Interpersonal skills collection
This collection of digital resources has been put together to help educators save time finding materials to build students’ transferable skills. The resources in this collection can be used to help learners develop their interpersonal skills in communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and leadership.
Here you will find resources from RMIT’s Learning Lab, and an open educational resource (OER) called Learning Lab Contextualised Content. There is also a selection of carefully curated OERs from outside RMIT, which educators can take as a whole, adapt, or use as a starting point to create their own resource.
Although this collection focuses on the four main skills in the list to the right, each resource gives learners a chance to build multiple sub-skills. Use the skills and sub-skills in the search bar of the tables below to find relevant resources.
This collection is dynamic, and we hope that in future more materials will be developed and incorporated to address some of the less prominently featured sub-skills. We invite suggestions for additional high-quality open educational resources that could enhance and expand this collection.
RMIT Resources
Learning Lab
Learning Lab is an RMIT Library digital resource offering support materials covering a large range of subject and skill areas. Learning Lab is currently open access, meaning it’s on the open web, and is expected to go a step further soon, becoming an OER, which can be freely used and adapted on other platforms. This is a collection of the Learning Lab tutorials which relate to interpersonal skills.
| Page or tutorial | Module | Skills and Knowledge |
|---|---|---|
| Writing a discussion board post | Online learning skills | communication, articulating perspectives, written communication |
| Interacting on a discussion board | Online learning skills | communication, collaboration, articulating perspectives, discussing, debating, and negotiating, group work, professionalism, written communication |
| Choosing communication tools | Online learning skills | communication, collaboration, group work, emotional intelligence, communicating with diverse audiences, managing projects, conflict resolution, discussing, debating, and negotiating, written communication |
| Using collaboration tools | Online learning skills | communication, collaboration, group work, managing projects |
| Working well together online | Online learning skills | communication, collaboration, group work, emotional intelligence, communicating with diverse audiences, conflict resolution, managing projects |
| Online presentations | Online learning skills | communication, collaboration, group work, leadership, non-verbal communication, presentation skills |
| Workplace writing basics | Writing and assessments | communication, communicating with diverse audiences, professionalism, written communication |
| Writing emails | Writing for the workplace | communication, communicating with diverse audiences, professionalism, written communication |
| Group work | Writing and assessments | communication, communicating with diverse audiences, professionalism, collaboration, group work, discussing, debating, and negotiating, ethical practice, accountability, managing projects, written communication |
| Understanding your audience | Writing and assessments | communication, emotional intelligence, articulating perspectives, presentation skills, communicating with diverse audiences, cultural sensitivity, professionalism |
| Oral presentation basics | Oral presentations | communication, presentation skills, non-verbal communication |
| Academic poster presentations | Oral presentations | communication, presentation skills, non-verbal communication |
| Write clearly | Academic style | communication, written communication |
Learning Lab Contextualised Content (OER)
Learning Lab Contexualised Content (LLCC) is an OER developed to add contextualisation to the skills and knowledge taught on RMIT’s Learning Lab. The learning content is delivered in scenarios that allow students to appreciate the practical application of skills in their everyday lives.
The LLCC resource can be used on its own or to complement and supplement Learning Lab material. Its Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence means you can take and adapt the content to suit your needs, providing the content is attributed, used for non-commercial purposes (such as public education), and your own iteration is shared with the same licence. In this table, you will find a collection of the LLCC learning objects which relate to interpersonal skills, and their alignment to further material on Learning Lab.
| Object name | Topic(s) | Skills and knowledge | Learning Lab alignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giving a presentation | communication, economic sustainability | presentation skills, communicating with diverse audiences, articulating perspectives, visual communication | |
| Using clear and concise language | written communication, workplace health and safety | written communication, communicating with diverse audiences | |
| Presenting in an online meeting | communication | presentation skills, online learning basics | |
| Using accessible colour in design | art and design, accessibility, colour theory | communication, visual communication, communicating with diverse audiences, | |
| Visualising survey data with charts and graphs | event management | communication, visual communication | |
| Writing a report | written communication, event management | written communication, communicating with diverse audiences, articulating perspectives |
External Open Educational Resources
These OERs cover a range of interpersonal skills and knowledge areas. They have been selected after going through an evaluation process and all have Creative Commons licences which allow them to be used freely for educational purposes.
