English For Academic Purpose

Autumn 2018

English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1)

Portfolio (EAPA3004)

Name:

Student Number:

Tutor name:

This is your EAP 1 Portfolio which you must submit via the student portal by Thursday

20

th

December Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by

saving it on your computer / in the cloud (e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself. You

will receive a printed copy which you should bring to all lectures and tutorials. However,

at the end of the course, you need to submit a completed electronic copy. Please refer

to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.

Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):

1. Produce cohesive and coherent elements of academic writing.

2. Read, compare and summarise written academic texts.

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Week

Contents

Page

Learning

Outcome

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence

(These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in section

2. Suggested word counts are included are in brackets.)

1

Portfolio evidence I: Self-evaluation checklist

P3

LO 1 & 2

2- 8

Portfolio evidence II: Literature Research

(recommended word count: 400)

P4

LO 2

7 -10

Portfolio evidence III: Self-Assessment

(recommended word count: 100)

P5

LO 1 & 2

9 - 10

Portfolio evidence IV: Reflection

(recommended word count: at least 50 per section. Total word

count: 150)

P6

LO 1 & 2

Section 2: Written Tasks

(The written tasks should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 7-10.)

1 - 10

Academic writing [Comparison of two elements of the student

body in the English higher education system.]

(Word count: 500 words)

P7

LO 1 & 2

1 - 10

Academic reflective writing [Reflection on your own challenges in

higher education]

(Word count: 300 words)

P9

LO 1 & 2

Total word count: Written Task (800 words) + Evidence (Approx. 650 words)

(+/- 10%)

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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence I

Self-evaluation checklist

Below is a list of the skills you will need when working on extended pieces of writing during

your university career. The work you do on the EAP 1 course will help you develop these

skills.

Tick the appropriate box for each skill, according to how well you think you can do this at the

beginning of this course. Look again at the checklist throughout the course in order to

identify areas for independent study.

Skills

I don’t know

how to do

this.

I find this

difficult.

I can do this

quite well.

I can do this

very well.

Looking for information

Identify which books/journals/websites to use

☐



Select relevant parts of a text

☐



Using sources

Acknowledge sources of information

☐



Avoid plagiarism

☐



Planning/ writing

Brainstorm ideas

☐



Plan written work

☐



Link ideas effectively

☐



Paraphrase & summarise ideas

☐



Write a topic sentence

☐



Write a concluding sentence

☐



Personal study

Work independently

☐



☐

Manage my time

☐



☐

Reflection

Identify strengths / weaknesses in written work

☐



☐

Think of ways to improve written work

☐



Think about experiences and describe in writing

☐



Oral presentation

Discuss written work in a tutorial

☐

IT

Access the internet

☐



Use search engines

☐



Create and save Word documents

☐



Section 1: Portfolio Evidence II

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Literature Research (Recommended word count 400 words

(4 x 100) excluding references.

1. Find four texts for your research. For each text fill in the table below with the relevant

information.

Question title: (Write your question title below)

Reference:

Type your reference here in the

way that it will appear in your

paragraph (in text citation) and in

the reference list at the end of

your work (full reference).

Notes:

Summarise or paraphrase the

information you are going to

use from what you have read.

Do not use direct quotations.

Justification:

Evaluate the information

you have written in the

notes section and say why

it is relevant to the question

you are answering.

Islam, Beer and Slack, 2015.

Islam, N., Beer, M. and Slack, F.,

2015. E-learning challenges faced by

academics in higher education.

Journal of Education and Training

Studies, 3(5), pp. 102-112.

In this study, the authors reveal

that online learning has various

limitations such as an unclear

learning style. The reason is that

some students learn well through

interaction while others prefer

visual presentation. Technological

challenges also such as errors and

bugs create usability problems.

Therefore, this has an adverse

effect on the learning process.

Additionally, technical training

problems for the instructors,

especially those who are less

conversant with online learning,

affect the quality of the e-learning

process.

The information is informative

based on the everyday

challenges of e-learning. Thus,

this information is relevant to

the question under study as it

provides evidence of the

difficulties that e-learning

students in higher education

experience.

Leavoy, 2018.

Leavoy, P. The Top 10 Challenges e-

Learning Professionals Face Every

Day. Decobo. Available at

https://www.docebo.com/blog/top10-

elearning-challenges/.

Despite the convenience created

by online learning, this method

also presents significant

challenges. For instance, learners

online lack the necessary

engagement and motivation,

which could negatively affect

their grades. Besides, e-learning

necessitates the regular update of

technologies and software. Thus,

such upgrades could adversely

affect the learning process. Lack

of internet access also negatively

affects e-learning, especially

when the student is in a remote

area.

Information from this sources

directly addresses the topic

under study. Hence, the

information is relevant

because the author provides 10

points to support the argument

that online learning students

face numerous challenges.

