Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia

Vicerrectoría Académica y de Investigación

Course: English B2
Code: 900005

Activity Guide and Evaluation Rubric – Task 2 - Oral Defense on technology and
human development

1. Activity Description

Type of activity: Individual

Evaluation moment: Intermediate Unit 1
Highest score of the activity: 80 points
The activity starts on: Monday, November 7, The activity ends on: Saturday, November 26,
2022 2022
With this activity, you are expected to achieve the following learning
outcomes:

The student will be able to speak about present, past and future events, make
suggestions, and express his/her opinion using phrasal verbs, as well as conditionals.

The activity consists of:

- Exposing orally through an oral defense with the tutor, your point of view and thesis
statement on the “Effects of technology on human development”.
- Design visual material in PowerPoint, Canva, Genially, or similar.
- Ask and make suggestions about other partners’ interventions in the Forums.

You should prepare your defense following the next stages:

Stage 1: Prepare the topic

- Check the content of Unit 1 (Module 1 to module 4) from the E-book.

- Read the text about “Future of food”, part of the American Museum of Natural
History exhibition (see Annexes).
- Watch the video: “What Social Media and TV Does To Your Brain | You Are What You
Watch?” posted by WhatsBuzzing on YouTube (see Annexes).

1
Stage 2: Design your presentation

- Create a presentation in PowerPoint, Genially, Canva or similar in which you defend

your point of view and expose supporting ideas about the “Effects of technology on
human life”. Include five or six slides with the key information (no more than 25
words in each slide) to develop your own ideas (see Annexes). Remember to write
your own ideas and avoid sharing information from other sources without proper
citation.
- Share your presentation in the forum and give feedback to your classmates.
- Practice how to present and explain your opinions developed in the previous tasks
without reading sections of them. Remember that the aim of this task is to express
your ideas with coherence and cohesion about the topic.

If you are not sure about pronunciation, you can copy some ideas on this webpage
https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/ and listen to the pronunciation.

Stage 3: Attend the meeting with your tutor

- Arrange a date (check the course mailbox and forum tutor’s message), and register
(hour and day) according to the link sent by the tutor.
Please do not leave your registration until the last minute because the schedules will
probably be full.

- In the oral defense, you will have to introduce yourself and talk on the topic “Effects
of technology on human development”. You will expose your thesis statement and
supporting ideas using the aids material developed in PowerPoint, Canva, or similar,
and answer some questions prepared by the tutor (see Annexes).

Check the configuration of your equipment, and make sure that the sound,
microphone, and video are working for the interview.
Be punctual in your entry to the tool (Google Meet, Skype, Zoom, or Teams) chosen
for the synchronous meeting.

Take into account:

- It is not allowed to read aloud; it must be a conscious speaking exercise.

- Practice pronunciation, fluency, and intonation.
- Make pauses.
- Speak loudly.
- Use linking words to connect your ideas and show sequence during your speech.

2
- Have 15 to 20 minutes available for the defense.

Stage 4: Publish your evidence on the Evaluation environment

- Take some screenshots during the defense as evidence of your presentation.

- Create a PDF document with the PowerPoint Presentation or link for Canva or
Genially, and add the screenshots, including a cover for the document. Send the
activity to the assessment environment taking into account the deadline given.

For the development of the activity consider that:

In the Initial Information Environment, you must:

- Check the agenda out to verify the opening and closing dates of the task.
- Attend the Webconference or watch the Webconference recording.

In the Learning Environment, you must:

- Check and study the contents on the E- book of Unit 1 from module 1 to module 4
- Participate and upload your PowerPoint presentation in the forum of the activity.

In the Evaluation Environment, you must:

- Schedule and attend the meeting with your tutor and take some screenshots.
Upload one PDF/Word document with the presentation and screenshots of the oral
defense.

Evidence of individual work:

The individual evidence to be submitted is:

• A PowerPoint, Genially, or Canva slides in English uploaded in the forum. Note: If
you don’t do the oral defense, you won’t get a grade despite the slides.
• Oral Defense in English with your tutor through the tool chosen for the synchronous
meeting.
• PDF/Word file with the screenshots from the presentation of the defense.

Evidence of collaborative work:

No collaborative evidence is required in this activity.

3
2. General Guidelines for the Development of Evidences to Submit

For Individual evidence, consider the following:

● Every student must participate with academic contributions in the activity
development.
● Before delivering the suggested product, all the requirements indicated in this
activity guide must be checked.
Please keep in mind that all individual or collaborative written products must comply
with the spelling rules and presentation conditions defined in this activity guide.
Regarding the use of references, consider that the product of this activity must
comply with APA style.
In any case, make sure you comply with the rules and avoid academic plagiarism.
You can review your written products using the Turnitin tool found in the virtual
campus.

Under the Academic Code of Conduct, the actions that infringe the academic order,
among others, are the following: paragraph e) Plagiarism is to present as your own
work all or part of a written report, task or document of invention carried out by
another person. It also implies the use of citations or lack of references, or it includes
citations where there is no match between these and the reference and paragraph f)
To reproduce, or copy for profit, educational resources or results of research
products, which have rights reserved for the University. (Acuerdo 029 - 13 de
diciembre de 2013, artículo 99)

The academic penalties students will face are:

a) In case of academic fraud demonstrated in the academic work or evaluation, the
score obtained will be zero (0.0) without any disciplinary measures being derived.
b) In case of proven plagiarism in academic work of any nature, the score obtained
will be zero (0.0), without any disciplinary measures being derived.

3. Evaluation Rubric Template

Type of activity: Individual

Evaluation moment: Intermediate Unit 1
The highest score in this activity is 80 points

4
First evaluation High level: The student presents the task proposal defense
criterion: making reflection and analysis. The ideas presented by the
student support his/her arguments about the topic with cohesion
Oral Defense and coherence. The slides used to share visual content meets the
Presentation requirements proposed in the guide and includes significant
information.
This criterion If your work is at this level, you can get between 28 points
represents 40 and 40 points
points of the total
of 80 points of the Average level: The student presents the task proposal defense
activity. but some of the reflections and analysis done are not clear. The
slides used to share visual content partially fulfills the
requirements proposed in the guide, and barely includes relevant
information.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 10 points
and 27 points

Low level: The interview is not presented by the student. There

is no evidence of posts in the forum and files in the evaluation
environment.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 0 points
and 10 points

Second evaluation High level: The student uses a wide range of vocabulary,
criterion: including linking words and phrasal verbs. The message is clear
and understandable as the grammar structures are properly
Vocabulary used.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 14
This criterion points and 20 points
represents 20
points of the total Average level: The student shares his/her ideas with some
of 80 points of the grammatical mistakes, using few vocabulary and expressions.
activity. However, the main idea can be understood.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 7 points
and 13 points

Low level: The student uses grammar structures, expressions,

and vocabulary in an incorrect way, besides there is no cohesion
between his/her ideas in the speech.

5
 If your work is at this level, you can get between 0 points
and 6 points

Third evaluation High level: Pronunciation is smooth with natural intonation and
criterion: appropriate intervals between sentences.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 14 points
Pronunciation and 20 points

Average level: There are some mistakes in the pronunciation,

This criterion but it does not affect the understanding of the message.
represents 20 If your work is at this level, you can get between 7 points
points of the total and 13 points
of 80 points of the
activity. Low level: The student makes many pronunciation mistakes and
the message is not clear. The student usually reads, which affects
intonation and fluency.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 0 points
and 6 points