Use the table to search for resources by skills or discipline. To help educators find what they are looking for, descriptions of the selected OERs have been included below the table – here you will find links to each resource’s licensing instructions, a summary of the content and activities in the resource, and suggestions on how they can be used.
| OER | Institution or platform | Discipline | Skills and knowledge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groups and Meetings | University of Kansas | communications, multidisciplinary | Communication, collaboration, leadership, group work, communicating with diverse audiences, managing projects, accountability |
| Persuasive Presentations | University of Kansas | communications, multidisciplinary | communication, articulating perspectives, non-verbal communication, presentation skills, active listening, communicating with diverse audiences, ethical practice, accountability, professionalism, discussing, debating, and negotiating |
| The Group Dynamics of a School Project | eCampus Ontario (Pressbooks) | multidisciplinary | collaboration, leadership, group work, communicating with diverse audiences, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, managing projects |
| Employability Skills Competency: Use Interpersonal Communication Skills | Camosun College (Pressbooks) | vocational Education, multidisciplinary | communication, leadership, group work, articulating perspectives, active listening, non-verbal communication, written communication, conflict resolution, |
| Working in Teams | BC Campus (Pressbooks) | careers, business, multidisciplinary | collaboration, group work, professionalism, managing projects, conflict resolution |
| Inclusive Language | Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training | education, multidisciplinary | communication, non-verbal communication, articulating perspectives, written communication, communicating with diverse audiences, cultural sensitivity, ethical practice, accountability, emotional intelligence |
| Emotional Intelligence | NOBA | psychology, multidisciplinary | emotional intelligence, communication, unbiased communication, ethical practice, accountability, cultural sensitivity, professionalism |
| Professional Communication in Health Professions | Nova Scotia Community College (Pressbooks) | health, nursing | communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, articulating perspectives, non-verbal communication, communicating with diverse audiences, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, ethical practice, accountability, professionalism |
| Business Communication for Success | University of Minnesota Libraries (Pressbooks) | business | communication, articulating perspectives, non-verbal communication, written communication, presentation skills, communicating with diverse audiences, discussing, debating, and negotiating, group work, collaboration, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, professionalism |
Resource descriptions
Groups and meetings
- Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Institution/ Platform: University of Kansas, USA/Pressbooks
This resource is the eleventh chapter of a Pressbooks publication titled Problem solving in teams and groups published by the University of Kansas. Originally developed for a communications course, this digital textbook can add value across disciplines in which students need to learn how to successfully facilitate meetings, such as education, business, and policy development.
Like a traditional textbook, it is text-heavy with a small number of images. However, the language is direct and student-facing and easy to engage with.
The Groups and meetings chapter includes information on:
- Establishing a clear purpose statement and goals for a meeting
- Deciding how to meet and creating a meeting agenda to set expectations
- Considerations when inviting meeting participants
- Identifying and arranging an appropriate meeting space (note that this section lacks important information on accessibility and inclusion when choosing meeting spaces)
- Facilitating an effective meeting (with a checklist, warnings, and guidelines)
- Using technology to facilitate meetings
When using or adapting this resource, educators should note that its sections are compiled from various sources and attributions may be necessary. The original content and sources used to develop this resource can be found in the references and attributions sections at the bottom of the Groups and meetings chapter.
Persuasive presentations
- Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Institution/ Platform: University of Kansas, USA/Pressbooks
This resource is the tenth chapter of a Pressbooks publication titled Problem solving in teams and groups published by the University of Kansas. Originally developed for a communications course, this digital textbook can add value across disciplines in which students need to learn how to successfully deliver persuasive presentations.
Like a traditional textbook, it is text-heavy with a small number of images. However, the language is direct and student-facing and easy to engage with.
The Persuasive presentations chapter includes sections on:
- How persuasion and motivation work in the context of delivering an argument
- How to identify and meet the basic needs of the listener and why we engage in communication
- How to speak ethically and avoid fallacies and why this is important when it comes to persuasion
- Organising thoughts and practising persuasive presentations (as a group)
Educators should note this chapter was adapted from two other Pressbook sources listed at the top of the page. These sources should be added to the attribution if this content is duplicated or remixed on another platform.
