Twice during the term, students will be expected to prepare and lead discussion on a specific topic. Students are encouraged to select at least one topic that is at the core of their scholarly interests (either a "foundation" topic or a "context" topic) and at least one topic that represents a completely new area of inquiry. Briefing slides and other learning materials are to be handed in and will join other course materials made available through the Engineering Systems Learning Center. A common template will be provided and professional quality learning materials are expected.
At least three times during the term, students will be expected to prepare and present brief book reviews selected from the options listed - or books independently suggested by the student. Each book review should be written in a format comparable to a published book review in a professional journal -- conveying the key message of the book and providing appropriate critical analysis as well.
Note: Do not select books to review that you have already used in prior courses -- the aim here is to push the frontiers of your knowledge and this is not likely to do so. Also, if you are unfamiliar with writing book reviews, examine the reviews published in 2-3 leading scholarly journals. In general, a review should have an introductory paragraph with a framing thought, followed by a summary of the book's key arguments, an evaluation of the books strengths and limitations, a placement of the book in the larger literature, and concluding comments.
An equivalent assignment might be to outline a detailed syllabus for a recommended course to add to the ESD curriculum.
It is assumed that regular preparation, attendance and contributions to discussions will be driven by a shared interest in the subject material. Still, a portion of the course grade is allocated to seminar participation to highlight just how central this is to the success of the seminar.