CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 PDF

COMMUNICATIONS FOR BUSINESS Lecturer Guide CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Modification History Version Revision Description V1.0 For Release V1.1 Review and Update V1.2 Updated TQT V1.3...

COMMUNICATIONS FOR BUSINESS Lecturer Guide CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Modification History Version Revision Description V1.0 For Release V1.1 Review and Update V1.2 Updated TQT V1.3 Reviewed and updated GLH © NCC Education Limited, 2020 All Rights Reserved The copyright in this document is vested in NCC Education Limited. The document must not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, or used for manufacturing purposes, except with the prior written permission of NCC Education Limited and then only on condition that this notice is included in any such reproduction. Published by: NCC Education Limited, The Towers, Towers Business Park, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2EZ, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 161 438 6200 Fax: +44 (0) 161 438 6240 Email: [email protected] http://www.nccedu.com Page 2 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here CONTENTS Module Overview and Objectives.................................................................................................. 6 Learning Outcomes........................................................................................................................ 6 Syllabus........................................................................................................................................... 7 Resources....................................................................................................................................... 8 Textbooks........................................................................................................................................ 8 Supplementary Textbooks..................................................................................................... 8 Additional Resources............................................................................................................. 8 Pedagogic Approach...................................................................................................................... 9 Lectures................................................................................................................................ 9 Tutorials................................................................................................................................ 9 Private Study......................................................................................................................... 9 Assessment..................................................................................................................................... 9 Topic 1: Effective Communication in Business.................................................................... 10 1.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 10 1.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 11 1.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 11 1.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 13 1.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 15 Topic 2: Writing Business Messages I................................................................................... 17 2.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 17 2.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 17 2.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 18 2.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 18 2.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 20 2.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 21 Topic 3: Writing Business Messages II.................................................................................. 23 3.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 23 3.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 23 3.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 23 3.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 24 3.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 24 3.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 26 3.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 28 Topic 4: Reports and Proposals I - Planning......................................................................... 30 Page 3 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 4.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 30 4.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 30 4.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 30 4.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 31 4.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 31 4.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 33 4.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 34 Topic 5: Reports and Proposals II - Writing.......................................................................... 36 5.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 36 5.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 36 5.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 36 5.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 37 5.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 37 5.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 39 5.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 40 Topic 6: Visual Communication............................................................................................. 42 6.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 42 6.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 42 6.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 42 6.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 43 6.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 43 6.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 45 6.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 46 Topic 7: Working in Teams..................................................................................................... 48 7.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 48 7.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 48 7.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 48 7.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 49 7.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 49 7.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 52 7.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 54 Topic 8: Business Meetings................................................................................................... 56 8.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 56 8.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 56 8.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 56 8.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 57 8.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 57 8.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 59 8.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 60 Page 4 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Topic 9: Delivering Effective Oral Presentations.................................................................. 62 9.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 62 9.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 62 9.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 62 9.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 63 9.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 63 9.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 65 9.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 66 Topic 10: Listening.................................................................................................................... 68 10.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 68 10.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 68 10.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 68 10.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 69 10.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 69 10.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 71 10.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 72 Topic 11: Non-Verbal Communication..................................................................................... 