The group dynamics of a school project
- Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Institution/ Platform: eCampus Ontario, Canada/Pressbooks
This resource provides a set of role-plays, discussion questions, and key takeaways. There are five scenes set within a larger narrative of a diverse group of students working together on a class project. These scenes give learners the chance to gain insight into navigating group work at a post-secondary level by introducing concepts that support positive group dynamics and the opportunity to improvise solutions to problems in a low-stakes environment.
The scenes cover important aspects of group work, including:
- Getting to know each other
- Avoiding groupthink and the importance of preparation
- Resolving group conflict
- Maintaining respectful communication, negotiating tasks, and setting an agenda
- The importance of a positive group climate, and setting roles
Each scene is partially scripted, and learners are tasked with improvising the end of the scenario. The lesson plan included in the resource suggests assigning roles to students. Each role play is followed by discussion questions and key takeaways.
These role plays are best suited to use in class, whether in-person or online, with educator guidance. The resource can easily be adapted to cater to the needs of students, and as the original content is contextualised within a Canadian setting, educators in Australia might find it beneficial to align the scripts with the backgrounds and needs of their learners.
Employability Skills Competency: use interpersonal communication skills
- Institution/Platform: Camosun College, Canada/Pressbooks
- Licence: CC BY 4.0
This OER is a digital textbook organised into chapters covering a variety of interpersonal communication areas. Originally developed to support students studying in the Canadian trades industries, there is a strong focus on communication as an employability skill. This resource might be especially valuable for students undertaking work-integrated learning (WIL), and vocational education courses. However, the information is broadly applicable to any work setting in which interpersonal skills are required.
The book has six chapters called ‘learning tasks’, which consist of informative content followed by a self-test.
- Principles of Communication
- Listening Techniques
- Giving and Receiving Feedback
- Assertive Communication
- Conflict Resolution Techniques
- Problem Solving and Decision Making
While the content is foundation level, with language that is appropriate, the resource lacks interactive elements to engage learners. The chapters are text-heavy but do include self-test quizzes with answer keys, which present an opportunity to introduce more interactivity through digital tools like H5P. Alternatively, these tests could be made collaborative in-class activities. This resource will suit self-directed learners and offers flexibility for educators, who can adapt it and incorporate sections of their choosing into their digital delivery
Working in teams
- Institution/Platform: BC Campus, Canada/Pressbooks
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Working in teams is the seventeenth chapter in a digital textbook called Fundamentals of Business Communication, which provides a comprehensive overview of important concepts when communicating professionally in the digital age.
Chapter seventeen begins with learning objectives and reflective prompts to get learners thinking about the topics. There is also an introduction video. The body of the chapter includes pages called Positive and negative team member roles and Team problem-solving. There are then ‘end of chapter’ activities, including a prompt to consider key takeaways, discussion questions, a scenario activity, and a writing activity prompt.
Although the focus of the chapter is on communication in the workplace, not the classroom, the problem-solving strategies are the same ones that would be used in a classroom setting. Additionally, the concepts are valuable for learners undertaking professional projects, work-integrated learning, and those who are close to entering the workforce.
Learners can work through this content individually. However, discussing the ‘end of chapter’ questions is where the most learning occurs, so a collaborative class component is ideal. If this is not possible, a reflective journal considering the questions could be an option. This resource could be used to add additional context to the ‘group dynamics role plays’ resource also in this OER list.
Inclusive Language
- Institution/Platform: ADCET, Australia/website
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 4.0
This resource, provided by The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training, is primarily designed for educators, focusing on the importance of inclusive communication in tertiary education. Although crafted with educators in mind, the content is relevant and valuable for learners, covering aspects that educators might find challenging to teach without a reference point.
The resource can serve as such a reference point. It presents well-structured content with clear explanations, supported by diagrams and examples covering:
- Why inclusive language matters
- Fostering diversity and inclusion
- Understanding intersectionality
- Five steps to inclusive language
- Developing an inclusive language guide
The content in this resource will be especially helpful for educators working with students pursuing public-facing roles like teachers, social workers, and healthcare professionals. However, as the resource emphasises, effective communication with diverse audiences is a skill that benefits learners across all disciplines.
