東京理科大学 Listening & Speaking 1a: Spring final presentation assignment・前学期末プレゼンテーション

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you about our final presentations for this class.  

Themes

Here are your choice of topics. You can choose one (1) of these: 

• Unique or interesting anthropological communities/cultures from the past (in Japan or elsewhere)
• Key points in Japanese history - especially with regard to science & technology
• Famous individual Japanese fine artists or craftspeople from the past or present 

Deadline (締め切り)

Your presentation day will be on July 22nd (7/22), so you have three (3) weeks to prepare them. 

NEW - Special note: 
If as a class you feel you cannot be ready to present on 7/22, we can move our presentation day to July 29th (7/29). But if we do the presentations on 7/22, I would be able to tell you what your final grades are, and we could have an easy day where we could leave early. 

Whichever day we present as a class - please be ready to present.

Guidelines 

1. Prepare a summary (要約) about the topic you want to present on. The summary will be due on July 15th (7/15). 

2. You have the option to fill in the topic preparation sheet that comes with this handout if you want. (If not, that's okay - you can use your own note paper.) One way or another - keep a working record of your preparation about your topic.

* As we did before with the mid-term presentations, you will evaluate your classmates' presentations in groups.

3. Be ready for me to review your progress on 7/15 and for you to practice your presentation in-class. You can practice with me and/or other groups of students.

* This is very important! You don't have to have the presentation 100% finished - but you have to have enough content so you can practice!

4. Finalize your presentation outside of class and be ready to present on July 22nd!

Now - here are the board notes for our class on 7/1:

Good luck! I look forward to our presentation day!

Image: By Official Photographic Company - Missouri History MuseumURL: http://images.mohistory.org/image/EC2888F4-26C5-258A-DF5F-9E6EBE7F704E/original.jpg Gallery: http://collections.mohistory.org/resource/143534, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61717410/Board notes - personal photograph. All rights reserved. 

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: Spring semester final presentation & writing assignment・前学期期末プレゼンテーション・作文

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you our spring semester final presentation & writing assignment. 

But first - here are the board notes from today (6/25). I made the same notes for both AE2Y I classes and the ASE I class in the 1st period: 

Congratulations on a job well done on the 2nd presentations!

Topic & task

Think about a problem or controversy (問題、議論) in an area of science or technology – for example, a problem in research, or technological application - and prepare a short presentation, with a written reaction, about it. 

You can choose to make a one-sided reaction, or two-sided argument, for the problem or controversy. 

Here are some examples of some problems or controversies:

• False data in the research of Haruko Obokata and the trouble of her research institute 
• The use – and misuse – of private data by social media companies such as Facebook
• The ways in which social media has spread fake news and other false information
• The pros and cons of internet access by children and younger people
• Earthquake building construction in Japan and whether it is good enough
• The Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 11, 2011 and the technical response to it

You do not have to limit yourself to one of these topics – but these are good examples of problems or controversies in science and technology.




This time, write a little more than before: A separate, short 3-5 (or more) paragraph reaction about the same topic. 

This time as well, I would like you to go deeper into your reaction in both your presentation and composition: A reaction should look deeper, under the easy arguments made for or against something. A reaction looks at facts, and separates what is true from what is not true in a critical way. 

Guidelines

Like before, you have a choice of making an A3-sized poster or short Power Point display. We will use the same guidelines as we did in the presentations we have done so far this semester.

Deadline (締め切り) 

We will do these in two (2) steps. 

The presentations will be on July 16th (7/16), and the final composition will be due the week after on July 23rd (7/23). 

So in total, you have three (3) weeks to do these. 

Good luck! I look forward to seeing, and reading about, your arguments and reactions to your choices of topics.

Image by Senado Federal - Fake News, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71710423.

電気通信大学 ASE I: Spring semester final presentation topics・前期末プレゼンテーション

Hello!

Our spring final presentation topic will be your choice! Like the second presentation topics, these will be individual projects, but on a different time schedule and a difference with grouping than we have done so far.

But first - here are the board notes from today (6/25). I made the same notes for both this class and the AE2Y I classes in the 2nd and 3rd periods: 

Congratulations on a job well done on the 2nd presentations!

