ENG 2D: Oral Presentation
Inquiry Generator
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Develop oral presentation skills
Practice effectively summarizing
Record sources in a way that furthers classroom learning
Respond thoughtfully to another student’s work
Generate a list of ideas, topics for in-depth exploration as inquiry
Prep:
1. Students will choose a recent (within the last six months) and relevant news
article from a reputable source. Choose something that is interesting to you!
2. Print a copy of the article for classroom use.
3. Record the source on the document so that another student may access that
source as part of his/her inquiry.
4. On the day of your presentation, post your Summary and Rationale to our
online word document: Class Inquiry Generator. Find this in Office 365 in your
One Drive account.
Presentation:
5. In front of the class, summarize the main points of the article as shown in the
exemplar (Summary).
6. Explain why this article appealed to you (Rationale).
7. Using the feedback from your first oral presentation, demonstrate a clear and
confident delivery.
Response:
8. Between now and the date of the last presentation (Nov. 20) choose two
articles presented by your classmates that interest you. Read the articles and
post your short response/reflection on these articles under the student’s
summary and rationale. Include your name so it is clear you have responded.
Criteria for Evaluation:
Communication
Content
Effective posture
1 2 3 4
Good eye contact
1 2 3 4
Enunciation and volume
1 2 3 4
Appropriate demeanor/intonation
1 2 3 4
Attention to timelines
1 2 3 4
Knowledge of the subject
1 2 3 4
Intriguing subject matter
1 2 3 4
Effective summary (main ideas clearly
presented)
1 2 3 4
Well supported rationale (clearly stated) 1 2 3 4
Thoughtful response
Overall Level: ______
Comments:
1 2 3 4
INQUIRY GENERATOR EXEMPLAR
Article Title: Self-driving cars not as safe as human drivers — yet
Author: Aleksandra Sagan
Source: CBC News P
Posted: Mar 18, 2015 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 18, 2015 8:16 PM ET
URL: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/self-driving-cars-not-as-safe-as-humandrivers-yet-1.2997204
Summary:
This article explores the idea that driverless cars may be a reality in the
near future, despite the fact that the transition may be difficult. While Barrie Kirk,
executive director of the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence,
argues that autonomous cars would save thousands of lives because human
error is the cause of most accidents, Steve Shladover, the program manager for
the University of California's PATH (Partners for Advanced Transportation
Technology) program, calls attention to the poor track record of much of our
technology over time. The article weighs the loss of “human” cues like making
eye contact in diminishing road safety, with the more negative aspects of human
nature, like aggressive driving. The article cites examples of where different
levels of autonomous cars are already in use in restricted ways, suggesting that
we are slowly moving toward this reality. Despite the safety concerns, the article
outlines the benefits of driverless cars for those with mobility issues, along with
other potential benefits like the need for fewer cars. The article concludes with a
call for the “sensible implementation” of this new technology,
Rationale:
I was interested in presenting this article because I am hearing more
about Ontario testing autonomous cars and I am concerned about the
thoughtless way in which we, as a society, tend to approach new technology.
There are many issues to address with this kind of innovation and Aleksandra
Sagan’s article touches on one of them: safety. I would argue that we, also, need
to consider the ethical issues involved in the implementation of new technology,
since there are crucial problems to be solved before we begin to think about the
use of autonomous cars. A month ago, I heard someone speaking on CBC radio
about the ethics of driverless cars, and he shared “The Tunnel Problem.” This is
an ethical thought experiment intended to highlight concerns around design and
engineering (in this case of autonomous cars).
Tunnel Problem: You are travelling along a single lane mountain road in an
autonomous car that is fast approaching a narrow tunnel. Just before you enter the
tunnel a child attempts to run across the road but trips in the center of the lane,
effectively blocking the entrance to the tunnel. The car has but two options: hit and kill
the child, or swerve into the wall on either side of the tunnel, thus killing you. How should
the car react?