Advanced Scientific English-E3 (Debate)
| Numbering Code | U-LAS51 10029 SE48 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Second semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | Seminar | |
| Target Year | 2nd year students or above | Target Student | For science students | |
| Language | English | Day/Period | Wed.2 | |
| Instructor name |
SCHMOECKER，Jan-Dirk (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) AN RIN (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) KHAYYER ABBAS (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) KIM SUNMIN (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) PIPATPONGSA, Thirapong (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) QURESHI，Ali Gul (Graduate School of Engineering Associate Professor) Chang, Kai-Chun (Graduate School of Engineering Senior Lecturer) |
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| Outline and Purpose of the Course | Debating and negotiating are skills needed in most professions students will enter after graduation. The course aims to improve critical thinking and general abilities to discuss scientific issues. | |||
| Course Goals | 1) To improve students' ability to discuss scientific issues in a set format. Students will learn to defend their opinions and to react to counter-arguments. 2) Students will be introduced to a number of current issues in Civil Engineering through the debate topics. | |||
| Schedule and Contents |
The first lecture will give an introduction to the course and to debating: What makes a good debate, introduction on how to prepare for a debate, some helpful tools for organizing the debate, etc. The second lecture then will be an initial test debate. The following lectures are then grouped into four units of 3 lectures, each unit is taught by a different faculty member and discusses different debate topics, often related to the teacher's research interest. Each unit has following outline. In Lecture 1 of a unit the topic will be introduced and students choose a role (pro or contra the debate motion). Then in Lecture 2 students collect some information and arguments on the topic by reading articles or collecting information from the internet. The lecture is further meant to prepare debate talks and to prepare for potential counter- arguments. In the final classes of each unit students are then performing the actual debate. Debate topics are chosen by teachers from engineering issues as well as current issues. Weeks 1-2: Introduction, debate exercises Weeks 3-5: Debating on topics related to transport planning. Weeks 6-8: Debating on topics related to large civil engineering projects. Weeks 9-11: Debating on topics related to sustainable vs efficient technology. Weeks 12-14: Debating on topics related to current affairs. There is no written exam at the end of the semesters. Feedback is given during regular classes and as feedback session after the course completion. (Total 14 classes plus 1 feedback session). |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | The grade will be based mainly on the presentations about the debate topics (70%). In addition active participation in the class (30%) are evaluated. | |||
| Course Requirements | None | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | In some weeks students will be asked to collect information material for the debates and to complete the preparation for the debates that can not be carried out during the class period. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | No textbook is required for this course. Handouts will be distributed by the instructors as needed. | ||
