Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study PDF

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359878755 Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study Article · March 2022 DOI: 10.31703/glr.2022(VII-I).03 CITATIONS...

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359878755 Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study Article · March 2022 DOI: 10.31703/glr.2022(VII-I).03 CITATIONS READS 5 349 3 authors: Inayatullah Kakepoto Abdullah Laghari Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology 47 PUBLICATIONS 100 CITATIONS 20 PUBLICATIONS 53 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Tania Laghari Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad 17 PUBLICATIONS 23 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Tania Laghari on 11 April 2022. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.  Citation: Kakepoto, I., Laghari, A., & Laghari, T. (2022). Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study. Global Language Review, VII(I), 23-32. https://doi.org/10.31703/glr.2022(VII-I).03 § DOI: 10.31703/glr.2022(VII-I).03 § URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/glr.2022(VII-I).03 § Vol. VII, No. I (Winter 2022) § Pages: 23 ‒ 32 Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study Inayatullah Kakepoto Abstract: Effective communication skills occupy key Professor, Department of English, importance in the world of work. This study aimed to Quaid-e-Awam University of investigate the standing of communication skills Engineering Science & Technology, courses in the engineering curriculum taught to Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan. engineering students. Additionally, it assessed whether Email: [email protected] all engineering departments implement the same credit hour course for engineering departments. The data Abdullah Laghari collection source was Prospectus-2021 of Quaid-e- Lecturer, Department of English, Awam University of Engineering, Science & Technology Quaid-e-Awam University of Nawabshah. Discourse Analysis was the data analysis Engineering Science & Technology, method. Findings exhibit that communication skills are Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan. taught as a single subject in the university and some Tania Laghari engineering departments implement it as a 2-credit Department of English, Shaheed hour and some 3-credit hour course. Unexpectedly, the Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed department of chemical engineering implements it as Benazirabad, Nawabshah, Sindh, (1) credit only. Findings endorse employers’ concerns Pakistan. that engineering graduates passing out from engineering universities are not ready for industry jobs. § p-ISSN: 2663-3299 Research results would guide engineering universities § e-ISSN: 2663-3841 of Pakistan to revisit engineering communication skills courses to bring them at par with industry skill needs. § L-ISSN: 2663-3299 Key Words: Curriculum, Communication Skills, Industry, Engineering Universities Introduction the engineering students because an engineer is an asset for the industry Education is very necessary for the proficient in this skill is an asset for the sustainable development of any country. The industry. Newly graduating engineers need to curriculum plays a crucial role to prepare possess advanced communication skills to students according to market needs. The present company projects efficiently. global market needs demand from Engineer’s major time spend in engineering universities to revisit curriculum communication activities (Passow & Passow, to bring it as per industry employability 2017) in an industry, therefore; skills. Engineering universities of Pakistan communication plays a pivotal role in the should train engineering students for professional life (Trevelyan, 2014) of an effective communication skills. training to  Inayatullah Kakepoto, Abdullah Laghari and Tania Laghari engineer. Engineers have to work in different Communication skills should be made part of positions in the industry work environment academic courses (Kirby & Romine, 2009). so; communication occupies a substantial Pedagogical approaches highlight that position in engineering (Werner et al., 2017). communication skill laboratories be Communication and engineering practice go developed to polish students’ together (Nathans-Kelly & Evans, 2017) and communication skills (Helsel & Hogg, 2006). they can never be separated apart in the Communication education is an important modern industry set-up. Engineering constituent of university education (Young & students should be exposed to Murphy, 2003) thus; communication skills communication skills through the should occupy vital space in the engineering curriculum taught to them. Communication university curriculum. The engineering skills learnt from engineering universities are education curriculum should have better a mismatch with industry skills (Norback et harmony between hard and soft skills. al., 2010). Employers want engineering Engineers should be capable of graduates with effective communication communicating with multiple people in the skills. The communication skills curriculum industry. Research indicates that the industry taught to engineering universities should be needs proficient engineers armed with prepared in consultation with professionals technical and non-technical skills (Ahmad et working in industries. A dialogue between