Electrical Engineering

Teaching team:  Bruno Bernard / Muriel Fabrèges

University and degree programme: IUT de Saint-Etienne (UJM) – Bachelor degree in electrical engineering

Course: Electronics

Timing: 4 seminars (x 1H30) / 2 practical work sessions (x 3H)

CLIL pilot type: Light

CLIL assignments: To learn some specific technical vocabulary in order to be able to present a technical project in English.

Language: English

Introduction of the CLIL implementation with 10 CLIL parameters:

• Sequence:

In this project called “sumo robot” , students work in pairs and have to build a specific autonomous robot. This year-long project is mainly taught in French but some sessions in English including CLIL elements have been added.

• Sessions 1 and 2: Working on numbers / units; unit systems and unit conversions / electronic components
• Session 3: Discovering and using a new CAD software
• Session 4: Presenting a technical object – methodology / Discovering some presentation techniques
• Session 5: Presenting a technical object – practice
• Session 6: Evaluation: Presenting a technical project

• Concept and Task > Language:

• Subject concept: Being able to design and create a PCB, built an autonomous robot and present a technical project to non specialists.
• Linguistic challenge: master the technical vocabulary to use a CAD (computer-aided design) software tool and describe a technical object (a robot) . Use some specific structures and presentation techniques to present a technical project orally.

• Guided multimedia input:

• CAD software Proteus
• Quizlet application for the specific vocabulary
• Moodle and worksheet for teaching material
• You Tube Video: methodology to present an innovation or a technical object

• Key language:

• Technical vocabulary: numbers / units / conversions / electronic components (eg ” printed circuit board, wires, battery, sensors, …”) electronic materials and tools (eg : ” breadboard, soldering iron, tin…”)
• Grammatical structures: compound adjectives, comparative forms
• Specific structures and techniques for oral presentation (linkwords, numbers)

• Instructions:

• With the help of the elements given by the language teacher prior to the practical work session, the students discovered and had to get to grips with a professional CAD software specific to their field to design the electronic diagram of the PCB for their future robot. Both the instructions and the software were in English, as well as the oral exchanges between the students and their content teacher.
• At mid-project, using the specific terminology, the students (in pairs for the project) had to describe the different parts of their robot and their future plans to develop it to both language and content teacher (in a joint teaching session)
• At the end of their technical project, students were asked to present it to a jury composed of both the language and content teachers. The objective was to present the method used to design the technical object and the object itself (the robot) . The session was evaluated with both technical and language criteria.

• Interactions:

• Peer feedback and discussions
  • Exchange and feedback from content lecturer and language teacher.

• Thinking:

Application of knowledge to a real technical situation

Presenting orally in a foreign language

• Supported output:

• Creation of an electrical diagram with the software Proteus
• Oral presentation of a technical project

• Feedback:

• Students found helpful the vocabulary and technical elements given before their practical session.
  • They enjoyed the joint sessions with the content and the language teacher.
  • During their final oral presentation , they found it difficult to take into account the mixed audience and adapt to the different expectations.
• It was particularly difficult for them to find the right balance between the technical precision and the necessary simplification to be understood by a non-specialist of their field.

• Team teaching:

• Prior to the project, the content and language teacher discussed and worked together to elaborate the teaching material, the instructions and the evaluation grid.
• During the project: The content teacher gave the technical instructions and make sure the technical information given were accurate while the language teacher provided the language elements (vocabulary and grammar) to support the oral exchanges in English.
• Both gave feedback to the students.
• To evaluate the project, both teachers participated to the jury and discussed to mark the students, taking into account the content and language elements.

Further development ideas:

• Writing of the technical specifications in English
• Presentation of their projects to a larger audience (teachers / peers)