Developing Global Professionals: Green Chemistry in ChineseA Case from a Flagship Program

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Developing Global Professionals Green Chemistry
in ChineseA Case from a Flagship Program

• Jennifer Liu, Indiana University
• Margaret Yang, University of Oregon
• Language and Culture Across the Curriculum
  Conference
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• October 15, 2008

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Outline

• Context
• Curriculum framework
• Process
• Course development
• Course design principles
• Course content syllabi, activities, projects
• Outcome growth in language skills and content
  knowledge
• Obstacles institutional, professional, practical
• Recommendations realizing CLAC

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1. Context

• Overarching Goals
• Graduate highly literate and articulate students
  with
• superior level Mandarin Chinese language
  proficiency (ACTFL ILR-3).
• academic and cross-cultural tools needed to
  successfully navigate U.S.-China relations in the
  21st century.
• diverse academic and professional degrees from
  their own areas of interest, geared to step into
  and successfully manage cross-cultural work
  environments.

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1. Context

• Year 1 Goal
• Intermediate-high or advanced Chinese proficiency
• Reading and writing fluently, using authentic
  materials, on a range of academic topics.
• Year 2 Goal
• Advanced-plus Chinese proficiency
• Competent in disciplinary interest
• Research proposal for the capstone project
  completed
• Year 3 Goal
• Superior Chinese proficiency
• Prepared for junior-level college classes in
  China (Nanjing)
• Data collection for capstone project completed
• Optional summer internship in China (Qingdao)
  completed
• Year 4 Goal
• Superior Chinese proficiency
• Capstone project completed, presented, and
  defended
• Superior proficiency demonstrated in exit test.

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1. Context

• Curriculum Model
• 6 content courses and 6 related language strategy
  courses offered per year
• Students required to take 2 courses per term
  depending on their language proficiency
• Four possible combination of classes
• Two content courses (1 2)
• One content (2) advanced language strategy
  course
• One content (1) advanced language strategy
  course (schedule conflict)
• Content course (1) intermediate language
  strategy course
• Intermediate language strategy course regular
  EALL language course

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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework

• A global curriculum is designed to help students
  become highly literate and articulate speakers of
  Chinese, as well as educated and engaged global
  professionals.
• The cross-disciplinary content course offerings
  are integrated through the themes of thinking
  globally and responding globally.
• Each content course presents the learning
  foundations, dynamics of the issues, and
  opportunities for change from various
  perspectives.
• Each language-strategies course reinforces both
  content and language learning through through
  examination of course readings, critical analysis
  and review of content-course lectures, and
  language literacy-building activities.

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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework
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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework
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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework
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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework
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2. Global Competency Curriculum Framework
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3. Process

• Linking Language Study with Science Courses
• Which science courses lends themselves to the
  introduction of global concerns?
• Which science courses may be interesting to 1st
  year Flagship students?
• Which departments are willing to authorize a
  course being offered in Chinese?
• Which programs have a faculty member who is
  willing and able to offer a science course in
  Chinese?
• Which programs have a graduate student who is
  willing and able to serve as a teaching assistant
  to the Flagship science course? (content
  knowledge language skills)

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Common Goals between English and Chinese
  Chemistry Courses
• Objectives
• Inspire non-chemistry students to regard
  chemistry and science as a skill or tool in
  thinking about sustainability
• Help students become more informed citizens,
  consumers, and policy makers
• Provide students with the knowledge and critical
  thinking skills necessary to analyze technical
  challenges facing them today and in the future

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Departmental Expectations
• 4-credit course, offered annually, not repeatable
• For non-majors
• Course prerequisites
• High school chemistry
• Math 095 (Intermediate Algebra)
• Satisfies general education requirements
• Arts and letters, social science, science
• Honors college general-education course
  requirements

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Flagship Expectations
• Provide students with the background for
  cross-cultural work in research, business,
  government, and other fields
• Help students develop superior-level Chinese
  proficiency in understanding the issues of
  sustainability in China

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• CH113 in Chinese
• Help students develop cross-cultural views on
  sustainability and chemistry
• Help students understand where research in China
  is headed relative to sustainability
• Not a direct translation of the English course
• All course materials in Chinese

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• At the end of the course students will be able
  to
• Define sustainability and understand its multiple
  connections to chemistry
• Articulate the value of basic research

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Audience Analysis
• Who are the students in the class? How many?
• Are the students new to the topic?
• What are the students goals?
• Why are the students taking this course?
• What problems do students typically have with
  this material, at this level?

