e-learning @ Divine Word University: Courses

Students who are preparing to communicate their ideas to the people of PNG must become good communicators both verbally and in writing. In this unit students focus on developing their skills in speaking effectively and in writing clear Standard English. Students make short speeches, engage in debates, conduct interviews and participate in group drama in order to improve their skills and confidence in communicating with people. Students practise different forms of writing, including news reports, summaries, critical responses and academic essays with attention to succinct sentence construction, verb tenses, spelling and vocabulary. Students begin to learn how to gather information, organise it logically and present it persuasively both orally and in writing.

This unit focuses on the expereience of being colonized and the ways in which PNG villagers responded to, were changed by and transformed the ideas, images and institutions imported by the colonizers. To establish the context of the colonial age, students explore Europe's establishment of empires in Pacific and the chronological sequence of colonial adminitrations in Papua New Guinea-German, British, Australian and Japanese. Students discuss the lives of 'heroes and heroines' of the colonial age in order to understand Papua New Guniea's struggle for autonomy and the foundation of the Papua New Guinea legal system.

This unit introduces students to contemporary Papua New Guinean literature. Students collect myths and legends to explore PNG’s oral literature. They also study more contemporary literature which includes poems, short stories, novels and drama. Students learn to both in writing and orally critique, that is, analyze, discuss, evaluate and synthesize text for themes, style, literary elements and structure. The important issues of literacy, readership, authorship, and the historical development of PNG literature are also discussed. In this unit students acquire critiquing skills, oral and written presentation skills.

This unit introduces students to elements of critical thinking and logical thinking;  inductive and deductive reasoning; synthesis and analytical skills in carrying out tasks. Students are required to use logical thinking and reasoning in peer group debates, class discussions, seminar presentations and assignments. Particular examples will be drawn from international and foreign relations contexts.

This unit provides an overview of cultural diversity of the present and recent past, and examines the application of the anthropological perspectives to identify and solve social problems that affect humans. "Cultures are traditions and customs transmitted through learning that guides the beliefs and behaviour of the people exposed to them" (Kottak, 22000 : 3). Students are introduced to related cultural concepts and principles including cultural holism and cultural relativism.