74 11.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 74 11.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 74 11.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 74 11.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 75 11.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 75 11.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 77 11.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 78 Topic 12: CV writing and interview techniques....................................................................... 80 12.1 Learning Objectives.................................................................................................... 80 12.2 Pedagogic Approach.................................................................................................. 80 12.3 Timings....................................................................................................................... 80 12.4 Lecture Notes............................................................................................................. 81 12.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides.................................................................. 81 12.5 Tutorial Exercises....................................................................................................... 83 12.6 Private Study.............................................................................................................. 85 Page 5 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Overview Module Overview and Objectives This module is designed to help students appreciate and understand the different types of business communication and their importance in an international context. The module will discuss the basic principles of communications within an international context from three key perspectives: written communication, visual communication and presentations, and non-verbal communication. Topics to be covered will include inter alia: effective communication, business messages, team work and meetings, oral presentations, listening, report writing, CV writing, interview techniques, etc. Learning Outcomes Learning Outcomes Assessment Criteria 1. Prepare business messages I. Use the three-step writing process to create written and reports messages II. Create well-organised, written messages in a variety of media III. Review message content for clarity, readability and appropriateness IV. Create email messages that obey established conventions 2. Present quantitative data to I. Use charts, graphs and figures to convey quantitative convey information data 3. Deliver effective I. Prepare and use visual aids to support a presentation presentations II. Design a presentation to account for its intended audience III. Discuss the components of an effective presentation 4. Contribute to business I. Explain the role and purpose of different meetings meetings II. Document a meeting effectively III. Identify the advantage and problems of technology- enabled meetings 5. Understand theories of I. Identify different types of team working in teams II. Discuss the possible profiles of team members III. Describe the stages of the group/team lifecycle Page 6 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 6. Use non-verbal skills and IV. Discuss the principles of body language listen effectively V. Discuss the principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) VI. Explain different types of listening VII. Describe the differences between effective and ineffective listening Syllabus Syllabus Topic No Title Proportion Content 1 Effective 1/12 The importance of different types of communication in communication in business business 2 Writing business 1/12 Understanding the purpose and selecting an messages I appropriate message type 3 Writing business 1/12 Creating, editing and communicating the messages II written business message 4 Reports and 1/12 Understanding and planning different types of proposals I reports 5 Reports and 1/12 Preparing and writing different types of reports proposals II 6 Visual 1/12 Communicating continuous and discrete data communication through appropriate charts, graphs and figures 7 Working in teams 1/12 Advantages and disadvantages of teamwork and effective group communication 8 Business meetings 1/12 Planning, organising and running business meetings 9 Oral presentations 1/12 Planning, creating and delivering effective presentations 10 Effective listening 1/12 Becoming an effective listener and learning how to listen 11 Non-verbal 1/12 Reading and using non-verbal communication communication as an effective business tool 12 CV writing and 1/12 Preparing a winning and CV and succeeding interview techniques at interviews Page 7 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Resources 1. Lecturer Guide: This guide contains notes for lecturers on the organisation of each topic, and suggested use of the resources. It also contains all of the suggested exercises and model answers. 2. PowerPoint Slides: These are presented for each topic for use in the lectures. They contain many examples which can be used to explain the key concepts. 3. Student Guide: This contains topic overviews and all of the suggested exercises. Textbooks Supplementary Textbooks The following textbooks provide supplementary reading for this module and should be available in the centre’s library: Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Currie, D. (2005) “Developing and Applying Study Skills: Writing Assignments, Dissertations and Management Reports” Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, ISBN: 978-1843980643 Rogerson, S. “Project Skills Handbook” Chartwell-Bratt, ISBN: 978-9144304816 Northedge, A. (2005) “The Good Study Guide” Open University, ISBN: 978-0749259747 Additional Resources Study skills web sites: http://www.bized.co.uk/reference/studyskills/index.htm http://www.how-to-study.com/ http://www.open.ac.uk/skillsforstudy/ http://www.mindtools.com/page8.html Page 8 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Pedagogic Approach Suggested Learning Hours Guided Learning Hours Self-study Private Study Total: Lectures Tutorial Seminar Assessment 24 24 - 2.5-hour exam 36 63 hours 30 minutes 150 Suggested Learning Hours Guided Learning Hours Assessment Private Study: Total: Lectures: Tutorial: Seminar: Laboratory: 24 24 - - 30 hours 72 150 (3,000-word assignment) The teacher-led time for this module is comprised of lectures and tutorials. The breakdown of the hours for each topic is given in the Topic Notes which follow. Lectures The PowerPoint slides are presented for use during this time. Students should also be encouraged to be active during this time and to practise the concepts covered. Tutorials These are designed to deal with the questions arising from the lectures and private study sessions. Private Study In addition to the taught portion of the module, students will also be expected to undertake private study. Exercises are provided in the Student Guide for students to complete during this time. Teachers will need to set deadlines for the completion of this work. Assessment This module will be assessed by means of an examination. Page 9 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 1 Topic 1: Effective Communication in Business 1.1 Learning Objectives This lecture is designed to introduce the student to the core concepts of Effective Communication in Business. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours, but up to 3 hours may be used if required, as this is the first lecture in the series. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Understand the importance of communication in business Understand the process of communication in business Use communication technology Discuss ethics in business communication 1.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 1.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 10 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 1.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: The importance of communication in business How communication takes place in a business setting The role of information technology Ethical consideration relating to business communications 1.