Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
1-INTRODUCTION 2-ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE
The purpose of this Unit is to involve students in the process of creating, describing, Since this didactic unit is situated after the standard competence of English,
and planning and R&D project; also measuring, and comparing R&D activities. This students´ previously acquired knowledge will be that of the previous courses;
Unit has been designed with a core of 4lessons plus additional resource sections nevertheless students have to be much more immersed in the practice of concepts
(glossary, review) to provide a wide variety of activities. The four skills of listening, and procedures, in order to strengthen all that knowledge and to develop the
speaking, writing and reading are developed throughout each unit within language skills in real engineering
professional contexts
- Simple Tenses
- Continuous Tenses
-Perfect Tenses
3-APPLICABILITY
Engineering Students, regardless their area, will be motivated by the opportunity to prepare for their academic purpose by
practicing their English language skills in the R&D Scenario
4-Objectives. _ To express present, past and future actions.
_ To give advice and make suggestions.
The main didactic objectives of this unit can be divided into four different groups, _ To talk about current scientific projects
which are
undoubtedly interconnected: communicative, conceptual, procedural and Procedimental objectives.
attitudinal. _ To fill in the blanks.
Communicative objectives. _ To use different tenses
_ To recognize different descriptions of Scientific projects _ To recognize the steps of a research process
_ To participate in debates _ To write short compositions.
_ To read and write comprehensive texts. _ To read and listen to different texts.
_ To do a project work about a new product _ To choose the appropriate answer.
Conceptual objectives. _ To match expressions with descriptions.
_ To make descriptions about local scientific projects _ To guess the meaning of words by context.
_ To use classroom language appropriately. _ To work in cooperation with other people.
1 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
Attitudinal objectives. 5-Lesson Topics
_ To appreciate the importance of communicating using the English language. Some of the topics which will be covered are the following:
_ To be interested in participating creatively in interactive activities.
_ To know the value of cooperating with other people. Scientific Research around the world
_ To appreciate different opinions and scientific institutions Coordinating the members of a team
The Critical path Method
Developing a new product
5.--Contents. -Listening and taking notes
the main contents which will be practiced throughout this didactic unit (without
forgetting other matters from the previous units) are presented as follows. Writing
Grammar. -Developing a presentation about a project work
_ Relative pronouns
_ Relative clauses
_ Connectors KEY WORDS
-Passive voice
Budget, research, technology, expenditure, project, teamwork, CPM, listing,
Oral and listening Skills brainstorming, critical path, data, device, discipline, economics engineering,
_ Making inferences from texts foundation, fuzzy fond, hight tech, journal, layperson, patent, plateau, timescale
- Giving opinions about a topic.
BIBILIOGRAPHY
Williams Ivor. English for Science and Engineering. Thompsosn, Global ELT, 2007.United States.
Blanchard Karen and Christine Root (S.F.) Ready to Write: A First Composition Text. Addison Wesley .
Mikulecky S.B et al (2004)More Reading Power 2nd edition. ISBN013061199-9. USA. Pearson Education.
Murphy Raymon (1999) Essential Grammar in Use. A Self-Study Reference and Practice
Adam Keith et al. Global Links 2. ISBN013088389-1 Addison Wesley Longman 2001
2 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
LESSON 1:
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD
TIMING: 4 hours -Read the text: Funding for Scientific Research (page 2, Thomspson Ref)
RESOURCES: Thompson Reference pages 2-5, tracks 1,2 -Solve the questions c, e, f, g
WEB PAGE: YouTube -go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCADHuKakqE
Take notes and analyze the research and development strategies they use
GRAMMAR RESOURCES: -Listen to the tracks 1,2, and complete the exercises in page 4
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm -Solve the exercises in page 5
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/645/01/
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/clauses-2.html FINAL PRODUCT/ASSESMENT CRITERIA-
Although this unit is not evaluated in isolation, evaluation is not only a question of
results.
The entire teaching-learning process needs to be continually assessed.
The Final product of the core lesson will be the project work at the end of the Unit
-PROCEDURES.
3 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
LESSON 2:
COORDINTATING THE MEMBERS OF A TEAM
TIMING: 3 hours
RESOURCES: Thompson Reference pages 6-7, track 3
EXTERNAL RESOURCES: http://hfs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/41/2/312
-PROCEDURES.
-Read the text: Coordinating the members of a Team (page 6, Thompson Ref)
-Answer the questions b,c,d,e
-Listen to the tracks 3 and complete the exercises in page 7, exercise g, h
-Read the history capsule (page 7) and find related information on the internet
.Read the external resource and compare the workbook ideas with the webpage ideas
FINAL PRODUCT/ASSESMENT CRITERIA-
Although this unit is not evaluated in isolation, evaluation is not only a question of results.
4 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
The entire teaching-learning process needs to be continually assessed.
The Final product of the core lesson will be the project work at the end of the Unit
LESSON 3:
Developing a new product -Prepare a Statistics report
TIMING: 4 hours
- build a simple electric generator
RESOURCES: Thompson Reference pages 8-9, track 4
EXTERNAL RESOURCES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method
-PROCEDURES.
-Answer the questions (page 8 exercise a, Thompson Ref)
--Listen to the interview and complete the exercises in page 8, exercises b,c,d
-Read the external resource and prepare a list of tasks that will be developed in one
of those projects:
-Construct a model of a magnetically levitated train
- Build a stereoscopic microscope
-Build a hairdryer
-Construct body prosthesis
5 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
FINAL PRODUCT/ASSESMENT CRITERIA- -Develop the Team project, page 14
Presentation of the CPM of your product
Although this unit is not evaluated in isolation, evaluation is not only a question of FINAL PRODUCT
results.
The entire teaching-learning process needs to be continually assessed. You work in the R&D department of a large manufacturing company that
The Final product of the core lesson will be the project work at the end of the Unit
makes a wide variety of high-tech product. Its you job present proposals for
new R&D projects.
With your team:
1. Decide on a subject for you R&D project.
LESSON 4: 2. Select the techniques that you will use to generate ideas.
3. Decide how you will test those ideas.
DEVELOPING A NEW PRODUCT 4. Write a short description of the aims of you R&D project.
5. Write a list of the members of your project an their specific areas of
TIMING: 6 hours
expertise.
RESOURCES: Thompson Reference pages 12-14, track 6,7 6. Write a description of the areas of responsibility of the project leader.
7. Give a presentation of your finished R&D proposal complete with any
relevant diagrams, graphs, charts, tables, etc.
-PROCEDURES.
-Listen to the track 6 and complete the exercises in page 12, exercise b,c
-Answer the exercise e, page 13
-Listen to the track 7 and complete the exercises in page 13, exercises e,f,g
6 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
Didactic Unit 1: Research and Development
English for Engineers
7 English for Engineers- Universidad de Antioquia –Programa de Educación No presencial
