ENN1504

MAY/JUN 2024

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

2024 MAY/JUNE EXAMINATION PAPER

PRACTISING WORKPLACE ENGLISH

ENN1504
PORTFOLIO
Marks: 100
Duration: 3 Days
Primary Examiners: Dr M Madileng and Mr M Ralushai
Secondary Examiner: Mr R Maluleke

CONFIDENTIAL

Open Rubric
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

This examination question paper consists of 09 pages.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This question paper contains TWO questions. Both questions are compulsory.
2. Read the instructions carefully to ensure that you meet the requirements of each
question.
3. Pay attention to the following aspects when you answer each question:
• Content
• Structure
• Style
• Language accuracy
4. Use the checklist provided to make sure that you have answered all the questions.
Copy the checklist and paste it at the beginning of your script as a cover page.
5. At the end of your answers, paste/type the declaration, which is found at the end of
this question paper.
6. Submit the following as part of your portfolio: the completed checklist, your answers
and the plagiarism declaration.
7. When you have completed the portfolio, save everything as one pdf file and upload it
using myModules platform on the ENN1504 site under Assessment 3.
8. Note that any incidents of cheating or plagiarism will be punished severely. This may
include non-allocation of marks.
9. NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

CHECKLIST

Student Name: __________________________________________

Student Number: _____________________________________

Is there a student name and number on YES (put your initials here)
the cover page

Is this your original work? YES (put your initials here)

Plagiarism declaration attached? YES (put your initials here)

QUESTION 1: Did you answer it? YES (put your initials here)

QUESTION 2: Did you answer it? YES (put your initials here)

Page 2 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

Are you submitting the correct YES (put your initials here)
portfolio and the correct file?

Format if typed:

Arial font

Font size 12

One and a half to double line spacing

Leave sufficient space in the margins for

marker notes.

Format if handwritten:

Blue/black ink

Neat and legible

All pages scanned in 1 file in the correct

order

Did you edit your work? YES (put your initials here)

Did you convert your document to YES (put your initials here)
PDF?

Did you remove any password YES (put your initials here)
protection?

QUESTION 1: MINUTES OF A MEETING

BACKGROUND

The performance of students at the University of the South, an open distance and e-
learning institution, is on the decline because students submit assignments which are
not original; they simply copy and paste answers generated by Chatbots, using
artificial intelligence. A Teaching and Learning Ad hoc Committee in which academics,
administrators and students are represented, has been constituted. The committee
held a meeting to deliberate on the dynamics of relying on chatbots when writing
assignments by the students.

Page 3 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

INSTRUCTIONS

Below is a transcript (exact words written down) of what was said under the relevant
agenda item under which the matter of students’ relying on the chatbots when writing
assignments was discussed. As the minuting secretary of the Teaching and Learning
Ad hoc Committee, it is your duty to take minutes during meetings. The matter was
discussed under agenda item 4.1. dynamics (benefits and disadvantages) of
relying on chatbots when writing assignments. Write the minutes for agenda item
4.1 only. This means that the complete format for minutes is not required. Remember
that in taking minutes, we carefully select and summarise information, and make
changes to style and grammar. Note that you should not record what each person said
in turn. You should use the linear format (in sentences and paragraphs) of writing
minutes. Your minutes should be 1 page in length.

TRANSCRIPT

Prof Song (Chair): Ladies and gentlemen, now that we are done with the issue of
supplementary examinations, let us now turn our attention to the
declining students’ performance caused by academic dishonesty.
There is a growing concern from academics who are forced to fail
assignments which lack originality. Therefore, the purpose of this
meeting is to share with student representatives what their peers
are doing while preparing their assignments, and how their
practices result in poor academic performance. Let me give this
opportunity to Dr Sibeko who will address you on behalf of
lecturers; she has been collating information about assignment
contents from her peers and analysing trends that are emerging.

Dr Sibeko: Thank you very much, Chair, and greetings to colleagues and
students. In our previous Teaching Learning Committee meeting,
we decided to form this special committee not only to share but
also to educate students about dynamics of relying on chatbots
when writing and presenting their assignments. We noted that in

Page 4 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

modules like Practising Workplace English and some literature

modules, students are failing to respond creatively to the
background information and scenarios given. Instead of engaging
the context to come up with original responses, students tend to
rely on the internet and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate
answers and essays to literary questions. While this may appear
to be a quick solution, it must be noted that academics are
specialists in their modules; they are able to easily detect when
the style of writing is changing from one paragraph to the next -
or when the answer is not original. It looks like Nthabiseng wants
to ask something already. Can I finish, Chair?
Prof Song: Dr Sibeko, let’s allow her to speak. Nthabiseng, can you be brief
for now? The doctor has not finished yet.
Nthabiseng: Thanks, Prof. I just wanted to highlight that saying academics are
here to educate us about chatbots is rather patronising. I think as
student representatives, we are here to share our opinions on the
matter as much as academics are here to share theirs. We are
not attending this meeting in our personal capacities; we are
leaders of students.
Dr Sibeko: My apologies, Nthabiseng and other student leaders. The point I
was making was that students need to adapt their ways of using
chatbots for assignments because if they don’t, they will keep
failing these modules. Therefore, by saying ‘educate’, I mean
there must be a change in behaviour and attitude.
Nthabiseng: (Nods her head in agreement)
Dr Sibeko: Back to the issue at hand, some students simply copy and paste
answers generated by chatbots. In the process, they forget that
assessors expect answers that accurately align with the
scenarios given. While robots like ChatGPT can generate human-
like answers and interpretations, there are nuances in a text that
only humans can subtly communicate.
Thabang: As a student leader, I am of the view that our respectable
academics must help students navigate generative AI with more
wisdom than to threaten us with failure. This is an information age,
Page 5 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