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4.1 Course Development Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Course Materials
• Textbook selection
• Supplemental reading materials
• No primary literature
• Online reading materials
• Company websites
• Real-life research and development,
  manufacturing, design, products, etc

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4.2 Course Development Chinese Language
Strategies

• This ten-week course is designed for students
  with intermediate-level Chinese language
  proficiency to acquire advanced-level language
  skills. By the end of the term, students should
  be able to
• Content Learn about topics in the chemistry of
  sustainability and have a good understanding of
  the concepts or issues discussed
• Language Have a growing command of specific
  vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical
  structures introduced in the text materials and
  be able to use them appropriately in
  presentations, interviews, and assignments

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4.2 Course Development Chinese Language
Strategies

• Research Conduct group or individual research
  and present works in Chinese through various
  mediums and formats including Power Point,
  written reports, video prose, and debate
• Assessment Gauge personal language growth with
  internal and external assessments

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4.2 Course Development Chinese Language
Strategies

• In the following language skill areas, students
  should be able to
• Listening Understand face-to-face or
  non-technical speech in standard Chinese spoken
  by a native speaker, in controlled contexts and
  familiar topics in everyday life follow and get
  the gist of conversations between educated native
  speakers, reasonably clear telephone calls, and
  some radio and TV broadcasts on well-known
  current events, routine matters, and simple
  description and narration.
• Speaking Engage in conversation and discussion
  on general topics of public interest in an
  interactive fashion, express ideas and defend
  viewpoints using appropriate vocabulary,
  relatively clear sentence structure, and
  connected discourse such as narration,
  description, and explanation.

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4.2 Course Development Chinese Language
Strategies

• Reading To understand the gist of various
  authentic written materials for general readers
  within a familiar context and be able to locate
  and summarize the main ideas and some details in
  sentences or phrases to apply reading strategies
  such as skimming, scanning, and guessing unknown
  words.
• Writing To write routine social correspondence
  by using some stylistic elements such as opening
  and closing to write cohesive and coherent prose
  in various styles expository, instructional,
  descriptive, and argumentative about a limited
  number of current events or daily situations.

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4.2 Course Development Chinese Language
Strategies

• Course Materials
• 15 articles selected from a variety of magazines
  and academic journals on the topics of the
  correlated content course
• Accompanying glossary, patterns, audio
  recordings, and weekly homework
• List of terminology

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5.1 Course Design Principles Chemistry of
Sustainability

• How much chemistry to present?
• What is the big picture in sustainability and
  sustainable chemistry?
• Examples in Chinese class will compare research
  and development in China with the United States
  and other nations around the globe.
• English course examples within the US and beyond.

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5.1 Course Design Principles Chemistry of
Sustainability

• Students should have the skills and knowledge to
  interpret, analyze, and synthesize information on
  the global impact of sustainability.
• Students should be able to navigate and direct
  information flow cross-culturally.
• Problems faced by China will be different from
  those being addressed by the US and other
  developed nations.
• How can we use the information/models from these
  examples and apply them to issues in China?

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5.1 Course Design Principles Chemistry of
Sustainability

• English is the global language of science.
• Primary literature often in English.
• Chinese science articles often contain terms in
  English.
• Science presentations often include information
  in English.
• Students should be able to analyze, interpret,
  and present information in both English and
  Chinese.

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5.2 Course Design Principles Chinese Language
Strategies

• Students should have ample opportunities to
  interpret, analyze, and present their knowledge
  in Chinese.
• Students should be engaged in both rehearsed and
  unrehearsed interaction or presentation on the
  chemistry of sustainability.
• Students should have a chance to self-monitor,
  self-reflect, and self-correct.

