A Bridging Engineering-English Communication Course

Abstract

This article describes changes made to the Communication for Bridging Engineers course at the University of Durban-Westville in order to meet the need to create modules which are more outcomes-oriented and learner-centred. Problems with the tendency for generic courses to create skills-transfer difficulties and the existing lack of a clear base for the Communication course in either the Faculties of Science or Engineering are examined. The author has been influenced in her course design by interdisciplinary and interactional theories and approaches such as the constructivist paradigm, which acknowledges students' prior knowledge. It is suggested that the confidence acquired by students in what will be a foundation module, rather than a bridging year, will serve students well in facing demanding academic subject-specific courses in subsequent years of study.