Communication in Science – Lanc2058
1. Course Description
This is a content based course intended to develop critical thinking, collaborative,
innovative, and analytical skills which will enhance the overall communication in the
English language required for success in the 21st century real world. General science texts
are used for content value and activities are designed to improve the students’ ability to
read, understand, comprehend, and interpret texts of scientific nature. This content based
course is integrated with a Problem Based Learning (PBL) component in which students
are expected to solve an ill structured (open ended) scientific problem, produce an
academic poster, give a presentation and write a detailed reflective paper.
2. Course Objectives
The objectives of the course are to:
1. Application of critical thinking and reading strategies to understand, comprehend,
and interpret texts of a scientific nature.
2. Reading of those scientific texts; annotate the texts and convert them into concise
notes.
3. Collaboration for analysing a real world “ill structured” (open ended) problem.
4. Working within a group to develop a comprehensive academic poster outlining the
research plan developed as the first stage in the process of researching possible
solutions to the “ill structured” problem. Resource articles related to the real world
problem make annotated notes
5. Working within a group to deliver a comprehensive 30 minute presentation of the
possible solution/solutions based on the extended research incorporating the use
of suitable technology, i.e., web applications.
6. Reflecting upon the process of learning; individual strengths and weaknesses and
future action to be taken for improvement and benefit.
3. Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of Lanc2058 the students will be able to:
a) Read in depth extensive scientific texts for information, for information, to work
out the meaning of words from context, and to comprehend the wider
implications of the text.
b) Highlight the difference between relevant and irrelevant information, extract
information from several texts, annotate the text and take notes using a formal
note taking system used internationally in universities around the world.
c) Work with a team to understand and rewrite an ill structured (open ended) real
world problem and develop strategies of effective group work and problem
solving skills.
d) Select an appropriate web application to allow better management of the
group, examine the problem within the group, understand the problem and
select appropriate resources in order to select and share relevant information
to complete the academic poster.
e) Search for information related to the research topic. Identify various research
tools. Select possible sources to find information, use research articles. Form
smaller questions to seek appropriate information. Use key words and phrases
to search for information throughout the web. Access online journals in the
library for appropriate and relevant information. Contact experts (i.e. in SQU
Colleges) for further information related to the topic.
f) Use Gibb’s reflective cycle to write a description, analysis, expression of
feelings, draw conclusions, and propose an action plan for the entire 16 week
process of learning that took place during the course.
4. Assessment
1
2
3
Type of assessment
Linguistic Component
Tools
Test 1
Test 2
Research Component
Poster
Presentation
3
pieces
of
Reflective
Writing
Instructor Assessment
Attendance,
participation, etc.
PBL Folder All
written
assignments
Final Exam
Total
Weighting
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
5%
5%
40%
100%
Assessment Criteria
Learning
Outcomes
Upon
completion
of
Lanc2058 the students will
be able to:
read extensive scientific
texts in depth for
information,
extract
meaning of words from
context,
comprehend
the content of the text
highlight the difference
between relevant and
irrelevant information,
extract information from
several texts, annotate
the text and take notes
using a formal note
taking system used
internationally
in
universities around the
world.
Assessment Criteria
A
B
C
Shows
excellent
understanding of the
text by responding
accurately
to
skimming /scanning
questions,
critical
thinking
and
comprehension
questions,
and
vocabulary tasks by
locating words in the
text(s)
which
correspond to given
definitions.
Shows
good
understanding of the
text by responding
accurately to skimming
/scanning questions,
critical thinking and
comprehension
questions,
and
vocabulary tasks by
locating words in the
text(s)
which
correspond to given
definitions.
Shows
satisfactory
understanding of the
text by responding
fairly accurately to
skimming /scanning
questions,
critical
thinking
and
comprehension
questions,
and
vocabulary tasks by
locating words in the
text(s)
which
correspond to given
definitions.
Shows
clear
mastery of note
taking
and
summarizing skills
by
accurately
annotating
using
various
symbols
and taking notes
from a given text
using the Cornell
Note Taking system.
Uses the notes to
write a summary
applying
accurate
grammar,
coherence
and
spelling.
Shows good grasp of
note
taking
and
summarizing skills by
accurately annotating
using various symbols
and taking notes from
a given text using the
Cornell Note Taking
system. Uses the
notes to write a
summary
applying
accurate
grammar,
coherence
and
spelling.
Shows
satisfactory
grasp of note taking
and
summarizing
skills
by
fairly
accurately annotating
using various symbols
and taking notes from
a given text using the
Cornell Note Taking
system. Uses the
notes to write a
summary
applying
accurate
grammar,
coherence
and
spelling.
