Communications Toolkit

Jane Grellier has coordinated the Communication Skills program in the Faculty of Media, Society and Culture at Curtin University since 2000. She began working life as a secondary English teacher, and then worked as a curriculum developer and educational writer in the fields of English and literacy. The Communication Skills program Jane coordinates is offered to 1600 students � mainly first-year students � in three divisions of the university in order to develop the skills they will need for success at university: skills in information literacy, academic writing, oral presentations and teamwork. Jane's research interests include the teaching of writing and discipline-specific literacies. Veronica Goerke (PhD) is a senior lecturer at Curtin University who lives with her husband near her children and their families on Whadjuk Noongar Country in Boorloo (Perth, Western Australia). Her ancestors all come from the Valtellina in northern Italy and her first language was a dialect from that region. Like Jane and Katie, Veronica first worked as a secondary school teacher, before moving into universities, where she taught and coordinated communication skills, as well as holding leadership roles in academic development and curriculum design. She has worked with Australian First Nation colleagues to cocreate and deliver reconciliation-related projects including intercultural staff training and on-country subjects for students. She has completed research into the first-year experience, communication skills and students� use of tablets for learning. However, her key research focus is reconciliation in Australian universities. She believes we are all continually learning how to better communicate with each other, so we can be more inclusive and respectful and thus enact real reconciliation and peace across the world. After graduating from post-graduate Education studies at the University of Western Australia in 2004, Katie Fielding has been involved in education since 2005. Beginning her career as a secondary English classroom teacher, she also served as a Head of House and Head of Learning Area (English) during her time at Western Australian secondary schools. During this time, Katie completed a Master of Education at the University of Western Australia, focusing her final dissertation on the use of Information Communication Technologies in the English learning area. Katie later expanded her involvement in education by working on various projects for the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, particularly in the area of senior and middle years English curriculum support materials and standards setting. She has been involved in WACE examinations for both English and Literature for many years, notably having the role of Chief Marker for Literature since 2017. Katie has spent the last seven years teaching Communications and Education units at Curtin University in Western Australia, both on-campus as well as online, and she also supervises practicum students during their placements for the University of Western Australia.

Part 1 Transitioning to tertiary studies
1. Making the transition
2. Online learning
Part 2 Research skills
3. Identifying and evaluating appropriate resources
4. Reading scholarly texts, both written and recorded�
5. Referencing and academic integrity
Part 3 Academic writing
6. Approaches to writing
7. Reflective writing
8. Report writing
9. Academic essay writing
10. Some other tertiary genres
Part 4 Refining your writing
11. Two principles of good academic writing
12. Grammar, punctuation and spelling
Part 5 Face-to-face communication
13. Interpersonal skills
14. Intercultural communication
15. Teamwork
16. Presentations
17. How far you�ve come!