Communication-based learning objectives in a four-year engineering curriculum: A longitudinal analysis

Effective communication has been identified as a critical skill for engineering graduates. In this article, the authors identified specific communication-based learning objectives in existing Rowan University engineering courses that are designed to provide instruction in technical communication throughout the curriculum. The objectives fall into four primary categories: rhetorical awareness, writing, oral presentations and interpersonal communication. Within these categories, the authors have identified several sub-objectives and have mapped these to the revised Bloom's Taxonomy based on the level of competency expected of students in each course. The purpose of this exercise is to provide a robust framework for evaluating the treatment of communication skills longitudinally through the entire curriculum, rather than piecewise, so that gaps or unreasonable expectations of jumps in skill from year-to-year can be identified. The authors expect that this approach can serve as a model to analyse and design engineering curricula at other universities as well.