This document summarizes a panel discussion on integrating communication instruction across software engineering curricula to improve graduates' real-world communication abilities. The panelists represented computer science/software engineering faculty, communication across the curriculum faculty, and an industrial partner. They discussed expectations for graduates' communication skills, examples of integrated assignments, roles of various participants, potential challenges, faculty preparation, and plans for evaluating the project's success in achieving its goals. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation.

1. Is Integration of Communication and Technical Instruction Across the SE Curriculum a Viable Strategy for Improving the Real World Communication Abilities of Software Engineering Graduates?http://cpath.csi.muohio.eduMladenVoukNCSUJanet E. BurgePaul V. AndersonMiami UniversityAndrew BegelMicrosoft ResearchGerald C. GannodModeratorThis work was funded by NSF CPATH-II Award CCF-0939122. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

2. “I have people skills”2

3. Audience: What do you think communication in CS and SE means?

4. Project: http://cpath.csi.muohio.eduDeveloping communication course outcomes and assignments for 6 courses:CS1, CS2, Data Structures, Software Engineering, Databases, Capstone/Senior DesignParticipants from 14 institutions with Miami and NCSU as leadCS and Software Engineering FacultyCommunication Across the Curriculum FacultyIndustrial participants4

5. The PanelistsThree different perspectives on the project:CS/SE Faculty (Burge, Vouk)Communication Across the Curriculum Faculty (Anderson)Industrial Partner/Participant (Begel)5

6. Format2-3 minute introduction by each of the panelistsPrepared QuestionsQuestions from audienceTwitter hashtag: #cseet2011p26

7. What communication skills are do we expect graduates to possess?(Audience?)

8. How are we doing this?(Audience: What have you tried?)8

9. What are the roles of the different participants?(Audience: Are we missing any important constituents?)

10. What do the assignments look like?(Audience: Is this sufficient for you to get started?)

11. Audience: Do you see any pitfalls?What has make this difficult?

12. How are we preparing faculty?(Audience: What kind of training would you expect to receive?)

13. How do the participants feel about the project?

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15. Are we doing the right thing?(Audience: What might the alternatives be?)

16. How are we evaluating success?(Audience: What would drive you towards using our materials?)