Semester topic review

Here is a review of the topics of this semester:

• Comparison of important people in science & technology
• Comparison of key inventions/discoveries in science & technology

Deadline (締め切り)

We will do these over two (2) dates - July 16th (7/16), and our last day on July 23rd (7/23), so you have 4-5 weeks to prepare these. That will seem like a long time, but we will go through topic selection and review, plus presentation practice that I will coach you on. 

You will have a choice of which day to present on - but once you have chosen a day, you are committed to it!

This time, the days will be split because while you will still present in groups, the groups will be bigger. In addition, while you will still evaluate each other's presentations as you have done before, I will now also evaluate your Power Point presentations. I will ask you to prepare a slide show handout in grayscale that you will hand in to me along with your evaluation sheets. 

This process is very important, because I would like to see you make the best presentations you can. Almost all of you had never done presentations in English before this class. So far, you have done an overall great job in your presenting in English! 

But for this final presentation, I want to guide and coach you so that you can make the best presentations you can to this point - that is why we will take time to prepare a little more, and practice to present to larger groups! 

Guidelines

You can choose one (1) of these topics, but with these guidelines:

1. Comparing the achievements of unique, interesting, or special people in science & technological research or education 

You can select two (2) important people in science and/or technological research, or science and technological education, that you admire and believe to be important. They can be Japanese, or foreign, or a mix, and they can be from any area of science - for example, physics, chemistry, or mathematics - or from applied science or technology, like engineering or IT. 

Like our two presentations we have done this semester, you must present a one-sided argument about their achievements, but show which person may have had the greater impact or the longer-lasting achievement(s). 

Special note: You must present on someone different than what you did before – do not present the same thing about the same person that you already did!

2. Comparing the impact of key inventions or discoveries in science & technology

In this topic, compare two (2) different scientific discoveries – it could be in any area of science you are interested in (chemistry, physics, math, or an applied science like engineering or technology like IT).

Choose two different scientific discoveries you feel have been important. Maybe they have both been important – but which do you think might have had the bigger impact on society? It could be something that has had great impact only within Japan, or in other countries, or generally around the world.

Like our two presentations we have done this semester, you must present a one-sided argument about the topic, and what you would do.

Special note: You must present on something different than what you did before – do not present the same thing about the same invention or discovery that you already did!

3. A reflection on what you have learned through the presentations in this class and what you feel you have done well on - and what you would like to improve on and present about in the future.
This is a new topic I would like to try out with all of you to see how it would go! It is different from what we have done in class so far, but it may be a nice change and a chance to prepare something different. 

In this topic, you can reflect on what you have done so far in this class. You are finishing your first semester at UEC and already you have grown incredibly since you began your studies in April. Think of the themes we have covered in class and the topics you have chosen to research and present about. Then show what your main kind of topic interest has been, and prepare a one-sided argument for what has been of most value to you about presentation preparation and speaking delivery - or for why you would want to research more deeply in the topic interest area of your choice in the future. 

Once again, this is a new theme I would like to try out for anyone who is interested. It is different as it is more of a reflection of what you have learned, but it may be a way for you to get an idea of how you feel you have done in this class, how you feel you have grown so far, and where you feel you could improve and develop your presentation skills on - and where you would like to take your study and research next at UEC. 

Good luck! See you next time - and look forward to a great and relaxing summer for a job well done!

Image: Screenshot made from combination of images of (left) Thomas Edison - by Louis Bachrach, Bachrach Studios, restored by Michel Vuijlsteke - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3c05139. This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6582301/(right) Nikola Tesla - courtesy of PBS. 
All rights reserved on source of Nikola Tesla image. I do not own the rights to the image. Uploaded for educational use only.

東京理科大学 Listening & Speaking・Writing & Composition 1a: Discoveries & inventions of the Industrial Revolution・産業革命の発見・発明

Hello!

How are you? Today we'll look at some important discoveries and inventions of the Industrial Revolution (産業革命の発見、発明) . 

