| Competences |
| Type A | Code | Competences Specific |
| Type B | Code | Competences Transversal |
| B8 | Be able to work in a multilingual and multidisciplinary environment. | |
| CT1 | Use information in a foreign language effectively | |
| CT4 | Work autonomously and as part of a team with responsibility and initiative. | |
| CT5 | Communicate information clearly and precisely to a variety of audiences. | |
| Type C | Code | Competences Nuclear |
| Learning outcomes |
| Type A | Code | Learning outcomes |
| Type B | Code | Learning outcomes |
| B8 |
Know the language used in the field of industry and information and communication technology. Be able to read and understand texts in English within the field of engineering. Be able to draw up technical documents in English. Understand technical instructions expressed orally in English. Be able to express themselves in a international working environment. | |
| CT1 |
Use information in a foreign language effectively | |
| CT4 |
Identify the role they play in the group and understand the group’s objectives and tasks Communicate and act within the group in such a way that they facilitate cohesion and performance Commit to the group’s tasks and agenda Participate in the group in a good working environment and help to solve problems | |
| CT5 |
Produce quality texts that have no grammatical or spelling errors, are properly structured and make appropriate and consistent use of formal and bibliographic conventions Draw up texts that are structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length Draw up texts that are appropriate to the communicative situation, consistent and persuasive Use the techniques of non-verbal communication and the expressive resources of the voice to make a good oral presentation Construct a discourse that is structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length Produce a discourse that is appropriate to the communicative situation, consistent and persuasive, and interact effectively with the audience | |
| Type C | Code | Learning outcomes |
| Contents |
| Topic | Sub-topic |
| UNIT 1: HISTORICAL FACTS IN ENGINEERING | 1.1 Chronological description: narrative texts 1.2 Review of verb tenses: ways to express time sequence. Expressing your opinion. 1.3 Texts: History of Engineering, Energy Supply, Electronics in the Home, Electromagnetism, History of Electricity, The Greatest Scientist and Engineers of the 21st Century / Podcasts & Videos: The World of Engineering (history), Global Workers. Genres: Encyclopedias |
| UNIT 2: A COMPUTERIZED WORLD | 2.1 Physical and function description: ways to describe the physical properties, function and parts of a device, as well as how something works. 2.2 Review of prepositions and Phrasal verbs. 2.3 Genres: focus on audience and purpose. 2.4 Texts: The Average Laptop Dimensions, What's Inside Your PC, Parts of a Computer and Their Functions, How Zombie Computers Work, IDE Cables, Spam Distribution, The Dangers of Hacking and What a Hacker Can Do to Your Computer / Podcasts: The Story Behind the World's First Computer Programmer, Engineering projects, A Short History of the Computer |
| UNIT 3: ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL DEVICES | 3.1 Making definitions: relative clauses and relative pronouns. Reduced relative clauses. Defining and non-defining relative clauses. 3.2 Structure and use of compound nouns. 3.3 Common genres in engineering. Magazine article and Research Article. 3.4 Texts: The Transistor, Graphene Electronics, Home Automation, History of Electronics, Flexible Home Automation / Podcasts and Videos: Transistors: The Invention that Changed the World, Effective websites. |
| UNIT 4: A GREENER WORLD: RENEWABLE ENERGIES | 4.1 Expressing cause and effect. 4.2 Process description and sequence markers. 4.3 Review of comparison and contrast. 4.4 Visual information and in-text reference. Conditional sentences to express a hypothesis. 4.5 Genres and text layout: headings in texts. 4.6 Texts: Alternative Sources of Energy, Electricity Generation, Sources of Electricity, Why Electric Vehicles Are the Future, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Accidents, How Does a Nuclear Power Plant Work? How a Solar Cell Works / Podcasts: Climate Change; Hybrid Cars; Fuel from Garbage. |
| UNIT 5: AN INTERCONNECTED CITY: MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES | 5.1 Making Predictions in English. 5.2 E-mail writing and Netiquette in electronic communication. 5.3 Email writing on common academic situations 5.4 Texts: Smart Cities, The History and Future of Mobile Phone Technology 5.5 Podcasts and videos: What Will Happen to Us by 2025, Why 5G Will Change the World |
| UNIT 6: ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION | 6.1 Expressions used in classifications. Ways of expressing criteria and giving examples. 6.2 Review of modal verbs expressing obligation, probability, deduction. 6.3 Linking words: coordination, subordination, and sentence adverbials. 6.4 Genres: textbooks, newspaper articles. 6.5 Texts: Robotics, Types of Robots, Social Robots, The Three Laws of Robotics, Benefits and Risks of AI, Robots and AI, What is the Difference Between AI and Robotics, Miniature Robotics. / Podcasts and Videos: Creators of Famous Sophia Robot Reveal AI Robotics, How China is Using AI in Classrooms. |
| UNIT 7: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING | 7.1 Focus on all four skills: intensive reading, paragraph writing, expressing your opinion on ethical issues related to the use of technology, and listening for specific information. 7.2 Fostering critical thinking skills using bioethical issues and related topics. 7.3 Texts: What is Biotechnology? Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), What is Bioethics? The Ethical Implications of Disruptive Technologies, Gene Editing: God's Will or God's Won't. 7.4 Podcasts and Videos: Biotechnology, Introduction to Bioethics, What Happens to Society if We Live Beyond 130 years? 7 Times Science Played God. |
| UNIT 8: BIOMEDICINE AND TRANSHUMANISM | 8.1 Use of the definite and indefinite article in technical English. 8.2 Review of linking words: coordination, subordination, sentence adverbials. 8.3 Texts: What is Biomedical Engineering, Wearable and Implantable Technologies (biosensors), Biorobotics, Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Biomedical Responsibility in Transhumanism? 8.4 Videos: Biomedical and Industrial Engineering, What Does a Biomedical Engineer Do? Biomaterials, Smart Tattoos and Tiny Robots, Transhumanism: Could We Live Forever? |
