PV206 Communication and soft skills FAQ
Q: What should I write in the course application?
A: We are interested in your motivation. Tell us why you want to study soft skills, and your personal opinion on what part of the course will be useful to you.
Q: What language is used in the class?
A: Seminar groups 02 and 03 are Czech. The group 01 runs in English, and all students who don't understand Czech must sign up there. For others, we recommend joining this group only if you really want to study soft skills in English. And don't worry! We certainly won't judge you based on your English skills, and we'll help if needed.
If the participants of Czech groups want to use English, all of them have to agree on it. The seminar tutors can handle both languages but recommend using Czech. The concepts they introduce can sometimes be hard to digest, and it is usually easier for students to hear this topic in their native language. In the end, the main aim of the course is to train soft skills, not practice English conversation.
Q: Is there any difference between the seminar groups (besides the language)?
A: The length and basic topics covered are the same for all groups. The only special group is Security (only in autumn term), and BIT students are strongly advised to ask for a permission to join the group at the beginning of the enrolling period. This group contains additional activities to cover situations that may occur in your life as a Security specialist. We also invite guests who have been working in IT security for years to share their experience with students and provide tips and tricks. At the end of the semester, there is an opportunity to take part in a special security LARP (Role playing game) to test your soft skills by trying to handle difficult situations at a workplace.
Q: I have a (partial) collision with another class / appointment with the doctor / important work meeting etc. Can I leave X hours sooner on day Y?
A: In serious cases, you can leave sooner or skip the class. If it is for health reasons, send a confirmation from your doctor to the Office for studies as usual. Otherwise, compensate for the classes you missed: by default in other seminar group. For example, if you must leave 2 hours sooner every Thursday (that's 6 hours in total), then pay an extra visit to another seminar group on Friday. Always write to the seminar tutors of the respective group in advance as soon as possible, and ask if they are willing to take you. If yes, write a short review (at most 1 page A4) afterwards about your experiences in another group and send it to your seminar tutors within 7 days of your visit. If no, ask your seminar tutors for another solution (typically a reading / writing assignment). Every unexcused / uncompensated class results in lowering your grade.
Q: Each tutorial session is about 5 to 8 hours long. I'm afraid that I cannot handle it/ be conscious all the time.
A: Don't worry! There'll be breaks and activities to boost energy. It's not only sitting all the time.
Q: What do I need to do to pass the course?
A: The basic requirements are: 100% attendance (the first meeting is absolutely vital and missing it means failing the course), active participation in the class, regularly submitting feedback / reaction sheets on the course, and preparing a team moderation. More details will be discussed in the class. There is no test or any kind of examination.
Q: Are soft skills some kind of black magic / voodoo manipulation / motivational bullshit?
A: Soft skills have been a popular topic for the past few decades, giving rise to all sorts of self-help coaches, books, and seminars. Unfortunately, most of this is, well... bullshit. We don't promise any life-changing miracles, just offer you several methods backed by research and professional experience (we'll gladly provide our resources). You can try them on your own, and if they suit you, they'll help you when dealing with other people in your workplace or personal setting. If it doesn't work for you, it's fine. There is no universal way: everyone is different. Hey, at least you'll try something new!
Q: What are some soft skills books worth reading?
A: Besides those in the course literature in IS, we recommend this collection of crowdsourced materials from tutors and past students of PV206. Feel free to extend it!:)