al., 2014). Employers emphasize the academia and industry is desirable about communication skills of employees (Clement students’ skills (Olson et al., 2019). The & Murugavel, 2015). Cline (2005) surveyed communication skills of engineering employers and found that communication graduates are poor from an industry skills were the most valued skills. Nair et al., viewpoint (Donnell et al., 2011). This research (2009) study found that university graduates inspected communication skills subject fall short in skills such as communication standing in the engineering curriculum and skills. Looking at the importance of the harmony between credit hours of the communication skills as workplace skills course implemented by various engineering engineering universities of Pakistan should departments. Engineering universities revisit the engineering curriculum to bring it should be tasked with training students in at par with skills needed in the industry. effective communication skills which is in Studies show that novice graduates possess high need of time. poor communication skills (Nair et al., 2009; Gray, 2010). Griffin et al., (2014) studied Literature Overview undergraduate students to rate the importance of communication skills, strong Industry hires engineering graduates work ethics, integrity, dependability, and equipped with effective communication dedication, students gave the third number skills. Engineering universities provide to communication skills. Employers graduates with workplace skills, complain about engineering graduates’ poor competencies and knowledge. Engineering communication skills (Felder, 2012) because universities should provide a better avenue to they are poorly trained in this skill in engineering students to hone their job skills. university classrooms (Lingard & Barkataki, Communication skill is the most robust skill 2011). Dragana Božić et al., (2018) studied and employers mention it in newspapers students' and employers’ perceptions about advertising engineering jobs that applying communication skills and concluded that candidates need to possess this skill. Bacon & students and employers’ have different Anderson (2004) found that employers liked opinions about communication skills. graduates’ communication skills. Page | 24 Global Language Review (GLR) Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study Employers demand well-versed engineering Mahrooqi et al., 2014) and higher education graduates and request communication skills institutions have failed to produce graduates inclusion in the engineering curriculum. for industry jobs (Belwal et al., 2017). Randy (2017) studied employers’ satisfaction Curriculum designers should develop with new college graduates and said that soft curricula to obtain communication skills were the top preferred skills for capability, i.e., the “ability to function employers. Graduates lack employability effectively in the language in real-life skills (Cumming 2010), and literature contexts” (Byrnes, 1984: 12). The courses supports this finding (Osmani et al., 2015). should be included in the engineering Graduates get degrees but lack skills curriculum that practically focuses on (Andreas, 2018) and attempts have been industrial job skills. Engineering universities made to bring reforms to the curriculum should develop curricula that “meet the local (Gardiner, 2014). Finch et al., (2013) reviewed market needs, students’ understanding, the literature on employability and found soft learning abilities and required skills for skills to be an important skill for employment” (Baporikar & Shah, 2010: 16). employability. Osmani et al., (2015) reviewed This objective can be achieved by appointing articles on employability and found 53 curriculum experts from diverse fields. The graduate abilities and among these Higher Education Commission of Pakistan communications, the skill was found most has tasked National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC) with reviewing the important skill. Finch et al., (2013) surveyed curriculum in all fields of education. Pakistan employers and found that they gave Engineering Council (PEC) should also play weightage to soft skills. Su-Hie Ting et al., its due role to provide professionals from (2017) collected employers’ views importance industries. The Universities' boards of studies on of communication skills as employability and academic councils should be made skills. Employers considered communication bound to include industry experts for skills an important skill for job-seeking designing and approving curricula at the candidates. Finch et al., (2013) study found university level. Engineering graduates of that employers put great importance on Pakistan join multinational companies so; communication skills while hunting fresh curriculum experts from foreign countries graduates. Thomas et al., (2016) studied job should be made part of this committee. skills needed in Gulf countries and found that Engineering graduates of Pakistan become presentations, technical discourse, part of multinational companies so; explaining actions confidently, and curriculum experts from foreign countries communication effectively as required job should also be included in this exercise. For skills. Jackson (2010) stated that graduates instance; research publications and PhD should be competent in oral communication thesis are evaluated by foreign field experts, skills. Employers in Kuwait desire that