula P. and Heinonen J. 2004. Maine - menestystekijä. WSOY.
- Jensen R. 1999. The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift From Information To Imagination Will Transform Your Business. McGraw-Hill.
- Juholin E. and Kuutti H. 2003. Mediapeli anatomia ja keinot. Inforviestintä.
- Kortetjärvi-Nurmi S., Kuronen M-L. and Ollikainen M. 2002. Yrityksen viestintä. Edita.
- Makkonen J. and Tuomi-Nikula J. 1998. Metsäviestintä. Metsälehti Kustannus.
-Mäntylä, Jorma. 2008. Journalistin etiikka. ". uudistettu laitos. Gaudeamus.

- Siukosaari A. 2002. Yhteisöviestinnän opas. 2nd edition. Business Books. Tietosanoma Oy.

Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

- Lectures
- Practice in various communicative situations
- Written assignments, both independently and in groups
- Opportunity for online study
- Discussions
- Co-operation with partner organisations of target groups
- Lectures by experts in the field

Assessment Criteria

Grading will be announced during the course.

Assessment Methods

- Oral and written assignments completed in class and independently
- Grading based on a scale of 1 to 5

Work Placement

None

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