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Chengjie, 2015.

Chengjie, Y.U., 2015. Challenges and

changes of MOOC to traditional

classroom teaching mode. Canadian

Social Science, 11(1), pp.135-139.

According to this article, face-to-

face education creates time and

space constraints. Face-to-face

training also limits interaction

between learners and their

teachers due to limited

interactions outside the classroom.

Furthermore, classroom learning

minimises interactions, thereby

reduces focus and concentration.

Lastly, this article purports that

face-to-face learning has a low

impact on the student’s

performance because of limited

follow-ups.

The points provided in this

article are essential to

understanding the challenges

that face-to-face students face.

Thus, this information is

relevant to the question under

study because it provides

evidence of how face-to-face

learning in higher learning

institutions reduces the quality

of education for respective

students.

Kaur, 2013.

Kaur, M., 2013. Blended learning-its

challenges and future. Procedia-Social

and Behavioral Sciences, 93, pp.612-

617.

In this article, the author argues

that face to face learning among

the higher education students

affects punctuality especially if

students have to travel long

distances to the class. Moreover,

face to face learning reduces

interaction and discussion,

primarily when the tutor uses a

lecture-based approach. Lastly,

traditional classroom learning

places the learner in a passive

mode, which reduces their

attention span.

The information from this

article is reliable because the

author conducts extensive

research on the topic. The

information is also relevant to

the challenges of face-to-face

education for higher learning

students because the author

outlines valid reasons for the

drawbacks of this education

model.

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence III

Written work self-assessment form (recommended word count: 100)

Complete this form before you submit your portfolio.

Type a few comments below in relation to how well you have addressed the

following criteria in your written work. Do NOT give one-word answers.

PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

A. Has a clear structure including an

introductory sentence and a concluding

sentence.

The structure of the work is coherent, and contributes to the

overall understanding of the main ideas.

B. Has features of academic writing.

The grammar is impeccable with no plagiarism issues.

CONTENT

C. Has compared directly between the

two student bodies. (Q.1.)

The work draws a comparison between e-learning and face-

to-face learning challenges for higher education students.

D. Has commented on what we learn

from the comparisons.

The work draws a conclusion on the lessons learnt.

E. Has commented on their own

experience. (Q.2.)

The work provides a personal experience.

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F. Has followed the word count (Q.1.

500 and Q.2 300 +/- 10%).

The work is within word count.

USE OF SOURCES AND REFERENCING

G. Has used all four references.

The paper incorporates information from the four sources.

H. Has in-text citations which follow

Harvard style. E.g. (Coughlan, 2014).

The sources used are properly in-text cited.

I. Has avoided plagiarism.

The paper has 0% plagiarism.

USE OF ENGLISH

J. Writes accurate sentences.

Sentences are short and accurate.

K. Spells and punctuates accurately.

Proofreading has helped eliminate grammar mistakes.

L. Uses a range of language.

The paper has employed a wide range of language.

M. Writes in an appropriate academic

style (Q.1.) or reflective style. (Q.2.)

The academic and reflective styles are appropriate.

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence IV

Reflection

Think about the work you have done on this module and answer the following questions:

What went well? (approx. 50 words)

Identifying references and information relevant to this work went well. I was able to retrieve useful

information from the fours sources, which provided evidence to support my claims. I also described

the information from these sources effectively and explained their relevance. As a result, this helped

in the arrangement of ideas within the paper.

What areas do I still need to improve? (approx. 50 words):

I still need to improve on making comparisons between e-learning and face-to-face learning. I also

need to improve on the presentation of ideas in the paper. The outcome is that readers will have an

easy time identifying the main points and the supportive statements.

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Section 2: Written Tasks

Academic Writing (500 words)

Please type your answer to question 1 below (500 words).

Choose ONE of the following titles:

(a) Identify and compare the challenges for students of lower and higher economic status in

higher education in England

OR

(b) Identify and compare the challenges for students studying online and students studying

face-to-face in higher education in England

Make sure that:

 Your text has an appropriate title.

 You have used all of your four references (included as in-text citations) and that you

include a full reference list.

 You discuss and compare both bodies of students that you have chosen to write about

 You have used a point by point approach.

 You have written a minimum of two paragraphs

What actions do I need to take to make sure I improve? (approx. 50 words):

I need to do a lot of practice in academic writing. Through practice, I will be able to adopt the

effective ways of presenting ideas in my paper. Furthermore, I need to do extensive research so that

I have adequate information to support the claims I present in my paper. As a result, this will boost

my expertise in academic writing.

Q.1.