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Note: The order of activities for learning in this module is important. For each element, it should follow the pattern outlined below: Lecture Tutorial Directed Self-Study Activity Private-Study Activities The lecture starts by outlining some of the basic elements relating to the module: Time allocation for formal learning Assessment and learning outcomes Suggested reading before going on to look at the learning outcome in more detail. Slide 5: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: Understand the importance of communication in business; Understand the process of communication in business; Using communication technology; Ethics in business communication. Slide 6: Introduces the key concept of communication – that all organisations can only exist because there is communication. This might be between people, between people and machines, or between machines. The key aspect is that to have value, the communication must be “effective”. Slides 7-11: This section of the lecture gives the students some examples of the business benefits of effective communication in a business context. Use examples and anecdotes to illustrate each of the points on slides 7 and 8. Slide 9 shows how communication can flow up, down and across a business. Use a real world example to illustrate how this might operate in a business. Slide 10 gives some examples of how organisations use external communication channels to send and receive information. Slide 11 gives some further examples of characteristics of effective business communication. Again, use examples and anecdotes that the students will be familiar with to illustrate each of these in more detail. Slides 12-13: Outline the communication process. Use the model on slide 12 to illustrate how this works in practice. Use a simple example, such as buying a coffee in a café to Page 11 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here illustrate how the model works. Use the points on slide 13 to show how messages might be misinterpreted or misheard. Use examples and anecdotes to illustrate the model and communication problems and their consequences. Slide 14: Here there is a class exercise designed to get the students to think about what is required to ensure communication between two people is effective. Slides 15-16: Here the lecture is discussing how to communicate effectively when talking to a group – or when giving a presentation. Use examples and anecdotes that the students will be familiar with to illustrate each of the points on these slides in more detail. Slides 17-18: Explain how to give and respond to feedback. Use examples and anecdotes that the students will be familiar with to illustrate each of these in more detail. You could use the example of feedback when someone has applied for a job but has been unsuccessful. Encourage the students to suggest the types of questions that might be asked and the type of feedback that might be given. Slides 19-20: This part of the lecture gives a brief introduction to how Information Technology can be used to enhance business communication. Use some real world examples that the students will be familiar with to illustrate key points. Explain the drawbacks of not using technology wisely. Again, use some real world examples to illustrate how technology can actually hinder the business and hinder communication when not utilised effectively. Slide 21-22: These two slides discuss the importance of acting ethically and give some examples of unethical behaviour in a business communication setting. Ensure that the students understand ethics is a very important aspect of business communication. Slide 23: This slide gives some examples of legal compliance in a business communication setting. Use some real world examples that the students will be familiar with to illustrate key points. Slide 24: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 25: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 12 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 1.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in groups of about five. Select a website for a retailer with which you are familiar from your own country: How clear is the marketing message this retailer is sending to its customers? Which social networking sites does this organisation use to communicate with its customers? Do you think these are an effective means of communication for this organisation? Why, or why not? Justify your answer. How effective would you say this website is at communicating with customers? Give examples and reasons for your decision. Do you think this retailer is using technology effectively in its communication with customers? Why, or why not? Justify your answer. Would you regard this retailer’s web site as ethical, in terms of its communication with customers? Why, or why not? Justify your answer. Record your findings. Make notes! Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Exercise 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercisess 1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! Page 13 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Tutor Note Regarding Tutorials for this module: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. At all stages encourage the students to keep notes. It may be useful to introduce the tutorial with a quick recap from the lecture. Students should then initially work on Exercise 1 in groups of about 5. You will need to monitor their progress and encourage them to make the most of the time provided to fully understand the different terms and come up with concrete, well-thought out answers. Students may need to use dictionaries during this time or you may wish to cover some of the more complex vocabulary before they begin to work on their own. Encourage students to take notes of any unknown words as these will likely recur later in the module. Exercise 2 requires the students to present their findings. You may want to ask the group to nominate a spokesperson – but make sure that over time each individual student has an opportunity to present. The presentation can be informal (unless otherwise stated), but students should be encouraged to use whiteboard/flipchart, etc. where appropriate. Exercise 3 is a plenary session designed to allow the students to compare and contrast their answers with other groups. It is also suggested that you give students some feedback on how well you feel they have carried out the tutorial activities, to help them with developing action plans for the future. This is an opportunity for the students to reflect upon their work and get extra tutor assisted feedback on their activities. Page 14 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 1.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the “communication skills” article available at: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationIntro.htm Use the “communication process model” discussed in the article to analyse any time when you have tried to communicate with a colleague/friend/family member and the message was misunderstood, i.e. there was “mis-communication” of a message. What went wrong? Which part of the model explains this? What can you do differently next time to make sure this does not happen again? What have you learned from this exercise? Exercise 2: Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Effective Communication in Business Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the benefits of effective communication Page 15 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here To what extent do you understand issues of communicating in an organisational setting To what extent do you understand the difference between, and the roles of, vertical and horizontal communication in business To what extent do you understand barriers to communication and how to overcome them To what extent do you understand the impact of Information Technology on business communication To what extent do you appreciate the importance of acting ethically when communicating in business situations To what extent do you understand the importance of legal compliance then communicating in business situations This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 16 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 2 Topic 2: Writing Business Messages I 2.