Course Sylabus
Course Description
This course introduces students to the intersection of academic writing and artificial intelligence. Students will learn foundational prompt engineering techniques while simultaneously developing core academic writing skills essential for university success. The first term establishes the essential building blocks: understanding how AI works, crafting effective prompts, and mastering paragraph-level writing through the PEEL method. Students will create their first "AI Twin"—a personalised AI assistant—while learning to evaluate sources and construct strong thesis statements.
This course is specifically designed for Chinese-speaking ESL students preparing for English-medium higher education. All key concepts are presented bilingually (English and Chinese) to support comprehension while building academic English proficiency. The course philosophy centres on writing as organised thinking—every structure taught is a framework for clearer reasoning.
Prerequisites: B1 (Intermediate) ESL level or equivalent. No prior experience with AI tools required.
Course Delivery: This course uses a project-based learning (PBL) approach with scaffolded language tasks, collaborative learning, and progressive skill development in both writing and prompt engineering.
Course Vision and Values
Our Journey We will:
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Learn the Language of AI: Master prompt engineering to communicate effectively with AI tools
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Create an AI Twin: Build a personalised AI assistant with unique personality and purpose
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Build Arguments: Develop university-level writing skills across multiple essay types
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Think Critically: Evaluate sources, identify bias, and construct logical arguments
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University Preparation: Develop Academic Skills in readiness for university
Our Course Values
Curiosity 好奇心 - Ask questions, explore ideas, and wonder "why?"
Creativity 创造力 - Think outside the box and generate original ideas
Courage 勇气 - Try new things and don't be afraid to fail—revision is learning
Collaboration 合作 - Learn and grow together through peer feedback and teamwork
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Learning Objectives / 学习目标
