The aims of the course are to introduce applied development issues while developing English language skills and confidence. Students will practise presentation, negotiation, debate, reading and writing skills. At the same time, they will build awareness of common themes and issues arising in development projects, while developing their analytical, critical and reasoning skills.
All students will be required to prepare for each week in advance by
reading an assigned case study describing a development project, as well
as completing related comprehension questions and vocabulary exercises,
and/or writing a summary. Additional readings will also be suggested.
The basic structure of each lecture will be:
| The Text |
A comprehension assignment will be completed before class. It
will be checked and discussed before analysing the case.
| Presentation |
A pair of students will introduce each case in more depth, including
a general description and impressions, identifying stakeholders, conflicts,
successes, failures, inherent or conceptual problems. They will then
suggest alternative approaches and strategies, while answering questions
from the floor. Presentations will be 15-20 minutes.
| Analysis |
Following the presentation, groups adopting various perspectives will
further consider issues and alternatives arising from the case and presentation.
Each group’s results will then be orally presented in a combination of
recommendations, reports, discussions, debates, role-plays and simulations.
| Reflections |
The following week, students will be required to submit a written analysis of any four cases chosen at students’ discretion. Assigned tasks will be in the form of a summary, position statement, project evaluation or recommendations. A more substantial written assignment based on each students’ presented case will also be submitted individually at the end of the course.
In addition, students will record their feelings towards each case,
the issues raised, as well as the participation and conduct of themselves,
the instructor, and their peers.