SEL2211 : Contexts: Cognition and Computation - Undergraduate Study

Offered for Year: 2020/21

Module Leader(s): Dr Joel Wallenberg

Owning School: English Lit, Language & Linguistics
Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Semester 2 Credit Value:	20
ECTS Credits:	10.0

Aims

This module aims to provide a conceptual context for the other modules studied in year 2 of the various Linguistics and English Language degrees by outlining the history and methodology of the study of language and describing its connections with other sciences and with language technology and engineering disciplines.

Outline Of Syllabus

Science
1. Introduction
2. History of Science
3. Philosophy of Science
4. Philosophy of Mind
5. Cognitive Science
6. Neuroscience

Language Science
7. History of Language Science
8. Language and Computation
9. Language as a Cognitive Faculty
10. Fundamental Principles of Generative Linguistics
11. Language Change
12. Language and Society

Language Technology
13. Literacy and its Implications
14. The Development of Language Technology
15. Digital Electronic Language Technology
16. The Internet
17. Information Science
18. Artificial Intelligence

Teaching Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

Teaching Activities

Category	Activity	Number	Length	Student Hours	Comment
Guided Independent Study	Assessment preparation and completion	40	1:00	40:00	N/A
Structured Guided Learning	Academic skills activities	18	1:00	18:00	Asynchronous, and includes guided exercises, discussion, and research activities.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Practical	18	1:00	18:00	Synchronous
Guided Independent Study	Directed research and reading	70	1:00	70:00	N/A
Guided Independent Study	Student-led group activity	14	1:00	14:00	N/A
Guided Independent Study	Independent study	40	1:00	40:00	N/A
Total				200:00

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

"Structured Guided Learning" presents the core module content with a variety of methods, including short presentations, guided exercises, discussions, and group research activities.

The practical in any given week examines one or more particular aspects of that week's lectures in detail, with instructor-student interaction.

The student-led group activity consists of small group computer programming projects, and presentation of these projects at the end of the semester.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Description	Semester	When Set	Percentage	Comment
Essay	2	M	60	3000 words
Practical/lab report	2	A	40	25 minute oral presentation and submitted code*

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The essay enables the students to demonstrate their engagement with the subjects presented during the course of the module and conduct independent research, guided by the instructor.

The end-of-term group reports will present computer programming projects they have completed in the post-Easter period. Students will submit their code to the instructor, as well as present their code to each other and have other students test it. Students will also discuss issues raised by their projects, e.g. feasibility of weak/strong AI, the effect of language-related technologies on the human organism.

Practical/lab report 1: *submitted code and 25-minute synchronous oral presentation with questions OR -where appropriate and with prior permission from the module leader- submitted code and 10-minute asynchronous video presentation.

Reading Lists

SEL2211's Reading List

Timetable

Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
SEL2211's Timetable

Module