and students are digital natives. Help us use these platforms

ethically, like we do acknowledge other sources we cite from time
to time.
Prof Song: Thank you, Dr Sibeko. I think we are heading in the right direction.
Indeed, Thabang, the academics want to share some insights
about more dynamics that you need to be aware of as you use
artificial intelligence. You are correct to say there is no way we
can separate today’s students from the internet. It is in their veins.
Colleagues, let us have more inputs.
Dr Smith: Thank you, Chair. Students can use chatbot technology to
enhance learning, instead of copying answers. Because the
technology is generative, students can compare their original
answers to the ones they generate through AI. In this way, they
would be able to get a second opinion against which they can
measure their own output. I call it an ‘opinion’ because students
must have confidence in their own effort and understand that their
first draft is work in progress. Alternatively, they can use chatbots
while brainstorming ideas but understand that they must still write
the assignment on their own, in order to earn a degree.
Ms Brown: I fully concur with Dr Smith. However, we must understand that
chatbots do generate wrong answers from time to time. This is
called AI hallucination, which happens when a chatbot gives an
answer that is factually inaccurate, or when its content generator
fabricates information but presents it as truth. More importantly, it
may not provide localised examples like human beings who are
aware of what is happening in their social, political and economic
context. In this way, your teachers know when your answer is
original because it integrates everyday realities – like how people
in the Tswaing metro have been complaining about garbage
collection due to the protracted strike by the workers, how those
in the Thutong region feel neglected due to poor road
infrastructure in their villages, and other realities.

Page 6 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

Nthabiseng: Now I agree with you, my learned teachers. We had always

thought AI was a solution to all our academic problems. Now I see
that it can stifle our creativity and lead to dependency.
Prof Song: I am happy that we now speak in unison. Let me close this
meeting by reiterating that the human mind is more capable than
we imagine. It is loaded with past and present experiences as well
as intuition. These are discernible from what we write as students.
Now, disseminate this information through your student social
platforms, and the academics will do the same. I wish to thank all
of you for your contributions. The meeting is adjourned.

SUB-TOTAL: [50 MARKS]

QUESTION 2: INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

BACKGROUND
You are an Administrator in the office of Dr Moloi, the Director of the Teaching and
Learning Unit at University of the South. The Student Representative Council (SRC),
on behalf of the students registered for Practising Workplace English, has written a
letter to the Director in which they seek his intervention as they cannot cope with the
assessment demands of the module. Most of these students have been out of school
for a long time and need more attention, whilst some rely on AI ,like ChatGPT to write
their assignments instead of being original. The Director, Dr Moloi, has asked you to
investigate possible ways of assisting students to improve their performance in the
module, Practising Workplace English. The report should be submitted on 30 May
2024.

INSTRUCTIONS

Write an investigative report into possible ways of assisting students to improve their
performance in the module, Practising Workplace English. You are to submit the report
to Dr Moloi by 30 May 2024.

Your report should be about 2-3 pages in length.

Use the following headings and sub-headings:

Page 7 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

TITLE

Information to be included in title should relate to what the investigation is about,

where it is taking place and why it is to be conducted.

1. TERMS OF REFERENCE

The following information should be included: date on which you were

commissioned to conduct the investigation, the name and position of the person who
commissioned you, your name and your position, the essence of the report, and date
for the submission of the report and recommendations.

2. PROCEDURES

Identify at least four (4) methods/steps/procedures followed to collect information from

various sources. It is imperative that each method/step/procedure is numbered and
mentions the purpose.
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

3. FINDINGS

Present the factual information found during the investigation under each
method/step/procedure used above to collect information. This means four (4) findings
are expected as per your procedures identified above.
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4

Page 8 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

4. CONCLUSIONS

Comment, analyse and interpret the factual information (findings) above. Do not
provide more than four (4) conclusions.
4.1
4.2
4.3

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

Provide possible options or actions in relation to the purpose of the investigation. Do

not instruct but make suggestions that you think can be followed to resolve the issue.
Present two or three (2-3) recommendations.

5.1

5.2

5.3

COMPILER’S DETAIL
This is the ending of your investigative report. Provide your signature, title, name and
surname followed by your position in the organisation. Finally, write the date.

Page 9 of 10
 ENN1504
MAY/JUN 2024

PLAGIARISM DECLARATION

Name and Student number……………………………………………………….…………

I declare that this examination is my own original work. Where secondary material has
been used (either from a printed source or from the internet), this has been carefully
acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental requirements. I
understand what plagiarism is and I am aware of the pertinent policies in this regard.
I have not allowed anyone else to borrow or copy my work.

Signature………………………………………………

Date………………………………….

Page 10 of 10