This article illustrates a three-level analysis of classroom discourse äs a means of examining in detail the implications of characterizing language teachers 1 questions äs "display" questions. In particular, it attempts to demonstrate that the characterization of teachers 1 questions äs display questions because they are non-referential is only relevant on one level of analysis. By using a three-level analysis, it has been possible to challenge a negative characterization of the exchanges initiated by teachers' questions, which were said to be purposeless in one pedagogical setting.
Engineering is a discipline that requires its practitioners to learn and use a variety of soft-skills, which include academic and non-academic written and spoken communication, inter- and intrapersonal communication skills, critical thinking ability, an ability to work in teams and an ability to analyze, interpret and synthesize interdisciplinary information from a variety of sources. However, students who pursue their engineering education in English as their second language can face formidable challenges acquiring these skills. It is our observation that such students are often only given assistance through English courses designed to improve their individual linguistic abilities. We believe that although this approach may help in the short term, it may not sufficiently cater for students’ overall needs and well-being in the long term. With this in mind, this paper describes our attempt to reduce this problem in our local context of the Petroleum Institute (PI) through a long term innovation effort.A project-based approach has been adopted to provide students with an opportunity to enhance their language skills through meaningful learning experiences that also develop professional, personal and academic skills. This approach has also allowed the university to meet ABET criteria related to communication needs of engineering students. In this paper, we give a detailed rationale for our belief that a holistic approach to developing abilities required by engineering and other students is a better option. This is followed by a description of the different components of our current curriculum that has been developed over 12 years. We describe particular activities, and discuss their merits. We also present students’ perceptions about the impact of their project-based learning experience on their language and skills development. We also outline the way the course is designed to be adaptable for unpredictable future needs in a fast developing professional and academic environment.
T T he engineering discipline is comprised of a range of specialized fields making it difficult to define. However, the roots of the word 'engineering' offer some insights. It derives from the Latin words 'ingenium' and 'ingeniare'. The former means 'cleverness' while the latter means 'to contrive, devise.' The term is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "the work of designing and creating large structures (such as roads and bridges) or new products or systems by using scientific methods." Taken together, these definitions suggest that the engineering discipline aims at inventing, designing and improving tools, materials, machines, etc. in clever and scientific ways with the overall aim of enhancing our lives. Neil Armstrong (cited in Landis, 2013, p. 37) Mühendislerin yaln›zca teknik becerilerle yetinebilece¤ine iliflkin tart›flmalar art›k geçerlili¤ini yitirmifl bulunmaktad›r. Gerek mesleklerinde gerekse yaflam boyu ö¤renme konusunda baflar›l› olabilmek için bir tak›m sosyal becerilere de sahip olmalar› gerekmektedir. Ancak mühendislik e¤itimi veren kurumlardaki müfredatlarda, ö¤rencilerin iletiflim becerilerini gelifltirmelerine yard›mc› olacak türden ders içerik ve uygulamalar› yeterince yayg›n de¤ildir. Bu becerilerin en önemlilerinden bir tanesi, kiflinin kendisiyle (içsel) iletiflimidir. Görüfl türünde haz›rlanm›fl bulunan bu makalede içsel iletiflimin anlam› ve yaflam boyu ö¤renmeye iliflkin önemi tart›fl›lmaktad›r. Bu iletiflim türünün önemine dair fark›ndal›k, kendimizi tan›mam›za, bilinçli, etik ve topluma faydal› kararlar vermemize yard›mc› olacakt›r. Yaflam boyu ö¤renmenin, bireylerin ve toplumun geliflmesine iliflkin hedefini göz önünde bulundurarak mü-hendislerin mesleklerinde yaflam boyu ö¤renme tutumu gelifltirmeleri gerekti¤ini savunaca¤›z. Bunun için ise içsel iletiflim becerilerinin gelifltirilmesi gerekti¤inin alt›n› çizece¤iz. Ayr›ca içsel iletiflimin, kifliler aras› iletiflimin etkinli¤i aç›s›ndan önemini tart›flaca¤›z. Bu amaçlar ›fl›¤›nda mühendislerin gerçeklefltirmeleri gereken içsel iletiflim becerilerini ve aktivitelerini betimleyece¤iz. Yap›land›rmac› ö¤renme kapsam›nda, yans›mac› düflünme, imgeleme ve geliflim raporu gibi e¤itim uygulamalar›n›n ö¤rencilerin içsel iletiflim becerilerine ve dolay›s›yla yaflam boyu ö¤renmeye katk›lar›n› tart›flaca¤›z. Anahtar sözcükler:Bireyler aras› iletiflim, içsel iletiflim, mühendislik e¤i-timi, sosyal beceriler, yans›mac› yazma, yaflam boyu ö¤renme.A discussion as to whether technical skills per se are enough for engineers may no longer be relevant. In order to succeed as lifelong learners, they also need a variety of soft-skills. Despite this, engineering curricula in general seem to pay relatively little attention to cultivating communication skills in students. One of the most essential of these is intrapersonal communication.In this non-research, discussion paper, we discuss the meaning and importance of intrapersonal communication in relation to 'lifelong learning': awareness of the importance of intrapersonal communication helps...
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