Abstract
This paper describes a joint programme developed in 2018 by the University of Parma Language Centre (Italy) and the Humanities and Arts Department of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The aim of the project was to involve students of English for General Academic Purposes in delivering presentations to an unfamiliar foreign audience on a topic relevant to their academic interests. The students were required to prepare for the presentation by exploring and personalising the chosen topic so as to be able to explain it to a group which they had had no previous contact with or information about. Through the active involvement of the students in a realistic implementation of their prospective professional use of English, language learning became a holistic experience where a traditional approach to language learning focusing mainly on vocabulary and macro-skills was integrated with a pragmatic approach which addressed the so-called ‘21st-century skills’ (specifically critical thinking, communication, collaboration and digital literacy). The simulation of situations that they are likely to encounter in their professional lives helped students build their confidence, with the whole learning experience carrying both emotional and social implications. This paper offers an insight into the challenges and issues which arose, and ideas for improving the learning experience. We describe the preparation carried out by the teachers at both universities, and the guided and autonomous work carried out by students in the different stages. A post-conference survey triggered the students’ self-reflection in relation to learning and personal development. The survey was also valuable for the teachers regarding reassessment of teaching strategies and preparation for future joint projects.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive criticism and suggestions which have helped us improve the article.
The following is the end-of-project questionnaire which we administered to the students.
“Dear Student,
Please fill in the questionnaire below. Your feedback is important for us.
Thank you for participating in this survey!
Why did you decide to become involved in this project? [tick all that apply]
Because it is required
To acquire the credits
To improve your presentation skills
Because of the topic (i.e. driverless cars)
Because you knew the teacher
To interact with students from a foreign university
Other (please specify): …………………………………………………………
How much time did it take you to get ready for the teleconference?
Which of the following did you find beneficial for your progress in English?
Rank on the scale from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum).
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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Acquiring new vocabulary in English |
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Practising how to express ideas in oral and written English |
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Practising how to understand unfamiliar accents in English |
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Practising how to follow other people’s arguments in English |
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Other (please specify): |
Which of the following did you find beneficial for your progress in communications skills in general?
Rank on the scale from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum).
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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Practising how to express your position logically and convincingly |
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Learning new facts and approaches to technological problems |
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Connecting technical issues with social challenges |
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Collaborating with other members of your team |
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Other (please specify): |
Which of the following did you find challenging?
Rank on the scale from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum).
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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Finding material relevant to the task |
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Extracting the main ideas from the sources you found |
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Ordering information logically |
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Expressing ideas concisely and convincingly |
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Answering questions and expressing my own position spontaneously |
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Following other participants’ ideas and arguments |
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Phrasing questions and posing them to the other party |
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Understanding unfamiliar accents |
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Other (please specify): |
What do you feel you have learned from this experience as a whole?
- 7.
What have you learned from making your own presentation?
What have you learned from the rehearsal stage while watching your colleagues’ presentations?
What have you learned from attending the presentations given by the students of the other party?
Which one aspect in particular do you feel
you need to work on?
you have improved in?
What other topics could you propose for teleconferences?
What suggestions do you have to improve projects of this kind?
Would you recommend your friends to take part in such a project? Please explain why.
What other English skills are most important for your academic progress and future professional life?
Please feel free to add any comment.
(e.g. I was surprised by….; I expected to….; I particularly liked/enjoyed….; there should have been more/less….; I was disappointed by….; I found …. particularly easy/difficult; etc.)
Thank you for participating in this survey!
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