| Planning |
| Methodologies :: Tests | ||||||||||
| Competences | (*) Class hours |
Hours outside the classroom |
(**) Total hours | |||||||
| Introductory activities |
|
2 | 4 | 6 | ||||||
| Seminars |
|
25 | 26 | 51 | ||||||
| Debates |
|
0 | 14 | 14 | ||||||
| Problem solving, exercises in the classroom |
|
10 | 22 | 32 | ||||||
| Reading written documents and graphs |
|
8 | 22 | 30 | ||||||
| Personal attention |
|
3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
| Multiple-choice objective tests |
|
2 | 12 | 14 | ||||||
| (*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher. (**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students. | ||||||||||
| Methodologies |
| Description | |
| Introductory activities | At the beginning of the course, students will have to take an English Test online to find out their current level of English (Online Test 1) |
| Seminars | Throughout the different seminars and/or videos online, the instructor will explain the main characteristics of Technical English in Engineering. Special emphasis will be placed on students’ improvement of their English language skills in technical contexts. To do so, they will be provided with the necessary resources to read and write technical texts about engineering-related topics, as well as to listen to and talk about different topics related to their field of study. |
| Debates | Students will have to watch several videos on different aspects of current engineering and then provide a contribution to each debate: 1 contribution will be in written form and 2 contributions will be in the form of an individual video. In their contributions, students will express their opinion on the topic, and they will also have to comment on another student's contribution to the debate. |
| Problem solving, exercises in the classroom | Throughout the course, students will have to complete different activities that include practice on all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. These activities will provide practice on the theoretical or grammar aspects presented in class. |
| Reading written documents and graphs | Throughout the course, students will have to read different types of technical texts (encyclopedias, magazine articles, journal articles, newspaper science & technology sections, etc) related to different engineering topics and complete the corresponding activities. Some of these activities will deal with reading comprehension, the genre of the text, the layout of the text, relevant grammar aspects of technical texts, or how the visual information appears in a technical text (graphs, charts, tables, etc.). |
| Personal attention | During the course, instructors will be available via videoconference on Teams during office hours to solve doubts or answer queries regarding the course. |
| Personalized attention |
| Description |
|
Students will be able to ask questions or talk to their teachers individually about subject-related issues through videoconferences on Teams. At the beginning of the course, students will have a schedule of time slots for these videoconferences. |
| Assessment |
| Methodologies | Competences | Description | Weight | ||||
| Debates |
|
Students should post contributions to 3 forums of debate: 1 in written form, and 2 of them orally in the form of individual videos. These written and oral forum contributions will have a minimum length required to obtain a positive assessment. | 40% | ||||
| Multiple-choice objective tests |
|
Online tests will have different sections that include reading activities, cloze texts, TRUE/FALSE activities, Grammar and vocabulary activities, two listening comprehension activities, as well as multiple-choice questions about expressions frequently used in engineering texts. | 50% | ||||
| Others | Active participation and attendance throughout the course will also be taken into account. |
10% |
| Other comments and second exam session | |||
|
Use of electronic devices during face-to-face examinations: Examinations (online tests) will only be conducted face-to-face: If a student does not identify himself/herself according to the instructions given, his /her test will be declared INVALID. FIRST CALL is divided into: 1) 4 online tests on Moodle (multiple-choice tests) = 50% of the final grade 2) Participation in 3 online forums (1 contribution in written form and 2 oral contributions in the form of a video) = 40% of the final grade 3) Active participation and attendance = 10 % of the final grade
-pass at least 3 online tests -participate in at least 1 online forum (1 written + 2 oral form) SECOND CALL: If students failed to pass their first call based on continuous assessment, they will have to take just an exam (with practical texts and multiple choice tests about all the contents of the course) for the second call. The result of this exam will determine the final grade of the course. |
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| Sources of information |
| Basic |
Rueda, Carmen, Workbook of Technical English., 2023, URV
Dummett, Paul , Energy English - For the Gas and Electricity Industries, 2011, Heinle ELT
Brieger, Nick and Allison Pohl, Technical English - Vocabulary and Grammar, 2008, Heinle Elt |
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| Complementary |
Ibbotson, Mark, Professional English in Use. Engineering with Answers: Technical English for Professionals, 2009, Cambridge University Press
Raman, Meenakshi and Sangeeta Sharm, Technical Communication: English Skills for Engineers, 2ª edició, 2011, Oxford University Press
Ibbotson, Mark, Cambridge English for Engineering, 2008, Cambridge University Press
Bombardó, C. and M. Aguilar and C. Barahona, Technical Writing: A Guide for Effective Communication, 2007 (2ª edició 2008), Edicions UPC (Politext)
Williams, Ivor, English for Science and Engineering, 2008, Heinle ELT |
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| Recommendations |
| Other comments | |
| Academic Plagiarism: If it is determined that you have plagiarized your contribution to online debates from the Internet or from another student, you will receive a zero for the assignment. If you do it again, you will fail the whole course. Besides, the Dean of Academic Affairs for our College of Engineering will also be notified. Remember that academic plagiarism is a serious academic offense. |
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.