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of Writing Business Messages. This is the first of two lectures on this topic. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Appreciate the three-step writing process Understand their audience Select the correct media Organise a message Compose a message 2.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 2.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 17 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 2.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours. The structure of this topic is as follows: The three-step writing process The role of audience in business communication Selecting the right media for a business message Message organisation 2.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: The three-step writing process; understanding your audience; selecting the right media; organising a message; composing a message. Slide 3: Introduces the topic, asserting that the receiver receiving the correct message is of paramount importance, although in practice this is often hard to achieve and almost impossible to verify! Slides 4–5: These slides discuss the three step writing process. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to explain how this works in practice. Slide 6: This slide recommends 4 questions to be asked to test the purpose of the message. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to illustrate how this might work in practice. Slides 7–8: These slides explain the importance of understanding the audience in terms of size, composition, level of understanding, etc. In addition, the importance of gathering information from several sources is covered here. This is to ensure that the message being conveyed is the “right” message, and that it is in the correct format to ensure that the intended audience can understand it. Slide 9: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about why understanding the needs of the intended audience is important. Slides 10-13: This part of the lecture explains some of the decisions that a message creator needs to consider when developing a business message – understanding, who, what, why, when, where and how with respect to the message – and also determining the correct media to use for a business message, based on the needs of the intended audience. The advantages and disadvantages of each media type are included in a table. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to illustrate key points. There is also some advice here on how to organise a message. Again, use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to explain how this works in practice. Slides 14–15: The first of these slides uses a figure to illustrate the difference between direct and indirect approaches. This figure gives some tips for dealing with both of these approaches. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to illustrate how this might work in practice. Different types of messages are outlined Page 18 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here on slide 15. Use real world examples that the students will be familiar with to illustrate each of these. Slides 16-18: This part of the lecture illustrates the difference between alphanumeric and decimal approaches to sectioning a business message. Explain to the students how Microsoft Word can be used (along with “styles”) to easily create these different approaches automatically. Slides 19-22: These slides gives some indicators to use when composing a message. The first slide in this section gives some suggestions for an author to use to ensure they establish their credibility. Explain the importance of each of these points to the students using real world examples to illustrate key points. How to use (and not use) language is discussed. The difference between implicit and explicit messages is included here. Use examples to illustrate both of these to the students. Explain to the students the importance of using plain language – not buzzwords, or jargon. The key is to ensure that the audience understands the message clearly. Slide 23: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about the advantages and disadvantages of using Information Technology to create/send a business message. Slide 24: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 25: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of cited references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 19 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 2.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in groups of about five. Use a flipchart or whiteboard or computer to prepare an advertisement for a local business with which you are familiar – be sure to use the advice and suggestions included in the lecture. Ensure you are sending a clear marketing message to customers Ensure you are honest in your advertisement Ensure you are acting ethically in your advertisement Record your findings. Make notes! 60 minutes Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Exercise 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! 30 minutes Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercises1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! 30 minutes Page 20 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 2.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the “writing skills” article available at: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/WritingSkills.htm Consider how one might use the “AIDA” model (follow the link to this in the article) to prepare a written communication that is an advertisement or marketing promotion for a new business opportunity of your choice. What might be the key “message”? How does using this model help you to promote this message? What might be the pitfalls you need to avoid when using AIDA? What have you learned from this exercise? Exercise 2: Personal Development Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Writing Business Messages I Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the Three-Step writing process? Page 21 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here To what extent do you understand the need to develop a profile of the intended audience To what extent do you understand the advantages and disadvantages of the different media (oral, written, visual, electronic) when preparing a business message To what extent do you understand the difference between direct and indirect approach to message delivery To what extent do you understand how to outline the content of a business message To what extent do you appreciate the importance of establishing your personal credibility when creating a business message To what extent do you understand the importance of message composition This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 22 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 3 Topic 3: Writing Business Messages II 3.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of Writing Business Messages. This is the second of two lectures on this topic. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Use the three-step writing process Review the content for readability Edit and proofread the content for clarity and readability Use good practice in email production 3.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 3.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 23 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 3.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: The three-step writing process Reviewing content for readability Editing and proofreading Code of practice for email communication 3.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: The three-step writing process (revisited); reviewing the content for readability; editing and proofreading the content for clarity and readability; good practice in e-mail production. Slide 3: This slide explains that this is the second of two lectures on this subject – and that the focus is this lecture is on editing, proofreading and sending the business message. Slide 4: This slide revises the three step writing process – concentrate on the column on the far right for this lecture (use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to explain how this works in practice). Also quickly reprise the other two columns that were discussed in more detail in the last lecture. Slides 5–9: This part of the lecture discusses the importance of revising the business message for content, style, tone and readability. