Seminars

Reflection seminars, prosamm14

There are eight mandatory 50 minute reflection seminars in the course. See the detailed schedule for the entire list. The instructions for each seminar will be placed in the sub-menu to "Seminars" one week before the deadline for posting the reflection document. In the reflection seminars you will meet in groups of about a dozen students and a computer science teacher (mentor). Half of the students are studying their first year of the Master's program and half of the students are studying their second year.

Before each seminar, you need to do the following

• Read the instructions for the seminar.
• Read the material that you are asked to read about the topic for the seminar. There may also be some videos to view.
• Write a reflection document, answering and reflecting on the questions of the seminar. The document should be between 500 and 600 words and written in English. You may also be asked to fill in a questionnaire or similar things.
• Put the document on your Google Drive and make it readable och commentable by others.
• Put the URL to the Google document in a text file in your group's seminar directory.
• Read the reflection documents of the other group members and write at least one comment in each document.

After these preparations you should go to the seminar and actively discuss the topic. 

Assessment

One of the intended learning outcomes of the course is that you should plan and carry out assignments within stipulated time. Therefore it is very important that you submit the reflection documents and comment on the other documents on time. 

At each reflection seminar you can accumulate points as follows:

• 1 point for timely and correctly submitted reflection document,
• 1 point for commenting on all other reflection documents,
• 1 point for a well done reflection document (which is submitted on time),
• 1 point for active participation in the seminar, 
• -1 point if the written reflection is not submitted within one week after the seminar (but it must be submitted sooner or later), 
• -1 point if you have not participated in the seminar and have not submitted a written reflection on others' reflections (at least two pages) within one week after the seminar (those not participating must submit it sooner or later). 

At most, one can get 4 points and a minimum of -2 points.

What if you cannot attend to the seminar?

If you know in advance that you will not be able to attend the seminar, you should timely contact the administrative course co-ordinator, who will then try to find a time with a different group. If this is not possible, you have to submit a two-page reflection on the others' reflections instead. If you mail it to your mentor within one week of the seminar, you will get no points deduction. Otherwise, you get a score of -1. 

You should still submit your reflection document in time and comment on the other documents.

What happens if you do not submit your reflection document on time?

The course is based on everyone submitting their reflection documents in time. If you do not, then you have the option to submit it up to a week after the seminar. If you leave it even later to get a score of -1. Sooner or later, you must submit it to pass the course. 

How about if you study abroad?

If you are studying abroad for a period, you should carry out the reflection seminars remotely. Then you get the chance to share your experiences of the exchange studies with the rest of the group. 

Pay attention to when it is time for submission of reflection documents of the course. In addition to the ordinary reflection you should reflect on the exchange studies, if possible in the context of the topic of the seminar. You should write a little more than usual (about 800 words), but on the other hand, you do not need to attend the reflection seminar. You will of course still read and comment on the other group members' reflection documents. Your mentor will report in Rapp as if you had attended the seminar.