Academic InteractionsIECPSpring 2016Nikki Mattson

Groups

• Sit with genome groups

Agenda

• Conversation Starters• Introducing Presentation #2 (Interview)• Completing Genome Paragraphs• Voicethread comments on PSU

Presentations

130A3D printing is currently a trend in mechanical engineering studies. This major is not available in developing countries so people who would like to study this major have to travel abroad. This new major will cause a new revolution in engineering communities. It is very useful to manufacture such a complex part in solely one step, just by clicking a button.

What is a temporary trend in your major? Do think it will cause a revolution in your field?

(Faris Almalki, a teaching assistant in a college of engineering)

130ABarbie’s got a new body. The Mattel company which makes Barbie dolls decided to release a new version of Barbie: a chubbier version. The reason why they have added the new version is that currently the marketplace is sending negative signals about the typical Barbie doll. Many people believe that toys can hugely affect children’s expectations. If girls grow up with extremely thin Barbie dolls, they might think that thin females are normal, and the gap between the dolls and real people could depress them. Do you think that this change would change children’s perspective of the feminine ideal?

(Eunyoung Park_Biotechnology)

130AVietnamese parents who are immigrants face a lot of pressures in educating their children. One of the pressures is to choose the language that they speak to their children at home. Most Vietnamese parents have a trend of speaking a second language instead of Vietnamese when living in a new country. What will happen if they don’t speak the second language fluently and accurately? And also how will their children be affected if they can’t speak their native language? What do you think, and can you share your opinion?

Tram Nguyen (Education)

130B• Today, many students study abroad, especially in the US, because

people believe it is beneficial to study in more advanced countries than to study in their own countries. However, it seems that the idea of absorbing foreign concepts intensively causes inattention to one’s own culture. For example, during the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government sent many students to Germany, and they studied how to become westernized. While Japan did become westernized and succeeded in joining the world’s great powers, it seems we forgot who we were. What do you think about studying abroad? What is the real benefit of this experience?

• (Shoya Fugetsu, history)

130B• Since many years ago, a lot of people have been

immigrating to other countries. However,  the life of an immigrant is often not as nice as imagined. Many problems can make immigrants sick and sad, such as language barriers, culture gaps, racial issues, homesickness, etc. Some people chose to go back to their hometowns after a short time. Do you think moving to a new country or area would be a big challenge for you? Why or why not?

(Juan, Business)

130B

• Some parents think that using electronic devices could have a negative impact on their children. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Why? Which devices are the most and least harmful?

• (Mohammed Alsadiq, EE)

PSU Student Interview Project

Big Idea: For this project, you will prepare interview questions about academic life at PSU, videotape a 7-10 minute interview with a PSU student, transcribe (write down) 1 minute of the interview, and complete a transcription-analysis handout.

DUE 3/20 by Midnight (Box)

Steps and Preparations

• Handout

Topics (Group Brainstorming)

• Thinking about appropriate vs inappropriate questions…

• A. With your group, develop a list of 10 interesting academic life topics that you think would be appropriate to ask the PSU student that you will interview about. (major, amount of HW, etc.)

• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.• 5.• 6.• 7.• 8.• 9.• 10.

Topics (continued)

• With your group, develop a list of 5 topics that would NOT be appropriate to ask the PSU student that you will interview about.

• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.• 5.

Topics (Individual)

• A. On one card, write down 1 question that you think would be really interesting AND appropriate to ask a PSU student. Write “appropriate” on the back of the card.

• B. On the other card, write down 1 question that you think would be really interesting but NOT appropriate to ask a PSU student. Write “inappropriate” on the back of the card.

Thinking about Topics…• Since the big idea of this project is to learn more about academic life at PSU, here are some

suggestions for categories/topics that might be appropriate:

• -what the student is studying• -why the student is studying a particular field• -what the application requirements were for his/her degree program• - how long he/she thinks he/she will be at PSU in order to graduate• -what the application process was like• -what classes the student is taking• -what the student’s current classes are like• -what the student’s previous classes were like• -what type of assignments are the most common in his/her field• -his/her favorite part of his/her field• -academic challenges that he/she faces/has faced• -advice he/she has for new students• -how he/she thinks PSU compares to other universities• -why he/she chose PSU• -what a typical day is like for him/her

Narrowing Your Focus and Preparing Questions

• You will have 7-10 minutes to interview a PSU student about his/her experience with academic life at PSU.

• I recommend that you choose a few categories to focus on so that your interview is logical and coherent.

• For example, you could choose: preparation for attending PSU, day-to-day experiences at PSU, and advice for future PSU students.

• Another is example of categories you could choose is: discussion of current classes, challenges faced in academic life and strategies for overcoming those challenges, and experience with group work vs. individual learning in PSU classes.

• Whatever you choose, prepare numerous questions for each category. You don’t need to ask every question that you write, but it is better to have too many than to not have enough.

Interview Protocol

– Introduce yourself and explain the goal of the interview– remind the interviewee that you hope to conduct a 7-10 minute

interview about his/her experience with academic life at PSU– remind the interviewee that you will be recording the interview

for you Academic Interactions course and let them know how you plan to do the recording (Tutoring Center, One-Button Studio, personal device, etc.)

– propose several dates and times for the interview– thank the interviewee for volunteering to participate– Offer your cell number if you wish for your interview partner to

have the option of communicating with you by phone or text

During the Interview– Start the recording– Introduce yourself again and re-state the goal of the interview– Thank the interviewee for volunteering to participate– Ask introductory questions (what is your name, major, year in

school, etc.)– Conduct the interview (ask initial questions and other types of

follow-up questions as discussed in class)– Let the interviewee know that you are ready to conclude the

interview by saying something like:• I have collected a lot of useful information during this

interview, and I appreciate the time you have taken to speak with me. Thank you.

– Stop the recording.

Graded Paragraph

• With your group, prepare a written statement (a longish paragraph) describing what you see as the main advantages and disadvantages of genomic sequencing, as well as your overall thoughts on the topic.

Voicethread Assignment• Go to the blog http://ai130sp16.blogspot.com/

• Choose 2 presentations to watch• Make a 1-2 minute voice comment to both videos.• Your comment should discuss the similarities and

differences between your observation experience and the presentation’s observation experience.

• Comments will be graded (5 points each) and due by Wednesday at midnight.

HW

• English Central Goal 6 (Sunday by 7)• Language and Culture Video and

Reflection (Sunday by midnight)• Voicethread Comments (Wednesday by

midnight)• Interview video + analysis paper (3/20) by

midnight