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to illustrate how this might work in practice. Slides 6 and 7 concentrate on ensuring the information contained in the business message is accurate and that there is enough information to satisfy the reader’s needs. The lecture also discusses the need to ensure that the main points are in a logical order and that the most important points in the business communication are situated in prominent positions. Slides 8 and 9 discuss readability – asserting that sentences and paragraphs need to be kept short – but not so short that the message appears fragmented. Slides 10–13 These slides are also concerned with ensuring techniques are used for clarity and readability. Slide 10 discusses the use of bullets and lists. Slide 11 discusses the importance of editing for clarity. Slide 12 gives some advantages of using Information Technology for editing a business message – explain each of these points by aid of an example. Slide 13 gives some examples of effective design. Slide 14: This slide uses a table to illustrate how different typefaces can be used in different parts of business messages to achieve different results. Slide 15: This slide gives a list of the key elements of a formal business letter. Use a whiteboard or flipchart to illustrate this for the students. Slide 16: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about why it is important to review a business message before sending it. Page 24 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Slide 17: This slide gives an example of a business letter. Talk the student through the letter using all the points we have discussed in the lecture so far, i.e. correct formatting, readability, clarity, etc. Slides 18-19: This part of the lecture discusses proofreading and message distribution. Use real world examples to illustrate the different options available to a message creator. Encourage the students to suggest advantages and disadvantages of each type of distribution channel. Slides 20–24: These slides discuss the use of email for composing and sending a business message. Slide 21 gives the students some tips (and their importance) for employing good email etiquette. Use real world examples to illustrate the importance of each of these points. Slide 22 gives some examples of effective and ineffective subject lines. Get the students to evaluate each of these – WHY are they effective or ineffective? Slide 23 explains the importance of not including unwanted or undesired emotion in an email. Use a real world example that illustrates both good and bad email composition, in terms of using emotions. Slide 24 gives some pointers for completing the email message. Use an example to illustrate how this might work in a ‘real’ email message. Slide 25: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about the importance of using good etiquette when creating and sending an email message. Slide 24: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 25: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of relevant references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 25 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 3.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in groups of about two or three. Read the following letter* Fine Foods Ltd. 10 Bridge Street London SW10 5TG Hello Mr. Roger Jones: I got the letter you sent on 1st September, and the stuff about the stock control system you make. It sounds great for us, but I want to check some things before we buy it. You said the system is bang up-to-date, but what happens if you update it again soon? Do we get money off the new one? You said it takes 3 weeks to install the system – that’s too long! Can’t you do it any quicker? Hope you can reply soon, we’re in a bit of a hurry. Thanks, Janet Brown Thinking about what you have learned in the last 2 lectures, how many things can you find “wrong” with this letter? Re-write the letter as a formal business letter using the techniques and tips you have learned in the last 2 lectures 45 minutes Page 26 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Activity 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! 45 minutes Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercises 1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! 30 minutes *Source: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/business_ws1.pdf Page 27 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 3.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the “writing skills” article available at: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm How does this article agree/disagree with the material presented in the lecture? Read the article on the “Rhetorical Triangle” available at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/RhetoricalTriangle.htm How might this tool help you in writing more effective business messages in the future? Do you see any disadvantages with this tool? Justify your answer. Exercise 2: Personal Development Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Page 28 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Writing Business Messages II Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the importance of revising your business message before sending it To what extent do you understand the need to evaluate the content, style and tone of your business communications To what extent do you understand the need to review your business message for readability To what extent do you understand the need to edit your business message for clarity and readability To what extent do you appreciate the importance of proofreading a business message before sending it To what extent do you appreciate the importance of email etiquette To what extent do you understand the importance of composing business messages devoid of emotions This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 29 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 4 Topic 4: Reports and Proposals I - Planning 4.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of planning for a report or a proposal. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Define the purpose of a report Prepare and organise the content Appreciate common types of business reports and proposals Understand key factors in planning different types of reports 4.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 4.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 30 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 4.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: The purpose of a report Preparing and organising the content Types of business reports and proposals Factors in planning different types of reports 4.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: defining the purpose of a report; preparing and organising the content; common types of business reports and proposals; key factors in planning different types of reports. Slides 3-4: These slides introduce the topic, explaining that like all other forms of business communication business reports and proposals need careful planning; understanding what is required and how to communicate the message is crucial to successful communication. Slide 4 revisits the 3-Step Writing Process model introduced in a previous lecture. Slides 5 – 9: This part of the lecture introduces the students to the planning aspect of report preparation in a bit more detail. Slide 5 is concerned with planning to plan. Use a real world example to illustrate the key points to the students. Slide 6 states the importance of developing a clear statement of purpose based on the perceived problem. At this point in the lecture you can get the students to suggest some ‘statement of purpose’ based on some example problem statements that you suggest. This forms an exercise later in the lecture, so some practice here would be a good primer for that. Slides 7 and 8 are concerned with preparing the work plan. Again, use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to take the students through each of the points. Slide 9 is concerned with organising the information. Slide 10: Here there is a table that demonstrates different forms