The picture above is of the Crystal Palace. This was a famous exhibition in London in the 19th century to show the accomplishments of the Industrial Revolution. Most of the exterior of the building was made of glass reinforced by steel. This exhibition was a great success that showed the British people what industry could do. 

First, here are the board notes for our classes today on 6/24. Here is Listening & Speaking 1a:

Here are the notes for Writing & Composition 1a:

Writing & Composition/Listening & Speaking 1a activity/homework

Look at these pictures below. Which of these discoveries or inventions happened during the Industrial Revolution? Take a guess! Have fun with these!

Cotton

The lathe

Cement

The light bulb

Gasoline

Steelmaking 

How many do you think you got right? We'll check in class!

Listening & Speaking 1a
Now here is our literary circle discussion about the Industrial Revolution. 

As before, if there are only three (3) members in your group, the leader should also be the vocabulary master. The summarizer or details master should ask the leader questions about vocabulary from the lecture or reading.

Activity

Leader questions

For the summarizer

Are you ready to summarize the reading/CD talk? (Can you give us your summary of the reading/CD talk?)

For the detail/vocabulary master

1. When did the Industrial Revolution begin?

2. How were things made before the Industrial Revolution? 

3. What particular industry was quickly developed?

4. How was agriculture improved?

(Leaders - think of two (2) more questions of your own from the lecture or reading to ask the details master!)

For the vocabulary master

1. What is agriculture? 

2. What are textiles? 

3. What does population mean? 

4. What does income mean? 

(Leaders - think of two (2) more words of your own from the lecture or reading to ask the vocabulary master!)

I hope this helps you with your understanding about this topic.

See you next time!

Images: Top - by Paul Furst - Scan aus einem Buch; Original: Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3707973/Cotton - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=689304/Lathe - by Zephyris - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27664029/Cement - by Famartin - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33470830/Light bulb - by KMJ, alpha masking by Edokter - de.wikipedia, original upload 26. Jun 2004 by, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2954889/Gasoline can - by MJCdetroit - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4267666/Steel 

production - by Payton Chung from DC, USA - Fiery Finkl Forging, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1224200

電気通信大学 ASE・AE2Y I: Final notes・最後の付記

Hello!

How are you? Here are all the notes for both the ASE and AE2Y I classes today on 6/18. The notes above are for all of you who are in the ASE I class. 

As all of you in the AE2Y class can see, the notes for the class aren't so different, though you are doing a different theme with different topics from it. Here they are:

Final tips for presentations displays (ASE & AE2Y I) 

As I mentioned to all of you in class today, here are two (2) important things I would like all of you to try for in the design and writing on your displays:

1. Cut out as many of the grammar words as you can in your text writing for your displays (such as be-verbs, articles [the, a, an], or even prepositions [such as on, in, over, under, and so on] and connectors [like and or then]). 

The lexical words - especially nouns (名詞) - are the ones that carry the most meaning, and that you can best speak the most from. These are the kinds of words you should have on your displays.

Your written text should be as short and to the point as possible - key words and key phrases, and whenever possible, one line of text for any bulleted point - at most, two lines.

The purpose of keeping your written text as short as possible is to push you to speak about your topic instead of reading from notes, or reading from your display.

2. When showing any text with visual content (such as photographs, illustrations, diagrams, schema, charts, models, and so on) - write only keywords and key phrases to go with it. Do not let the writing compete with the picture! The picture - whatever kind it is - should be the more important thing. 

Whenever you can, only show the visual content with no text - especially if it is very powerful and interesting in itself. There is an expression in English - "every picture tells a story." If the picture - whatever kind it is - can stand alone to show exactly what you want to point out within your presentation, then let it stand alone so you can talk about it. 

Final tips for summary and composition writing (AE2Y I)
Here is a screenshot of a sample format for how your summary and composition should be formatted. 

This is what it should look like. Touch on your screen or look at it on a computer to see it larger: 

I hope all these notes can help you. 

See you next week! 

Images: Personal photographs & screenshot of personal composition format example. All rights reserved. 