fresh likewise, the curriculum should also be sent graduates should be efficient in to foreign experts for review. The committee communicating orally and giving should be mandated that all universities in presentations (Abdulla et al., 2014). Pakistan should implement its Higher education institutions have failed recommendations practically in the true to develop communication skills for industry sense. Language teachers should be tasked to jobs (Moody, 2012). Universities have to find engage students more and more in ways to make curricula in line with industry communication tasks such as oral needs (Gardiner, 2014; Manik et al., (2014). presentations, meeting skills, discussion Communication skills have never remained a skills, and negotiation skills. According to priority of higher education institutions (Al- Norback et al., (2010) communication skills Vol. VII, No. I (Winter 2022) Page | 25  Inayatullah Kakepoto, Abdullah Laghari and Tania Laghari learned in academic institutions are never Engineering education implements the same as those needed in the engineering qualitative methods (Walther et al., 2017) profession. Thus, it is vital that all because; it is the most fitting approach to stakeholders associated with engineering understanding engineering discipline issues. education take efforts to train engineering Creswell (2014) states that qualitative students in employability skills. research is appropriate for data collection and data interpretation. The data collection Study Objectives source was of this study was secondary data. i. To determine communication skills It was obtained from Prospectus-2021, Quaid- standing in the engineering e-Awam University of Engineering, Science & curriculum at QUEST. Technology Nawabshah. Quaid-e-Awam ii. To explore whether all engineering University of Engineering, Science & departments, implement the same Technology Nawabshah comprises three credit hours for the subject of faculties namely the Faculty of Engineering, communication skills at QUEST. Faculty of Electrical, Electronics, Telecommunication, Computer systems, Research Questions Software and Automation & Control i. What is communication skills standing Engineering (FEECE) and Faculty of Science. in the engineering curriculum at Since this study studied communication QUEST? skills in the engineering curriculum thus, the ii. Are all engineering departments Faculty of Science was discarded. Data were implement the same credit hours for analyzed using the Discourse analysis the subject of communication skills at technique. QUEST? Study Findings Method Part I: Communication Skills Standing in This study is purely qualitative in nature. Engineering Curriculum Table 1. Communication Skills Subject in Faculty of Engineering S. No Department Subject Name Semester Cr. Hours Writing & Communication 2nd Semester, 1 Civil Engineering 2+1=3 Skills 1st Year Mechanical 2nd Semester, 2 Communication Skills 2+1=3 Engineering 1st Year Energy Systems Technical Report Writing & 2nd Semester, 3 2+1=3 Engineering Communication Skills 1st Year Environment Communication Skills & 2nd Semester, 4 st 3+0=3 Engineering Report Writing 1 Year Chemical 2nd Semester, 5 Communication Skills 1+0=1 Engineering 1st Year Source: QUEST Prospectus-2021 Table 1 indicates that in Faculty of teach three (3) credit hours of Engineering, department of civil engineering, communication skills subject with three (3) mechanical engineering, energy systems credit hours. But this subject has been engineering, and environment engineering Page | 26 Global Language Review (GLR) Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study introduced with different tags. Nevertheless, the department of chemical engineering. only one (1) credit hour course is taught in Table 2. Communication Skills Subject in FEECE Faculty S. No Department Subject Name Semester Cr. Hours 2nd Semester, 1 Electrical Engineering Communication Skills 2+0=2 1st Year 2nd Semester, 2 Electronics Engineering Communication Skills 2+0=2 1st Year Telecommunication Communication Skills 2nd Semester, 3 2+1=3 Engineering 1st Year Computer systems Communication Skills & 2nd Semester, 4 3+0=3 Engineering Technical Writing 1st Year 2nd Semester, 5 Software Engineering Communication Skills 2+0=2 1st Year Automation & Control 1st, Semester, 6 Communication Skills 2+0=2 Engineering 2nd Year Source: QUEST Prospectus-2021 Table 2 shows that in Faculty of FEECE However, only the telecommunication department of electrical engineering, engineering department carries three (3) electronics engineering, computer systems credit hour courses. engineering, software engineering, and Part II: All Engineering Departments automation & control engineering contains whether implementing the same credit hours contain two (2) credit hour courses. for the subject of Communication Skills Table 3. Communication Skills subject with Credit Hours in Faculty of Engineering & Faculty of FEECE S. No Department Subject Name Semester Cr. Hours Writing & Communication 2nd Semester, 1st 1 Civil Engineering 2+1=3 Skills Year Mechanical 2nd Semester, 1st 2 Communication Skills 2+1=3 Engineering Year Energy Systems Technical Report Writing 2nd Semester, 1st 3 2+1=3 Engineering & Communication Skills Year Environment Communication Skills & 2nd Semester, 1st 4 3+0=3 Engineering Report Writing Year Chemical 2nd Semester, 1st 5 Communication Skills 1+0=1 Engineering Year Electrical 2nd Semester, 6 Communication