of outline headings that can be used to structure a report. Explain the difference between descriptive, question and summary forms. Slides 11–14: This part of the lecture introduces common types of business reports and proposals: informational reports; analytical reports; proposals. Slides 12-14 – take the students through each of the different examples by using a real world example that the students will be familiar with. Slide 15: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about ‘statement of purpose’. The lecture gives the students the statement ‘Stock levels seem to be out of control’. Students need to give a defensible statement for this. One example might be, “To investigate the feasibility of introducing a new stock control system”. Obviously other statements will also be acceptable. Page 31 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here Slide 16: This slide gives some ideas for how to structure a report. Use examples that the students will be familiar with for each of the different points on the slide. Slides 17–18: This part of the lecture covers aspects of organising web content. Slide 18 gives an example of web design layout. Get the students to comment on what is good and possibly not good about the page. Slides 19–20: Here the lecture presents a table that gives some examples of structuring analytical reports. Use an example to explain how to focus on conclusions and recommendation, and a different example to focus on logical argument. Slide 20 gives two further ‘tips’ for using logical arguments. Again, use real world examples that the students will be familiar with to illustrate each of these in turn. Slides 21-23: These slides briefly outline planning proposals. Slide 21 introduces both internal and external proposals. Explain the difference between these to the students. Also explain what a Request for Proposal (RfP) is. Note – do NOT explain to the students WHY organisations might use RfPs – this forms the next in-class exercise. Slides 22 and 23 give an example of part of an RfP. Talk the students through the main sections and what they are designed to achieve. Slide 24: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about ‘why’ organisations send out RfP documents. Obviously there are many reasons, including competitive pricing, external expertise, etc. Other answers will be acceptable. Slide 25: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 26: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of relevant references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 32 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 4.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in groups of about five. Imagine a scenario where your college has asked you to prepare a report for management that assesses their current health and safety standards and highlights any issues that require attention: Develop an outline plan of what you need to find out Develop a plan of how you will collect the data you need Develop an outline structure for your report (what headings/sections do you need?) Use a word processor to develop your template for the report (the headings and sections of the report) Write the terms of reference for the report 60 minutes Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Exercise 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! 30 minutes Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercises 1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! 30 minutes Page 33 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here 4.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the “writing skills” article available at: http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/writing-for-university/report-writing/structure-of-reports/ Use this article help with your planning for the Health and Safety report you worked on in the tutorial? Make notes! Exercise 2: Personal Development Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Report and Proposals I – Planning Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the importance of planning when considering report writing To what extent do you understand the need to define the purpose of the report before commencing work Page 34 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Title Here To what extent do you understand the need to prepare the work plan when planning a report To what extent do you understand the difference between a ‘report’ and a ‘proposal’ To what extent do you appreciate the different purposes of different types of ‘informational’ reports and ‘analytical’ reports To what extent do you appreciate the importance of planning a proposal This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 35 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 5 Topic 5: Reports and Proposals II - Writing 5.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of writing a report or a proposal. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Write an introduction to a report Write the body of a report Write the close of a report Write the content for a proposal Help readers to navigate content 5.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 5.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 36 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Unit 7 5.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: Writing the introduction to a report Writing the body of a report Writing the close of a report Writing the content for a proposal Helping readers to navigate content 5.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: writing the introduction to a report; writing the body of a report; writing the close of a report; writing the content for a proposal; helping readers to navigate content. Slides 3-4: These slides introduce the topic, explaining that business reports and proposals are an effective means of communication when written properly – using sections to aid clarity and make it easier for the reader to navigate the document. Slide 4 revisits the 3-Step Writing Process model introduced in a previous lecture – showing that this lecture is concerned with writing and completing the report. Slides 5–13: This part of the lecture introduces the students to the writing elements of report preparation in more detail. Slide 5 is concerned with the introduction, asserting that this is used to set the scope for the report and hence indicate to the reader why the report is needed and what the report is about. Slide 6 gives an example – talk the students through how this meets the requirements of the points discussed on the previous slide. Slide 7 gives more detail of possible content for a report introduction. Use a real world example that the students will be familiar with to take the students through each of the points. Slide 8 is concerned with organising the main body of the report. Illustrate this with a few examples that the students will be familiar with. Slide 9 gives an example page of a report. Discuss with the students how this is meeting one or more of the requirements discussed on the previous slide. These themes are developed further on slides 10 and 11. Again, use a few real world examples to illustrate these points in more detail. Slide 12 discusses the closing section(s) of a report. Make sure the students are aware of the need for a good conclusions section in a report. Slide 13 gives an example summary. Discuss with the students how this is meeting one or more of the requirements discussed on the previous slide. Slide 14: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about why it is important to write the introduction/scope of the report before commencing on the main body. A primary reason for doing this is so that the writer can be absolutely clear as to what the focus of the report should be – and thus equally importantly, know what the report is NOT about. Obviously other statements will also be acceptable. Slides 15–18: This part of the lecture covers aspects of writing a proposal. Slides 15 and 16 give some examples of content for a proposal. These are ‘tips’ to maximise the chances Page 37 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Unit 7 that the proposal get accepted. Get the students to comment on what is good and possibly not good about each of these sections. Use a real world example