Title:

A Comparison of the Challenges for Students Studying Online and Students Studying Face-to-Face

in Higher Education in England

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Due to the current advances in technology, many higher learning institutions have introduced online learning

to accommodate the working student. Therefore, this has increased access to higher learning education for

some students. Despite these benefits, higher learning demonstrates significant challenges for students, which

could impact the quality of education. Face-To-Face learning remains relevant to many students who dedicate

their time to school. Face-to-face learning is a traditional method that some scholars criticize based on the

challenges students face. Henceforth, this essay compares the challenges that students who use these two

educational models face.

According to Islam, Beer and Slack (2015), online learning has an unclear learning style. Many of the higher

education students in England either prefer visual presentations or direct interaction with the lecturer. In most

cases, online learning promotes interaction with the tutor to a certain extent. Therefore, students who learn

through visual presentations, find it challenging to grasp concepts, which contributes to poor grades. In most

cases, online learning involves access to reading notes and a slight interaction with the tutor. Contrarily,

students in face-to-face education demonstrate reduced concentration and attention, mainly when the tutor

uses a passive approach to teaching (Kaur, 2013). Thus, lack of concentration in the classroom affects the

overall student grades and their ability to apply the concepts taught in class.

Online learning students in higher education experience limited engagement and motivation (Leavoy, 2018).

Many online students in England need self-motivation to attend online classes and complete assignment.

Therefore, personal distractions can affect their motivation to study, which affects the overall grades.

Significantly, isolation in online learning reduces engagement. Hence, students are unable to discuss and

learn from one another. Face-to-face learning, on the other hand, creates time and space constraints

(Chengjie, 2015). Although this educational model fosters engagement among students in the UK, some

students have to travel long distances to reach the classroom. The reason is that most of the higher learning

students are employed professionals and time is a limiting factor for them. Such constraints limit the students’

motivation to attend classes. Additionally, punctuality issues affect the overall performance of these students.

Technical and technological problems such as the need for updates affect online learning (Leavoy, 2018).

Besides, the presence of errors and bugs also reduce usability for online learning students in higher education

institutions England (Islam et al. 2015). Technology has its flaws, which affect and interrupt the online

learning process for higher education students. Henceforth, this can contribute to the missing of classes,

which could affect the overall grade for the students. On the contrary, face-to-face learning limits interaction

between the learner and the tutor due to the presence of many students in the class (Chengjie, 2015). Hence, it

becomes challenging for the learners to make follow-ups on the concepts they do not understand in the

classroom. Moreover, the quality of the learning process reduces as the number of students in the classroom

increases. The reason is that other factors such as concentration and attention affect the learning processes for

students in higher learning institutions.

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Reference List:

Chengjie, Y.U., 2015. Challenges and changes of MOOC to traditional classroom teaching mode. Canadian

Social Science, 11(1), pp.135-139.

Islam, N., Beer, M. and Slack, F., 2015. E-learning challenges faced by academics in higher education.

Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3(5), pp. 102-112.

Kaur, M., 2013. Blended learning-its challenges and future. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93,

pp.612-617.

Kaur, M., 2013. Blended learning-its challenges and future. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93,

pp.612-617.

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Section 2: Written Tasks

Reflective Writing (300 words)

Please type your answer to question 2 below (300 words).

Make sure that you:

 Write about your own individual situation.

 Follow the word count.

Q.2.

What impact might the situation you have discussed in question 1 above have for you as a student

in higher education?

As a student in higher education, the challenges of online and face-to-face learning have the following

impacts on me. Knowledge of these challenges equips me with strategies of how to prevent such problems

from impacting my education process. For instance, I learn better in visual presentations. Therefore, this

means that I can do well in face-to-face learning where I can interact with the tutor and other students.

Interaction and engagement foster understanding and the sharing of ideas with other scholars. Therefore, this

supplements classwork and helps in the understanding of concepts taught in class.

Based on the perceived challenges of face-to-face learning, I can work proactively to change these difficulties

into learning opportunities. For instance, it is apparent from the discussion that face-to-face learning can

reduce concentration and attention. Thus, I can address this challenge by remaining engaged in the classroom

to grasp all concepts. Notably, I can also follow up with the tutor or other students to enhance my

understanding of all the concepts learned. I also find it possible to integrate online and face-to-face learning

to eliminate such challenges. For example, higher learning institutions in England provide both face-to-face

and online courses. Thus, I can use online platforms to supplement my face-to-face learning, which will

eliminate aspects such as time and space constraints.

Despite these interventions in helping address the various challenges of online and face-to-face learning, I

believe that these challenges are predominant in England’s higher education. As a result, factors such as the

lack of understanding in face-to-face learning have previously impacted me as a student. Failure to

understand concepts and follow-ups become challenging, especially when balancing between work and

education. That is why I feel that self-motivation and hard work plays a significant role in addressing any of

these challenges because it is the role of the student to solve problems that limit their learning process.

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