Knowing that we have some guest speakers (who have had experience working full time in the workforce/in the ‘real world’) coming to the our class, what expectations do you have for that particular ‘lecture’? What sort of guest speakers would be of interest to you?  That is, would you want to talk to someone of a particular background, position, experience, etc? What questions might you ask our guest speakers?  What advice would you ask for? Explain.

Reflect on the BA and PM topics covered in the lecture on Jan 16.  What did you find especially interesting? What was unclear or confusing?  What experience do you have in either areas (BA or PM)?  How do you see the topics applicable or not applicable to you?  What other thoughts do you have to share on the topic?

Taking into consideration the policies that have been put in place to deal with slackers, what concerns you when it comes to group work in this course?  Do you think group work in the university setting is a good preparation for working with others in the ‘real world’? In what ways are group work in the academic setting similar to or different from group work in the workplace?  How have your past group work experiences (positive or negative) shaped your attitude towards group work?

CSC290 is a course to teach the conventions associated with professional and technical communication and behaviour.  What does professional behaviour mean to you?  If you were told that you are expected to carry yourself with professionalism in this course, what does that mean?  Is it something you are already doing in the academic setting?  Are there certain situations where another student or an instructor has shown you exceptional professionalism?  Perhaps more interestingly, can you think of a scenario where other students or instructors have been less than professional? You needn’t name names but be specific about the behaviour and/or scenario.

Topic:

Tell me about where you are at the start of this course with regards to the ‘non-technical’ skills needed for an IT professional. For example: how would you rate your writing skills, your speaking skills, your ability to organize? Are you comfortable with speaking in front of a crowd, working with a group of strangers?