to illustrate and expand on each of the points. Slide 16 discusses the proposal introduction. Use an example that the students will be able to associate with to expand on each of the points. Adopt a similar strategy for discussing each of the points on slides 17 (main body) and 18 ( close). Slides 19–21: Here the lecture presents some tips for layout, designed to help the reader to navigate documents in an effective manner. Use an example to illustrate each of the points on slide 19. Slides 20 and 21 give two different examples of web layout – both designed to aid clarity and facilitate navigation. Debate with the students the pros and cons and advantages and disadvantages of each of these layouts. Encourage the students to discuss how each of these layouts fit with the points discussed in the lecture. Slides 22–25: These slides discusses supplementary parts of a report: bibliography, appendices, indexes. Slides 23-25 give examples of each. Discuss the use of each of these types of supplementary materials in a report with the students. Slide 26: This slide discusses the need for proofreading a report or proposal. Explain to the students why simply using a spell-checker is inadequate. Use examples to illustrate this – for example “check/cheque”, or “there/their”, etc. Impress upon the students that proof-reading should also be applied to their assignments! Slide 27: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about why it might be better to get a third party to proofread a document. The main reason is that we often miss our own mistakes when reading. In addition, a proof- reader can point out areas that are unclear, or need further explanation. Other answers will be acceptable. Slide 28: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 29: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of relevant references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cottrell, S. (2008), “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978- 0230573055 Price and Maier (2007) “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 38 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Unit 7 5.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in the same group you worked in for Tutorial Four. In the last tutorial (Tutorial Four) you created an outline structure for a management report assessing your College’s health and safety standards. In this tutorial you are going to write the report … Use the plan from last time (what and how) and collect the data you need for the report (I suggest one person does the data collection) Use the data you have collected to fill out the report using the structure you prepared last time in the template you created on your word processor. I suggest you limit this to 2 pages of A4 paper. Remember you need an introduction, main body and close/conclusions 60 minutes Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Exercise 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! 30 minutes Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercises 1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! 30 minutes Page 39 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Unit 7 5.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the ‘Topic 5 - Report Writing’ article available in the ‘Supporting Documents Folder’. How does this template compare with the one you used for your report in Tutorials Four and Five? What are the main similarities and differences? Do you think this is a good template? Why or why not? What have you learned from this exercise? Make notes! Exercise 2: Personal Development Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Report and Proposals II – Writing Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the purpose of a business report? To what extent do you understand the role of an introduction section of a report? To what extent do you understand the role of the main body section(s) of a report? Page 40 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Unit 7 To what extent do you understand the role of the conclusions and recommendations section(s) of a report? To what extent do you appreciate the purpose of the different sections of a proposal document? To what extent do you understand the difference between an appendix and an index in a report? To what extent do you understand the purpose and importance of proofreading a report or proposal? This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 41 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 6 Topic 6: Visual Communication 6.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of using visuals to communicate a business message. The lecture should last for approximately 2 hours. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Appreciate the use of visual communication Communicate using discrete data Communicate using continuous data Make appropriate use of charts, graphs and figures 6.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 6.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 42 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 6.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: Visual communication Communicating discrete data Communicating continuous data Appropriate use of charts, graphs and figures 6.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: visual communication; communicating discrete data; communicating continuous data; appropriate use of charts, graphs and figures. Slides 3-4: These slides introduce the topic, explaining that whilst a picture can paint a thousand words, it is important to represent the data correctly so that the correct message is conveyed. Slide 4 explains that raw data needs to be interpreted before it can be represented – and that statistics can be used to perform this. Slides 5–6: Use these two slides to explain to students how statistics can be used to “massage” data – but that in business this is not a good approach to adopt. Use some real world examples to illustrate this to the students. In business, representing data as honestly as possible is the best policy. Learning how to interpret data effectively and be able to draw conclusions from data is a skill that needs practice. Slides 7–9: Here the lecture very briefly introduces the concept of a spreadsheet. Explain to students how the idea of “cells” containing data, text and formulae is not a new concept – it has been used for hundreds of years, long before the advent of computers. Slide 9 gives a very basic visual representation of the different types of data that a spreadsheet can hold. Explain the purpose of these different types of cell to the students. Slides 10–11: This part of the lecture covers an introduction to continuous data. Use some examples to illustrate to the students what we mean by continuous data. Also introduced on slide 11 are the concepts of “trends” and “extrapolation”. Explain to the students by use of examples that the students will understand how looking for trends is a vital business skill for mangers in organisations. Also explain, with relevant examples, how extrapolation can be an important business tool for organisations to use as part of their planning activities. Slides 12–14: These 3 slides introduce and explain the concept of a “graph”. Talk the students through the example data and example graph on slides 13 and 14 respectively. Ensure the students understand the importance of using axis labels, a legend and a title to clarify things for the reader. Ask the students if they can work out which factory is performing best based on the data on slide 13. It can be observed from slide 14 that actually whilst the turnover for factory A is greater, factory B is performing better, as their sales have increased year on year for the life of the data Page 43 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  represented on the spreadsheet and graph. This is easier to see when the data is presented visually. Slides 15–17: This part of the lecture covers an introduction to frequencies and histograms. Use some examples to illustrate to the students what we mean by a frequency. Talk the students through the components of the histogram on slide 17. Importantly, explain to the students why the “bars” are touching each other on a histogram. Slide 18: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about