Course learning activities

The course consists of 45 contact classes and 105 hours of guided and independent study learning activities. These activities include:

Group presentation

The final presentation will be pair-work; each pair will be asked to choose a topic to explore. Using material (beginning from at least seven sources), presentations and follow-up discussions will last from 20 to 25 minutes. Emphasis will be placed on both the logical coherence of the content and the style in which it is presented.

 

Impromptu speech

 

Impromptu speech can be done during presentations, when students ask questions or express their opinion about the performance of their peers in class. Additionally, it will occur when students evaluate, analyze and criticize presentations of each other. Impromptu speech can be also done on a weekly basis during the first half of the week. Topics will be handed out in class, and students will be given 5 to 10 minutes to prepare their speeches. Each speech will be graded on the student's ability to handle the topic according to the principles of communication learned in class.

 

Panel/Group discussion

 

Group discussions will consist of topics that are controversial. Instructors will discuss with the class a series of topics that the students find relevant to the current time and these topics will be assigned to each group. Students will be divided into medium-sized groups depending on the number of students registered for the class. Each group will have their own independent topic from the other groups. Students will research their topic, form an educated opinion about the topic, and prepare their talking points. The students not discussing will observe, analyze and critique the discussion and prepare constructive criticism for verbal and written feedback to each student.

 

Independent study

The purpose of independent study is to encourage and further help the student’s self-improvement. Independent study tasks will be complimentary to the students work in class therefore making the in-class and out of class learning one integrated system. Instructors will make video-recorded group discussions (such as discussions on televised news programs), video-recorded presentations (such as those from TED.com and other websites), and audio or video recorded speeches available to the students (instructors should create a fresh selection each semester and not just send the students to the internet as the instructors may see the same material and analysis appear over and over in student work) and students will perform in-depth analysis of these videos/recordings. Independent study will include participation in discussion/debates on the reputable Internet discussion boards, provided by the instructor (for example, http://www.debate.org/, www.forandagainst.com, www.createdebate.com). Independent study will also include research in preparation to challenge their classmates’ facts and findings that are presented in their discussions and presentations. Independent study includes revision of notes and handouts, preparation for discussions, collecting and selecting materials for the chosen topics in the Internet and in the library, formulating questions, writing a detailed outline of presentation on a chosen topic and preparing an oral presentation of the topic. Independent study includes all assignments given by the instructor.

 

 

Participation

Class participation will be assessed by the students’ active roles in classroom discussions and in challenging the conclusions of their classmates during all discussions of presentations and justifications. The challenging of classmate conclusions and justifications shall be a significant part of the evaluation of student participation, the preparation for which crosses over from the self-study.

 

All learning activities include preparation for the presentation; preparation for group discussions and debates; discussions with peers; listening to audio/video materials; in-depth analysis of these materials; on-line debating; reading and others.