Course syllabus

Course-PM

LSP530 LSP530 Fiction for engineers lp1 HT23 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Communication and Learning in Science

Contact details

Examiner and course manager: Magnus Gustafsson 772 5815; magusta@chalmers.se

Course zoom room: https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/65369721336 

 

Course purpose

The course aims to promote and enhance the creative and argumentative strengths of engineering students through relatively advanced studies of literature in English. The literature is often inspired by the perspective of engineering as well as science and technology in relation to the surrounding society. The course also introduces alternative ways of thinking and values and the discussion of the role of art and literature in society.  

Schedule

TimeEdit 

Please note that the TimeEdit schedule is generic for all seminars. The seminar specific scheduled is available in the course PM, the summary, and in the calendar.

Course literature

Lewis Carroll. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
Jenny Diski. Only Human
Ian McEwan. Saturday
Jean Rhys. Wide Sargasso Sea
Tom Stoppard. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Jeanette Winterson. The Stone Gods

The books have been ordered at Store. Many are available in libraries and online.

Reference literature and limited further reading is provided during the course.

Course design

The course design for the fall term 2023 is a tentative hybrid one. The core of the course is an online course delivered via zoom and canvas with both synchronous and asynchronous seminars. However, I have suggested a few seminars for campus delivery. Campus seminars are scheduled in ML11. Synchronous online seminars will take place in zoom of course. Asynchronous seminars and activities will take place in various ways but will be channeled via Canvas and Canvas fora. Activities will largely follow the TimeEdit schedule  but once we have discussed the best ways to design activities any one three-hour seminar might be divided over shorter activities across a longer period of time. We will likely be working across Canvas and zoom affordances and add platforms like padlet or perhaps coggle, miro, jamboard, or whatever suggestions you might have.

The seminar sequence is easiest to see from the module for the seminars and the respective session pages. Needless to say, session pages will be updated as we move along the sessions.

The letters to you from the 22/23-cohort of students are largely relevant and offer good advice as well as indirect introductions to the course even if there are slight differences for the fall 23.

The 22/23 students also wanted to highlight the study guide 'Introductory remarks'!

To support the seminar and your progression in during the course, it will be possible to book online or f2f tutorials. 

 

Student representatives

Atosa Daneshvar-Minabi atosad@student.chalmers.se
Thomas Glad thomasgl@student.chalmers.se 

Rasmus Hagman hagmanr@student.chalmers.se 
Lea Premmert leap@student.chalmers.se

Menti for anonymous comments to the student reps (results)

Course protocol after the first two meetings

Changes made since the last occasion

The main changes based on the course evaluations 21/22 + 22/23 include re-designing the introduction of narratology and analysis; extending the reading period in study period two; preparing additional introductions on in-class writing tasks and analyses; changing the platforms for the asynchronous online seminars; reconsidering the reading sequence for MTS; adding a formative mid-term assignment; and promoting information about the portfolio and term paper assignments.

Course evaluation 22/23;  Course board report 22/23

 

Learning outcomes and syllabus

The successful student will be able to:

Analyse literary text and construct an argumentative interpretation of literature that is meaningful outside the immediate context of the course.

Effectively and appropriately use narratological terminology to promote analysis and interpretation.

Explore ways in which fiction comments on the man-technology-society nexus.

These outcomes mean that you need to be able to:

• share a literary discussion in terms of narratological terms and definitions
• justify a reading with an interpretation and close references to the primary text and to secondary sources
• re-assess the role, function, and impact of technology, culture, and society through analysis and discussion of literature

Course PM; Study plan (Studieportalen)

 

Examination form

Graded, based on journalling, contributions to the seminars and online activities, and a portfolio of tasks and assignments:

For the possibility of a pass:

• The 20 most representative items in the journal (see separate information)

For a possibility of a high pass:

• Term paper (see separate information) and / or
• Oral exam to elaborate on a portfolio

The deadline for the portfolio is discussed during the first seminar and finalised in the second seminar. The agreed upon date is January 16, 2024.

The portfolio, and a possible term paper or oral exam, needs to include material and reflections to demonstrate how a student meets the three learning outcomes.

The portfolio, with or without a term paper, is effectively a home exam. Grading happens in two stages. The initial grading is a pass/fail stage. The following stage includes taking oral exams and grading term papers for higher passes. Term papers can be revised after the end of the course.

 

Welcome,

Magnus