English - Literature, Technology and Society C1

Throughout human history, advances in science and technology have gone hand-in-hand with social change, from early developments in the stone to metal ages, through the industrial revolution, all the way to the digital age and beyond. In this team-taught seminar, six instructors choose works of literature to spark discussions about the interaction betweeen technology and society. Students will read five works (these may include graphic novels, narrative non-fiction or collections of short stories) and use this experience to probe how technology changes our experience of the world. Class sessions include presentations, group discussion, individual exercises, and multi-media experiences.

Students will be able to analyze complex literary texts, speak with fluency and subtlety about literature, write with precision and evidence about their opinions of the texts, and discuss what authors from hundreds of years ago to today have to say about the role of technolgy in society.

Corresponds to C1 of the CER.

Ability to begin work at the C1 level of the GER as evidenced by a score in the range of 60 – 80 percent on the placement test at www.moodle.tum.de. (Please check current announcements as the exact percentages may vary each semester.)

Through group discussions, writing seminars, presentations and exercises, students are supported in learning to read literature analytically, and share their opinions of it with subtlety and force both in writing and orally. Communicative and skills-oriented treatment of topics with use of group discussion, games, presentations, videos, writing workshops, and pair work all encourage active use of language, as well as opportunities for peer and instructor feedback.

Five books, all readily available at libraries or for purchase. Some material on the syllabus may be posted in Moodle. Students must also plan on logging into Moodle between sessions in order to participate in forums.

Students are expected to read English-language editions of all five books on the syllabus.

Performance, testing the learning outcomes specified in the module description, is examined by a cumulative portfolio of competence and action-oriented tasks. In addition to reading the books on the syllabus, students must participate in online forums, complete multiple drafts of two essays, and take a final exam testing their familiarity with the books read and other material from class.