brief case study for Learning & Teaching forum 2015

1. Learning, Teaching & Curriculum FORUM 2015
FROM SEED TO FRUIT: CULTIVATING LITERACY PRACTICES
THROUGH A CURRICULUM
Emily Purser & Dr Katarina Mikac
Learning Development & SMAH/International Unit
epurser@uow.edu.au / kmikac@uow.edu.au
Sharing Good Practice: Design for learning

2. Learning, Teaching & Curriculum FORUM 2015
THE CHALLENGE - LITERACY ACROSS LANGUAGES
Mastering the Art of Scientific Report Writing in English
• A Masters course is typically very diverse - students come
from very various linguistic & educational backgrounds.
• International students’ reading & writing in English needs to
quickly become much more sophisticated, at every level of
language, from discourse organisation to vocabulary.
• Teachers need to maintain and raise standards of academic
literacy, ensuring all students can produce acceptable
academic writing for scientific research.
• Instruction has to be informed by proper needs analysis and
designed around students’ language development needs.
• Teaching of academic writing and spoken presentation needs
to be positioned within and informed by the student’s regular
curriculum, so that language learning problems can be
addressed when and where they arise.

3. Learning, Teaching & Curriculum FORUM 2015
THE SOLUTION – DESIGN FOR C-L INTEGRATED LEARNING
• Students read 15-20 published scientific articles, in
order to write a review of the literature on a topic
within their field.
• Students select and re-present a scientific report as
a talk and as a poster, to deepen understanding of
logic and standardised forms of reporting.
• Principles of reporting in the sciences are
extensively discussed.
• Student writing is experienced as an open, peer
reviewed, developmental process, online.
• Students apply evaluation criteria to their own &
others’ work, to reinforce understanding of report
writing principles.
• Tasks help students develop proficiency in the
linguistic range that their disciplinary studies require.
• Close attention is paid to language at every level,
from lexicon to grammar, to logic & organisation,
fluency & academic style, accuracy & referencing.
• SCIE912: Students develop knowledge and
practice in laboratory and/or field techniques
relevant to their discipline, using and building on
understandings of scientific communication
principles developed in 911.
• SCIE913: Students apply everything they have
learned about scientific reporting and data
analysis to an authentic reporting project for a real
client, role-playing as an ecological ‘consulting
firm’. The client & community partner Dr David
Blackall, (owner of a local Wildlife Refuge
Nadjunuga) requires a biodiversity survey for
ongoing management of the refuge. As a
collective of professional scientists, MSc students
and teaching academics conduct a biodiversity
survey. Students create & analyse data, and
present results to the client via a team-based
consultancy report & oral presentation event.
Cultivate the Seeds SownSow the Seeds in SCIE911

4. Learning, Teaching & Curriculum FORUM 2015
THE RATIONALE – CENTRAL ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN LEARNING
• simultaneously develop their conceptual understanding of subjects
and their linguistic repertoire in the second language.
• recognise all their academic subjects as language learning
opportunities.
• focus on how English works in a particular field of knowledge, by
observing, analysing & manipulating authentic linguistic patterns.
• provide enough evidence of linguistic proficiency status for teachers
to diagnose and respond to language development needs.
• develop the English needed to do academic work in their chosen
discipline.
• develop friendships that sustain engagement in academic study for
the duration of their studies.
Designing a subject and course around CLIL principles enables students to:
Content & Language Integrated Learning
“CLIL methodology includes focus on language, learning and cognition; construction of
safe and enriching learning environments; use of authentic materials and interactions;
promotion of active learning; use of macro- and micro- scaffolding in students' learning
so as to enhance their autonomy; and promotion of co-operation among students and
teachers” Dora Chostelidoua and Eleni Grivab 2014
“CLIL has become a key strategy in the international HE playing field” Gail Taillefer 2013
International CLIL Research Journal

5. Learning, Teaching & Curriculum FORUM 2015
THE IMPACT – ACHIEVING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FAST
• ensured teaching and assessment of learning are designed around the needs of real students
• provided an intensively prepared ground for the development of fundamental knowledge about language
• deepened understanding of scientific genres and criteria for evaluating reporting practice
• engaged all students in active learning and rapid development of communicational skill
• built trust lasting friendships and academic integrity
• prepared students for professional collaboration and academic activities in the Master of Science and
their scientific careers.
Within a semester, students master a professional level of scientific reporting
The collaboratively developed curriculum has…