東京理科大学 Writing & Composition 1a: Writing assignment 2・作文2

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you our second (2nd) writing assignment (作文2) for this class - writing a short research report on a topic connected to the themes from the textbook in the listening and speaking class. 

Themes (テーマ)

Here are your choice of themes. You can choose one (1) of these: 

• Anthropology
• History (with a focus on technological development)

There are many topics you can choose from that fit with these themes. You can use a topic from one of the textbook chapters we have done so far in this class, plus any ideas you may have gotten from your listening and speaking class on the same textbook chapters. 

The map above from our blogpost before about the Ainu is an example of one kind of thing you could do - trace the possible migration theory and history of how the Ainu came to Japan.

Like the topic with the Ainu, here are also some other ideas for topics that fit with our new themes that you can try for. You could choose one (1) of these if you want: 

• Settlement (定住) of a historic ethnic group in a country (for example, how native Americans/First Nations people came to North America)
• Settlement history of a famous or unique immigrant (移民) group to a country in more recent times (for example, Irish or Italian immigration to the U.S., or Japanese-Brazilian immigration to Japan) 
• Short history of how industrialization came to Japan 
• A particular invention or scientific discovery from the Industrial Revolution and its impact on society (in Japan or elsewhere) 

Deadline (締め切り)
It will be by the end of class on July 1st (7/1). You have two (2) week(s) to prepare. You should have a rough draft (下書き) for next week (6/24), then have your final draft ready on 7/1.

*NOTE: I know that some of you have a laptop computer or tablet, but not all of you do. So if you have your own computer or laptop, work on your final drafts, and bring your computer or laptop with you, with a USB, to class next week on 6/24. 

If you don't have your own computer, bring a USB with you. Outside of class before next week, you should work on your writing on a campus computer, and save your Word file on your USB.

Your final draft for 7/1 will be typed on Word, and should be at least 3-4 paragraphs (段落) long - but if you can go longer, try for it! I encourage you to go longer and build your writing and take your ideas out further as much as you can. 

Many of you showed me in our 1st writing assignment that you can write to great length - so go for it with this second assignment!

Anything shorter than three (3) paragraphs will not be acceptable. I will ask you to re-write if you bring in less writing than what the assignment asks for. 

Please also do not write line-by-line sentences. Remember that you are writing paragraphs (段落), not lists of sentences. I will also ask you to re-write if you hand in a paper that has only lists of sentences on it. 

I will review with you guidelines in class on 6/24 about Word formatting for your final drafts.

Guidelines

1. Prepare a rough draft about the topic you want to write on about some research on your topic within anthropology or history. I will give you some time to do some research, and begin writing, in class.

Important note:

The rough and final drafts should have: 

• A short introduction showing what your topic is
• The topic, with some background, then focus on details or important points about it 
• Your research about it, with details and ideas or theories that have been shown about the people, phenomena, historical and/or industrial points or issues about it  

Things to think about:
In the case of anthropological issues, or other topics related to it (such as immigration), the movement of people alone is not the only thing that is unique or important. Things such as the peoples' languages, religions, cuisines (食文), and/or politics all have some impact or another on where they live. 

In the case of history with a focus on technological development, the technology did not only affect machines and industry; it also had a social and economic impact that, in the case of Europe, for example, led to the increase in populations of cities and caused great social changes.   

2. Be ready with your rough draft next week to read aloud to your classmates, and discuss your topics and research. Getting your classmates' reactions is important, and can help you to deepen your ideas. 

* This is very important! You don't have to have your rough draft 100% finished - but you have to have enough content so you can read aloud and discuss your writing! Do not come in with only 1-2 sentences!

3. Based on the readings and any feedback you get from your classmates, then finalize your rough drafts outside of class into final drafts, and be ready to hand in on the deadline day on 7/1!  

Here are the board notes for our class today on 6/17 - especially note the evaluative criteria for your 1st writing assignment and think about it as you write this new 2nd assignment:

Good luck! See you next time!

Images: Top - Screenshot of image originally by ABCEditer - Own work by reference to 崎谷満（2009）『DNA・考古・言語の学際研究が示す新・日本列島史 日本人集団・日本語の成立史』勉誠出版, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62921263