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5.2 Course Design Principles Chinese Language
Strategies

• Students learning should be purposeful and
  authentic, e.g., with a real audience and
  meaningful real-life applications.
• Students learning should be routinely assessed
  with an eye to addressing individual weaknesses.
• Students learning should incorporate the
  principles of communication, culture, connection,
  comparison, and community.

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Topics
• Introduction to basic chemical principles and the
  properties of materials
• Introduction to sustainability, green chemistry,
  and life cycle analysis
• Modern materials polymers and plastics
• Sustainable energy chemistry of energy, fossil
  fuels, renewable energy, bio-energy, and solar
  energy

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Topics
• Introduction to biochemistry and enzymes using
  microbes and enzymes to achieve sustainability
• Water properties and contamination problems
  sustainable clean drinking water
• Introduction to nanotechnology pollution
  prevention through nanotech and green nanoscience

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Classroom activities
• Discussions, short presentations, debates
• Goals
• Explore different dimensions of sustainable
  chemistry via the internet and other resources
• Gain insight into how sustainability principles
  are addressed in the big picture
• Learn how to search for relevant and informative
  materials
• Practice refining the extensive and varied
  materials into concise and edifying information.

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Example 1
• Explain the benefits of preventing pollution
  rather than treating and disposing of waste
• Make sure you explain what pollution prevention
  means in todays society.
• Benefits may involve the economy, the
  environment, worker safety, compliance with
  regulations, public relations, marketing, and so
  on.

Chemistry for Changing Times, 11th Edition,
Prentice hall, 2006.
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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Example 2
• Atom economy and the consumer
• Should a product made from a more atom-economical
  synthesis cost more or less than a less
  efficiently produced product? Would you pay
  more?
• Should industry be driven to atom-economic
  synthesis only if it results in a lower-priced
  product?
• Think about some green or eco-friendly
  products that are currently in the market why
  are people paying extra for these products?
  Would you?
• Research a green product why is it considered
  green?

Chemistry for Changing Times, 11th Edition,
Prentice hall, 2006.
35
6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Other Classroom Activities
• Create the Ideal Future.
• Research Chinese companies that are geared toward
  the research, development, and use of renewable
  or alternative energy sources.
• Investigate power plants in your neighborhood
• safety, power generation, cost and benefit,
  environmental impact, human health impact, etc

Chemistry for Changing Times, 11th Edition,
Prentice hall, 2006.
36
6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Student Projects
• Course assessment
• How well can students present researched
  information?
• How well do students understand the material?
• Are students able to relate the sustainability
  issues to the science, and vice versa?
• Instructor and peer evaluations

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Individual Project Topics
• Biomimicry
• Sources of plastics and white pollution
• Alternative methods of disposing of glass,
  plastics, paper, and aluminum pros and cons
• Green pesticides versus traditional pesticides
  and fertilizers
• Mining and its impact on the environment

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Group Project Topics
• Global warming
• Air chemistry
• Global warming
• Air pollutants
• The contribution of chemical industries to air
  pollution/global warming
• Air pollution issues in China (including Chinas
  preparation to deal with its air pollution
  problems)

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6.1 Course Contents Chemistry of Sustainability

• Group Project Topics
• Water pollution
• Water chemistry
• Water contamination
• Water remediation
• Solutions to water pollution
• Water contamination problems present in China
• Think locally, nationally, and globally.

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6.2 Course Contents Chinese Language Strategies

• Topics
• Review
• Sustainable chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Polymers
• Solar and Nuclear energy
• Review
• Renewable energy
• Biochemistry
• Environmental chemistry

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6.2 Course Contents Chinese Language Strategies

• Learning tasks
• Dictation weekly, in sentences or short passages
  composed of key words taken from each
  intensive-reading article
• Homework for each intensive-reading article,
  one-page homework designed to help students pay
  attention to the usage of key words, structures,
  and discourse connectors, and learn to analyze
  the text closely and with a critical perspective
• Oral report once per term, report on related
  current issues, acquired through news or other
  means 5 minutes long, comprehensible, detailed,
  and delivered without notes citing the sources,
  commenting on key arguments, and if possible,
  comparing the issue in question with relevant
  examples from different cultural contexts. The
  report is recorded and reviewed with instructors
  during office hours.