the primary purpose of a graph. In my view, this is to represent continuous data visually. Other answers may be acceptable. Slides 19–24: This part of the lecture covers an introduction to discrete data. Use some examples to illustrate to the students what we mean by discrete data. Importantly, ensure the students understand that a chart can not have touching bars due to the data being discrete. This is fundamentally important to understand. Explain the components of a chart (slide 20) and explain to the students how these have been represented on the chart on slides 21 and 22. Slides 23 and 24 introduce pie charts – explain to the students how these are similar to bar charts, but generally only used when there are a small number of categories to represent. Slide 25: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about the primary difference between a bar chart and a histogram. The principal reason is that histograms represent continuous data (touching bars) whereas bar charts are used to represent discrete data (bars not touching). Slide 26: Concludes the main points from the lecture. Slide 27: Finishes the lecture with a bibliography of relevant references. Bibliography Payne and Whittaker (2006), “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 Cameron, S. (2009), “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712 Page 44 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 6.5 Tutorial Exercises The time allowance for tutorials in this topic is 2 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the tutorial activities in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: Group Exercise Work in groups of about four or five. In this tutorial you are going to collect some raw data and produce some visual representations of the data you collect. Collect the following data from everyone in your class – including the tutor Age in years Shoe size Favourite music artist Decide which type of visual representation would be best suited for each of these three different data sets Use a white board or flip chart the produce a different chart for each one of the three sets of data. Remember to label your work appropriately. 60 minutes Exercise 2: Class Findings Each group take turns to present your findings from Exercise 1. Be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Make notes! 30 minutes Exercise 3: Feedback As a tutor-led whole class group, discuss the results of Exercises 1 and 2. What have you learned from these activities? Make notes! 30 minutes Page 45 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 6.6 Private Study The time allocation for private study in this topic is expected to be 6 hours. Lecturers’ Notes: Students have copies of the private study exercises in the Student Guide. Answers are not provided in their guide. Exercise 1: You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Read the “charts and diagrams” article available at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Charts_and_Diagrams.htm How does this material compare with the material presented in the lecture? What are the main similarities and differences? We didn’t discuss Venn diagrams in the lecture. In what type of visual business communication do you think Venn diagrams might be useful? Justify your answer. What have you learned from this exercise? Make notes! Exercise 2: Personal Development Use the results from the activities in the lecture, tutorial and exercise 1 above to record your personal skills, knowledge and understanding in the development planner table below. You should spend approximately 90 minutes on this activity. Notes for ‘Confidence Level’ completion: (1 = Very Unsure, 5 = Very Confident) Visual Communication Action Plan Developing Skill, Confidence Level 1-5 Plans to Improve Understanding and Knowledge To what extent do you understand the need to interpret data before presenting it? To what extent do you understand the difference between discrete and continuous data? Page 46 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  To what extent do you understand the difference between a graph, a histogram and a chart? To what extent do you understand the need to label a visual representation correctly? To what extent do you appreciate how to create a chart or graph from spreadsheet data? To what extent do you understand how to look for trends on a graph? To what extent do you understand how to extrapolate data on a graph? This activity only has value if you follow up your action plan. Use approximately 5.5 hours of your private study time to begin to develop your understanding and knowledge of one or more of the above areas. Page 47 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3  Topic 7 Topic 7: Working in Teams 7.1 Learning Objectives This topic provides an overview of the core concepts of team-working. On completion of the topic, students will be able to: Understand different types of groups and teams Understand different team member profiles Appreciate varying team behaviours 7.2 Pedagogic Approach Information will be transmitted to the students during the lectures. They will then practise the skills during the tutorial sessions and self-study activities. 7.3 Timings Lectures: 2 hours Private Study: 6 hours Tutorials: 2 hours Page 48 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 7.4 Lecture Notes The following is an outline of the material to be covered during the lecture time. Please also refer to the slides. The structure of this topic is as follows: Different types of groups and teams Different team member profiles Varying team behaviours 7.4.1 Guidance on the Use of the Slides Slide 2: Gives the learning outcomes from this topic: understand different types of groups and teams; understand different team member profiles; appreciate varying team behaviours. Slides 3-4: These slides introduce the topic, explaining that being able to work in a team is a vital skill for business people. All organisations make extensive use of the concept of a ”team” to get the job done. Slide 4 gives some examples of different types of team – ‘potential team’ where a group is assigned a task, but there is a lack of focus and frustration occurs. Get the students to discuss their own personal experiences of working in teams on this module, in particular in the tutorial sessions. The slide also gives an overview of a ‘real team’, where colleagues work together and are committed and mutually supportive. The final category of team discussed in a ‘high-performance team’, where there is a good understanding of each team members strengths and weaknesses and the team can allocate tasks to members accordingly. Give some examples for each of these categories of team to illustrate key points to the students. Slides 5–7: This part of the lecture introduces the students to the three main elements of working in a team: achieving the task, maintaining the team, and developing individual members. Slide 5 discusses the key things that need to be done to achieve the task. Talk the students through each of the points on the slide by way of using a simple example. Get the students to contribute to the discussion. Slide 6 discusses things that need consideration to maintain the team. Again, encourage the students to contribute to this part of the lecture by suggesting why these things are important. Slide 7 discusses the importance of developing individuals within the team. Again, use an example that the students will be familiar with to illustrate key points and encourage the students to engage with this part of the lecture by offering their own examples and experiences. Slide 8: This slide uses a model from Price and Maier (2007) that illustrates different profiles of individuals working in a team. The model consists of four basic categories of person ‘type’. Talk the students through the model, illustrating with real world examples as appropriate. Slide 9: Here there is an in-class exercise which is designed to get the students to think about the model on the previous slide. In particular, get the students to consider which of the types fits their own personalities and more importantly how they think that this impacts on their own work and contributions as a team member. Page 49 of 86 CFB Lecturer Guide V1.3 Slides 10–12: This part of the lecture cover