News & Views (LCE3307)

Class contact hours: 3 hrs (tutorials) Credits: 3

Introduction

This course is designed for students who are interested in current affairs. Apart from enhancing students’ English speaking and listening skills, the course also aims to develop their logical and critical thinking through examining some current social and political issues. The course also aims to help students acquire more vocabulary from authentic spoken and written discourse, such as newspapers, magazines, websites, and radio/TV programs.

Aims & Objectives

To allow students:

• Develop logical and critical thinking skills by analyzing and discussing controversial social and political issues
• Enhance speaking skills through small group discussions and debates
• Improve listening skills by watching TV programs or listening to radio programs
• Increase vocabulary through reading newspaper or magazine articles

Course Information

Teaching Method

Students will work on a range of language activities related to the course objectives either individually or in small groups. Students are also expected to participate in the on-line “News & Views Forum” on Mahara outside the class. 

Students’ comments on the course

The course was first offered in the 2nd Term of 2008/9. In order to further improve the course and cater better to students from all disciplines, an extra on-line questionnaire was sent to the course participants, in addition to the University's official Course and Teaching Evaluation, at the end of the course. According to the last on-line survey conducted in the 2nd term 2010/11, students were generally very positive about the course content, course materials, teaching quality, assessments, learning outcomes and they enjoyed the course. The detailed results are as follows:

Course Content & Materials

Teaching Quality

Assessments

Learning Outcomes

Overall Enjoyment

Assessment

The assessment is 100% by coursework. There is no examination.

Syllabus