Foreign Languages Centre

Final Presentation of the 9th Edition of the CLIL Program 

On June 11th, the final presentation of the 9th edition of the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) program took place, featuring second-year students from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology. This year, as part of the English language course, the students created a model of our university campus. 

Eight project teams constructed models of the main faculty buildings and their surroundings using a variety of materials such as Styrofoam, cardboard, plywood, crepe paper, and even unconventional elements like sponge, which was used to create the green areas on the campus. All the students demonstrated great creativity and dedication. 

The CLIL program spanned two semesters, during which the students not only acquired specialized vocabulary in the field of civil engineering and produced technical drawings of their projects, but also intensively developed their language skills. 

The Faculty of Civil Engineering was represented in this edition by Dr. Eng. Małgorzata Gołaszewska and Dr. Eng. Wojciech Sorociak, who supported the English lecturers: Iwona Seta-Dąbrowska, MA, and Janusz Sroka, MA, in the implementation of the program. 

The final presentation was not only an opportunity to showcase the students' work but also to emphasize the importance of integrating technical knowledge with language competences. The participants of the program had the chance to expand their knowledge of civil engineering, enhance their communication skills and acquire the so-called 21st century skills, which are invaluable in today's global job market. 

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The Bartender project

On May 2, 2024, at 12.00 the final presentation of a two-month project carried out using the Project-Based Learning (PBL) method took place at the Foreign Languages Centre. Second-year students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, majoring in Industrial Automation and Robotics , presented the results of their work on an electronic bartender. The project was conducted as part of an English language course supervised by Iwona Seta-Dąbrowska, MA.

The students' work began with a creative brainstorming session during which the best idea was chosen, considering both its attractiveness and feasibility in terms of implementation difficulty and team collaboration. In the second stage, each team carried out its tasks:

Programming Team:

• Creating electrical schematics
• Selecting appropriate electronic components
• Writing code using Arduino Leonardo

Electromechanical Team:

• Designing the transport system and selecting suitable pipes
• Preparing a cost estimate

Mechatronics Team:

• 3D modelling
• Choosing the material for the model and designing it
• Calculating the costs of printing the parts

Each team relied on information from the other teams about the bartender, its dimensions, and details at every stage.

The final presentation was given to another group of students from the same faculty and major, who, as it turned out, were working on a similar project. This allowed for a comparison of both concepts, their evaluation, and an exchange of experiences.

The students participating in the project demonstrated commitment because they had the opportunity to apply their technical skills in practice by implementing them in a real-world undertaking. Additionally, they had the opportunity to learn specialized technical vocabulary and develop their professional competencies. The entire endeavour proved to be a valuable experience that not only expanded their theoretical knowledge but also prepared them for future professional challenges.