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6.2 Course Contents Chinese Language Strategies

• Learning tasks
• Speaking/Recording exercises 5 three-minute
  recordings every other week, for students to
  practice and fine-tune their pronunciation and
  tones. In addition, to improve their advanced
  oral skills, they were asked to handle tasks such
  as recitation, role-play, and/or an impromptu
  speech.
• Green Business You are the person in charge of
  corporate culture at the Bepsi-drink Company. At
  your company in China, how can you establish a
  green corporate culture? How would you serve the
  Chinese community?
•   
• Hydrogen Battery You are the technical director
  at General Motors. You are very interested in
  hydrogen cell vehicles. The chairman of the board
  insists on selling traditional gasoline-fueled
  automobiles. Please make a statement that will
  persuade the board to expand the sales of
  hydrogen cell vehicles.
• Biological catalyst research may be performed on
  mammals. In the United States, the Humane Society
  hopes to stop the use of all mammals in research.
  Please make a statement on how to encourage
  biological research and animal protection at the
  same time.

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6.2 Course Contents Chinese Language Strategies

• Learning tasks
• Writing portfolio five essays (at least 900
  characters each) Assess your own writing
  (content, coherence and organization, word
  choice, tone, sentence structure, and
  conventions).
• W1 Book reportWrite about your reactions to the
  spring reading by ??. Do you like his writing?
  Which stories in the book do you like the most?
  Why? Which ideas discussed are inspiring? Why?
  Which ideas do you disagree with? Why? What did
  you learn from the parts of the book you read?
• W2 Unit topic, objectives, concepts and PPT
  lecturesPick a topic for Chemistry
  Sustainability which you will prepare an
  instructional and learning module for high school
  students. Work with a partner to identify the
  objectives of your instructional unit and
  introduce the key concepts. Include a PowerPoint
  slide as your instructional tool.
• W3 Two case descriptionsDescribe two
  environmental cases which are relevant to the
  topic of your unit. One case should be in China
  and the other case in another part of the world.
  
• W4 Exercises and demoPrepare a variety of
  learning exercises, including problem-solving
  scenarios, to go with your unit. If possible,
  shoot a short film (5 minutes) to go with the
  unit which demonstrates the lab work or key
  concepts introduced in the unit.
• W5 Learning assessment and word listDesign a
  quiz or other creative format of assessment to
  check if students have mastered the topic
  introduced in the unit. Remember to include
  answer key or samples. Also prepare a list of
  key vocabulary used in the unit.
• Term project a unit on sustainability, shared
  with the Chemistry instructor at Franklin High
  School in Portland for possible integration into
  their curriculum.
• Flagship colloquium present group projects in
  public and be evaluated by peers.

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6.2 Course Contents Chinese Language Strategies

• Learning tasks
• Extensive reading During the term or on summer
  break, read works by a well-known science fiction
  writer http//www.51xs.com/khxs/z/zhangxiguo/.
• This is meant for students to explore topics
  in-depth as well as improve their reading fluency
  and ability to skim and scan a large amount of
  text. They will track their reading time, report
  on their reading experience (i.e. difficulty with
  text), and summarize the materials.

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7.1 Outcomes

• What worked? What didnt?
• Chemistry graduate teaching assistants
• Students and sustainability
• They got the big picture!
• Students and chemistry
• They didnt get the chemistry!

NOT an issue of Chinese proficiency!
The abstract (language) nature of chemistry.
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7.2 Outcomes
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8. Obstacles

• Institutional challenging to find faculty and
  graduate assistants who can teach the science
  course in Chinese (Most graduate students from
  China already have financial support.)
• Professional communication and collaboration
• Logistic students pursuing science may have
  schedule conflicts

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9. Recommendations

• Realizing CLAC
• Right timing
• Faculty buy-in
• Design the course so that it is accessible to
  non-science majors (e.g., most students are NOT
  chemistry majors)
• From major sustainability concepts to general
  chemistry principles
• Limit details of chemical concepts and procedures
• Pre-term assessment
• Evidence knowledge gain and skill enhancement