D
F
Shows less than
Satisfactory
understanding
of
the text by not
completely
responding
to
skimming /scanning
questions, critical
thinking
and
comprehension
questions,
and
vocabulary tasks.
Able to locate only
60% words in the
text(s)
which
correspond to given
definitions.
Shows less than
satisfactory ability
of note taking and
summarizing skills.
Not
completely
accurately
annotating
using
various
symbols
and taking notes
from a given text
using the Cornell
Note
Taking
system. Less than
satisfactory in using
the notes to write a
summary applying
accurate grammar,
coherence
and
spelling.
Shows inability in
understanding
of
the
text
and
responding
to
skimming /scanning
questions, critical
thinking
and
comprehension
questions,
and
vocabulary tasks.
Able to locate less
than 60% words in
the text(s) which
correspond to given
definitions.
Shows inability of
note taking and
summarizing skills
by
inaccurately
annotating without
use of symbols.
Unable to take
notes from a given
text
using
the
Cornell Note Taking
system. Unable to
use the notes to
write a summary
applying accurate
grammar,
coherence
and
spelling.
A
B
C
D
F
work with a team to
understand and rewrite
an ill structured real
world problem and
develop strategies of
effective group work to
solve a problem
Shows
excellent
understanding
of
team work though
timely submission of
weekly assignments
produced
collaboratively
outside of class.
Shows
good
understanding of team
work though timely
submission of weekly
assignments produced
collaboratively outside
of class.
Shows
satisfactory
understanding of team
work
misses
one
weekly assignments,
Mostly
works
collaboratively outside
of class.
less than
satisfactory
understanding
of
team
work
by
missing two or more
weekly
assignments
occasionally works
collaboratively
outside of class.
Demonstrates less
than
satisfactory
knowledge of the
topic and design
applications
through completion
and explanation of
a poster.
Shows inability in
understanding
of
team work lack of
submission
of
weekly
assignments. Never
works
collaboratively
outside of class.
select an appropriate
web application to
allow
better
management of the
group, examine the
problem within the
group, understand the
problem and select
appropriate resources
in order to select and
share
relevant
information
to
complete the poster.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of the topic and
design applications
through completion
and explanation of a
poster.
Demonstrates
good
knowledge of the topic
and
design
applications through
completion
and
explanation
of
a
poster.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
t
knowledge of the topic
and
design
applications through
completion
and
explanation
of
a
poster.
prepare a 30 minute
oral presentation after
extensive
search for information
related to the topic,
looking for various
research
tools.
Selecting
possible
sources
to
find
information,
using
research
articles,
forming
smaller
questions
to
seek
appropriate
information, use key
words and phrases to
search for information
through
the
Web.
Access online journals
in the library for
appropriate
and
relevant information,
and contact experts
(i.e. SQU Colleges) for
further
information
related to the topic.
Demonstrates
excellent
public
speaking skills by
speaking
clearly,
using
nonverbal
communication
in
order to engage and
interact with an
audience and share
the
information
gathered
during
extensive research
using
multiple
sources.
Demonstrates
good
public speaking skills
by speaking clearly,
using
nonverbal
communication
in
order to engage and
interact
with
an
audience and share
the
information
gathered
during
extensive
research
using multiple sources.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
public
speaking skills by
speaking
clearly,
using
nonverbal
communication
in
order to engage and
interact
with
an
audience and share
the
information
gathered
during
extensive
research
using
multiple
sources.
Demonstrates less
than
satisfactory
public
speaking
skills by speaking
clearly,
using
nonverbal
communication in
order to engage
and interact with an
audience and share
the
information
gathered
during
extensive research
using
multiple
sources.
Demonstrates
inability to speak
clearly,
using
nonverbal
communication in
order to engage
and interact with an
audience and share
the
information
gathered
during
extensive research
using
multiple
sources.
use Gibb’s reflective
cycle
to
write
a
description, analysis,
express feelings, draw
conclusions, propose
an action plan for the
entire 16-week process
of learning that took
place during in the
course.
Shows
clear
mastery of written
skills by writing
clearly, accurately,
critically
and
coherently about the
learning process.
Shows good grasp of
written skills by writing
clearly,
accurately,
critically
and
coherently about the
learning process
Shows
satisfactory
grasp of written skills
by writing clearly,
accurately, critically
and coherently about
the learning process
Shows less than
satisfactory grasp
of written skills by
writing
clearly,
accurately, critically
and
coherently
about the learning
process
Shows
lack
of
written
skills
through inability to
write
clearly,
accurately, critically
and
coherently
about the learning
process
Shows
Demonstrates
inability
to
in
understanding
of
the topic and design
applications Unable
to complete or
explain a poster.