Skills 2+0=2 Engineering 1st Year Electronics 2nd Semester, 7 Communication Skills 2+0=2 Engineering 1st Year Telecommunication 2nd Semester, 8 Communication Skills 2+1=3 Engineering 1st Year Vol. VII, No. I (Winter 2022) Page | 27  Inayatullah Kakepoto, Abdullah Laghari and Tania Laghari S. No Department Subject Name Semester Cr. Hours Computer systems Communication Skills & 2nd Semester, 9 3+0=3 Engineering Technical Writing 1st Year Software 2nd Semester, 10 Communication Skills 2+0=2 Engineering 1st Year Automation & 1st, Semester, 11 Communication Skills 2+0=2 Control Engineering 2nd Year Source: QUEST Prospectus-2021 Table 3 shows that the department of civil engineering, software engineering and engineering, mechanical engineering, energy automation & control engineering teach this systems engineering, environment subject with two (2) credit hours. engineering, telecommunication engineering R.Q. 2, findings indicate that all and computer systems engineering carry engineering departments follow different three (3) credit hours. Whereas; the credit hours. For example, the department of department of electrical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, software energy systems engineering, environment engineering, and automation & control engineering, telecommunication engineering engineering share two (2) credit hours. and computer systems engineering comprise Surprisingly, the department of chemical three (3) credit hours. The department of engineering has only one (1) credit hour. electrical engineering, electronics engineering, software engineering and Discussion automation & control engineering embrace Communication skills subject is taught in the two (2) credit hours. But, the department of second semester, the first year in all chemical engineering covers only one (1) engineering departments of the Quaid-e- credit hour. Awam University of Engineering; Science & Literature survey studies put great Technology Nawabshah. Presently, two (2) importance on the communication skills of engineering faculties are functioning at engineering graduates. Employers also show QUEST namely the Faculty of Engineering, concern that engineering universities never and the Faculty of electrical, electronics, provide industry-ready engineers to hire computer systems, telecommunication them. But, engineering universities of software, and automation and control Pakistan put little importance on the engineering (FEECE). This subject is taught communication skills of engineering with different labels in the same university. students. It seems that the focus of For instance; the department of civil engineering universities in Pakistan is on the engineering has implemented it as “Writing technical skills of engineering students. The & Communication Skills”, and departments industry needs engineers proficient in of mechanical engineering, energy systems technical and non-technical skills (Ahmad et engineering and environment engineering al., 2014) and employers emphasize graduate share the “Communication Skills” tag with communication skills (Clement & three (3) credit hours. Unexpectedly, the Murugavel, 2015). University graduates fall department of chemical engineering has short in skills such as communication skills implemented this subject with one (1) credit (Nair et al., 2009). Fresh graduates are hour only. Additionally, departments of unprepared for communication skills (Nair et electrical engineering, electronics al., 2009; Gray, 2010). Employers complain engineering, telecommunication about the poor communication skills of Page | 28 Global Language Review (GLR) Communication Skills across Engineering Curriculum: A Case Study engineering graduates (Felder, 2012). and competencies to be part of multinational Communication skills are poorly taught in companies. Thousands of engineering university classrooms (Lingard & Barkataki, graduates are passing out from engineering 2011). In this perspective, looking at global nurseries without proper employability skills market needs engineering universities of and they cry for jobs. Employers recruit Pakistan should focus on the communication engineering graduates equipped with skills of engineering students and add more effective communication skills and communication skills courses to the existing engineering graduates who fall short in this engineering curriculum. skill are rejected during the interview stage. Engineering universities of Pakistan should Conclusion make necessary arrangements for proper communication skill trainings for The global market scenario demands well- engineering students to make them better rounded engineering graduates equipped human capital for industry. This is high time with both hard and soft skills. Unfortunately, for engineering universities of Pakistan to the focus of engineering universities in think critically and minutely and update and Pakistan is too little on soft skills such as upgrade the engineering communication communication skills. Resultantly, there is skills curriculum taught to engineering huge unemployment in the engineering students. The curriculum is the first step to profession of Pakistan. Engineering students producing proficient engineers in both hard of Pakistan need a global skill set knowledge and soft skills. Vol. VII, No. I (Winter 2022) Page | 29  Inayatullah Kakepoto, Abdullah Laghari and Tania Laghari References orientation. 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