There are extra materials included on inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility, including videos, podcasts, and diagrams. These can be integrated into educator’s digital delivery, aiding learners’ understanding in areas such as intersectionality, and the dimensions of diversity and identity.
Emotional Intelligence
- Institution/Platform: Yale University, US/Noba website
- Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This resource is a digital module on NOBA, an OER platform for psychology-related content. The module, authored by Marc Brackett, Sarah Delaney, and Peter Salovey of Yale University, examines the construct of emotional intelligence, the theories that underpin it, its measurement, and its application in the real world.
The module aims to help learners identify and define key concepts of emotional intelligence, like emotion regulation, expression of emotion, and understanding emotions and how they contribute to learners’ relationships, decisions, and overall wellbeing. It comments on the links between emotional intelligence and better job performance, satisfaction, and leadership, as well as responsible decision making, behaviour management, and overall success in educational settings.
The module closes with additional resources and knowledge-check discussion questions. Concepts are explained with clear examples and the tone of the text is informal and learner-friendly, the vocabulary list explaining specialised terminology in the field of emotional intelligence is a helpful inclusion.
The Emotional Intelligence module does not include digital interactive activities, but its textual exercises can be adapted for interactivity. The module would be ideal for self-directed learners who want to understand what emotional intelligence is and how to verbalise its benefits. It also offers educators freely accessible content to spark class discussions and active learning.
Professional Communication in Health Professions
- Institution/Platform: NSCC, Canada/Pressbooks
- Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This OER is a digital textbook for undergraduate students, guiding best practices in communication in the context of the nursing profession. It addresses communication theory, therapeutic communication and interviewing, and interprofessional communication.
The resource consists of three main chapters, each with multiple, concise pages. Chapters begin with learning outcomes and conclude with key takeaways and references. Several pages contain H5P quizzes to check learners’ understanding of the content. There are also contextualised examples, scenarios, and case studies that show the application of communications skills in healthcare.
Chapters include:
- Introduction to Communication and Communication Theory — Explanation of professional communication, communication models (transmission, interaction, transaction), learning communication skills, and theoretical approaches (trauma-informed, relational inquiry, and anti-racist).
- Therapeutic Communication and Interviewing — Introduction to therapeutic communication, client interviews, question types, non-verbal communication, cultural considerations, conversing with different age groups, and addressing language barriers.
- Interprofessional Communication — Covers interpersonal and interprofessional communication, potential conflicts (including harassment) and management strategies, tools and resources for further development, and reflective practice.
This is a valuable resource for educators working with healthcare students. It can be shared with motivated students who wish to undertake self-directed learning to develop their workplace communication skills. Alternatively, educators can use complete chapters or select contextualised scenarios, case studies, and H5Ps, to integrate into their own delivery. Please note that some content may require adaptation since it is contextualised to healthcare settings in Canada, and terms or standards may differ to those in other countries.
Business Communication for Success
- Institution/Platform: University of Minnesota Libraries, US/Pressbooks
- Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The resource is a comprehensive digital textbook covering written and verbal communication skills in the business field.
The self-contained chapters include learning objectives, introductory exercises, theoretical foundations, real-world examples, key takeaways, and in-chapter assignments. The modular design allows instructors and students to efficiently navigate the material and choose specific sections as needed.
The chapter titles are:
- 1 to 3: Effective Business Communication, Delivering Your Message, Understanding Your Audience
- 4 to 9: Effective Business Writing, Writing, Preparation Writing, Revising and Presenting Your Writing, Feedback in the Writing Process, Business Writing in Action
- 10 to 15: Developing Business Presentations, Nonverbal Delivery, Organization and Outlines, Presentations to Inform, Presentations to Persuade, Business Presentations in Action
- 16 to 19: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business Communication, Negative News and Crisis Communication, Intercultural and International Business Communication, Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership
Learners can use this resource for independent study, and it can also be used by educators in business-related disciplines to supplement and enhance their own course delivery. The chapters are flexible for mix-and-match use, allowing customisation to the educator and learners’ needs. It is important to note that many examples are contextualised for readers in the USA, and some links and references may need updating as the textbook was originally published in 2010.
Last updated January 2024. If you notice that a resource in this collection needs updating or know of an open educational resource that should be added to this collection, please contact us at digital.learning.library@rmit.edu.au
