MA (Hons) (UNSW), PhD (Syd), GradDipAdultEd (SCAE)

Senior Lecturer
Academic area: Vocational Education Training and Employment

Telephone: +61 2 9514 3321
Email: Shirley.Saunders@uts.edu.au
Room: CB10.5.287
Campus: City - CB10 Building

Teaching Areas:
The nature of the communication process and models of the communication process; barriers to effective communication; assertiveness training, active listening, empathic listening and responding,, problem solving, dealing with conflict, counselling techniques; listening training; nonverbal communication; stress management and relaxation techniques; negotiation skills and persuasion; compliance gaining; effective written communication; small group communication, group process and group leadership; management of meetings including leadership styles; conflict resolution; public speaking and presentation skills; interviewing techniques; organisational communication systems; analysis of argument and construction of sound argument; formal logic and informal fallacies of argument; study skills; learning styles and teaching/training styles; studies of technology and society issues including social and philosophical contextual issues for engineers; communication for engineers.

Research Areas:
Communication education
Academic needs of communication specialists in vocational education: developing communication specialists in vocational education

Communication education: theory and practice of the design of subject units for clients in tertiary settings.

Use of learning contracts by communication educators in tertiary settings.

Flexible delivery of communication subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Reflective Practice and Improving Practice
Principles and techniques of self-evaluation of professional practice for trainers and teachers; improving practice through problem based methodology and learning conversations.

Applied communication skills
Identifying and developing communication skills and client training needs for conflict management, negotiation skills and assertiveness, particularly in organisational contexts involving rapid change

Communication skills for apprentices in Australian industry: innovative practices for acquiring skills.

Publications:
Saunders, S. (1999). "The Social Psychology of Adult Learning" in J. Athanasou (ed.). The Psychology of Adult Learning, Sydney: Social Science Press.
Gowing, R. and Saunders, S. (1999). "Improving Workplace performance Using a Problem-based methodology" in J. Athanasou (ed.) Proceedings of the College of Educational Psychologists Conference of the Sydney Section, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney: College of Educational Psychologists.
Saunders, S. et al. (1998).Learning Conversations: Thinking, Talking, Doing. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney, video and workbook.
Saunders, S. (1998). "Improving Workplace Performance by Reframing Communication Competence" in Centre for Learning and Work Research, Faculty of Education, Griffith University, Vocational Knowledge and Institutions: Changing Relationships, 6th Annual International Conference, Conference Papers, Volume 4, pp. 141 – 153.
Mohan, T., McGregor, H., Saunders, S. and Archee, R. (1997).Communicating! Theory and Practice. Sydney: Harcourt Brace.
Saunders, S. (1998).Developing Systems Communication: Resources and Experiential Activities for Educators. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.
Saunders, S. (1998). Selected Readings in Developing Systems Communication . Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney
Saunders, S. (1997). Developing Interpersonal Communication: Resources and Experiential Activities for Educators. 2 vols. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.
Saunders, S. (1997).Selected Readings in Developing Interpersonal Communication Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.
Saunders, S. (1997).Developing Group Communication: Resources and Experiential Activities for Educators. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.
Saunders, S. (1997). Selected Readings in Developing Group Communication Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney.