scholarly journals Challenges to Internationalisation of University Programmes: A Systematic Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Research on Learner-Centred English Medium Instruction (EMI) Pedagogy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12642
Author(s):  
Murod Ismailov ◽  
Thomas K. F. Chiu ◽  
Julie Dearden ◽  
Yukiko Yamamoto ◽  
Nigora Djalilova
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Thematic Synthesis ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Critical Appraisal Skills

As many universities in non-Anglophone countries have committed to internationalising their academic programmes, more content courses in Arts and Sciences are being taught in English. When content courses are taught in English in a country where English is not the first language, this is called English Medium Instruction (EMI). Using specific country cases, previous studies have confirmed that an EMI course can pose many challenges to the learning of course content by students. To date, there have been few attempts to examine these challenges through a large-scale qualitative prism, which would be useful for gaining new insights in order to inform policy as well as classroom interventions. In this systematic thematic synthesis we have aimed to identify the obstacles to implementing learner-centred pedagogy in EMI tertiary programmes, focusing on student perspectives. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ) were used to appraise and synthesise 40 empirical articles. The articles included 1769 participants in 20 non-Anglophone countries and jurisdictions. The participants were both local and international non-native English-speaking students enrolled in EMI courses. The synthesis yielded 46 descriptive themes stratified into six analytical domains. The suggested domains are meta/linguistic, instructional, meta/cognitive, socio-cultural, affective, and institutional obstacles. They suggest that students in different regions faced quite similar challenges in their EMI courses. The challenges consist of inadequate use of English by students and lecturers, and a lack of student-centred pedagogy, particularly in teacher–student and student–student interactions. The findings of most learner-centred EMI studies revealed that the main challenges came from English comprehension (the first three suggested domains); fewer studies included factors related to the learning environment (the last three domains). This review can inform university administrators, teaching staff and researchers engaged in internationalising higher education and aid in designing appropriate EMI programmes that offer better learner-centred educational experiences.

The positioning of English-medium of instruction

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-27
Author(s):  
John Trent
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Positioning Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
English Medium Of Instruction ◽  
The University

Abstract The proliferation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs) across non-English-speaking Europe has been recently documented in several large-scale surveys. The opportunities and challenges of designing and implementing EMI policies are also widely recognized. However, our understanding of the use of EMI in Russian HEIs is limited. This study responds to this research need by exploring the experiences and perspectives of instructors teaching business-related subjects using the English language in two different Russian HEIs. A contribution of the study is to investigate these perspectives and experiences using the analytic lens of positioning theory. Results reveal the ways in which instructors are positioned by the university, as well how they position themselves, within an EMI environment. Acknowledging the potential antagonism that might result between different EMI stakeholders because of this positioning and repositioning, suggestions are then made as how this outcome could be avoided. Implications for future research are also considered.

scholarly journals Honouring Roles: The Story of a Principal and a Student

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome Cranston
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Inquiry Approach ◽  
Student Relationship ◽  
The Individual

The importance of the teacher-student relationship in educational practice is well established, as is the idea of principal leadership in relationship to staff. Even though principal leadership is regarded as a factor in student success, the principal’s effect is usually assumed to take place via the teaching staff. There is an absence of research about the “lived experience” of direct principal-student relationships that shed lights on the ways in which these relationships play a role in student success and principal transformation. This paper presents two narratives written about a particular set of principal-student interactions experienced by the researcher (principal) and participant (student).  The analysis uses a narrative inquiry approach to explore both the individual and collective meanings of this principal-student relationship. The stories and their derived meanings have the potential to enliven and  influence educational practice as they explore the subtleties of the principal-student relationship.

ELF interactions in English-medium engineering classrooms

ELT Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-427
Author(s):  
Kari Sahan
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Classroom Interactions ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Teacher Student Interactions ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Communicative Strategy

Abstract At many universities, English serves as a lingua franca (ELF) between teachers and students for whom English is not their L1. Despite the spread of English-medium instruction (EMI), empirical research on the nature of teacher–student interactions in EMI classrooms remains limited. This study examines the use of ELF in EMI engineering classes at a university in Turkey to explore how teachers and students use code-switching as a communicative strategy in classroom interactions. Data were collected and analysed using a qualitative approach. Nearly 14 hours of classroom observation data were collected from three lecturers and analysed according to patterns of classroom interaction and language use. The findings suggest that teachers and students prioritize communicative efficiency over an adherence to monolingual, NS norms in classroom interactions. Pedagogical implications are discussed for ELT specialists tasked with preparing students for academic study in English and supporting content lecturers in EMI settings.

scholarly journals Team-taught vs sole-taught anatomy practical classes: Enhancing the student learning experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-48
Author(s):  
Laura Y. Whitburn ◽  
◽  
Meg Colasante ◽  
Heath McGowan ◽  
Diane L. Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Human Anatomy ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Allied Health Students ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Parametric Testing

Practical classes are an integral part of learning human anatomy. The importance of utilising 3-dimensional resources (such as cadavers and skeletons) is only overshadowed by the teacher/student interactions when determining a positive learning experience. As student diversity in Higher Education increases, teaching approaches must also evolve. This study was developed in response to increased student diversity within an anatomy course. It aimed to compare allied health students’ perceptions of anatomy practical classes delivered via two different formats. In 2018, a team-taught format (comprising a lead demonstrator (LD), clinical demonstrator (CD) and near-peer demonstrator (NPD)) was introduced at the large, metropolitan campus, while the smaller regional campus continued the sole-taught format. Student data were collected via anonymous online surveys and interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using ANOVA or appropriate non-parametric testing and qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Satisfaction scores significantly increased at the team-taught metropolitan campus compared with 2017 when all practical classes were sole taught. Four key themes were realised with the teamtaught format: Improved student learning experience; Diverse perspectives; Demonstrator characteristics (Nurturing expert (LD); inspiring clinical contextualiser (CD); relatable study advisor (NPD)); Confidence and approachability. Findings demonstrated that both sole- and team-taught anatomy practical classes can provide students with a positive learning experience; however, a team-taught format of practical classes may provide students with a richer learning experience. The multiple perspectives of different demonstrators were highly valued by students and should be considered as an important approach to teaching students with diverse academic credentials, backgrounds and learning experiences. The interaction between students and teachers is key to instilling motivation and active participation, especially during practical sessions. Stressing key pedagogical (andragogical) principles such as introducing clinical examples and sharing personal experiences can be enhanced if the background of the teaching staff is varied.

scholarly journals Peer-pairing sessional staff in a large first year Science unit as a form of supportive academic development

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-22
Author(s):  
Tricia Wevill ◽  
◽  
Julia Savage ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Management ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
University Life ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Science Subject

This study evaluated how the pairing of sessional teaching staff in a large first-year undergraduate science subject provided context-specific professional development for sessional teaching staff. We used a likert-scale questionnaire to ask sessional staff to rate how effectively peer-pairing in the classroom contributed to a range of teaching skills and capacities. Irrespective of the level of teaching experience, all sessional teaching staff rated the pairings as very beneficial to extremely beneficial for support with subject content. Lesser-experienced peers also found the pairings to be very beneficial to extremely beneficial for developing classroom management and student interaction techniques. This evaluation of peer-pairing in a large first-year science subject demonstrates the strategy can be an effective means of providing teaching development opportunities for sessional teaching staff, and facilitates particular teacher-student interactions to engage students in discipline-based discourse about their learning and their transition to university life

SCHOOL CULTURE AND CLIMATE, FACTORS FOR AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 757-760
Author(s):  
Besa Dogani
Keyword(s):  
School Culture ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Controlled Systems ◽  
Adult Culture ◽  
Culture And Climate

The need for change is particularly expressed in educational organizations. In education, the changes are always associated with the reforms required by the Ministry of Education and Science, and much less often seen as a permanent process that is initiated and continues throughout each school. That is exactly why the school, especially at this time of decentralization, should appear as the initiator of the change. However, it must be noted that in the teaching, non-teaching staff, and in the school leadership, there is resistance to school changes. Hence the idea that resistance to change would be reduced if the director and employees feel the need for change, if they are the initiators of the change or at least participate in the planning and execution of the change. The complexity of the school stems from the everyday relations of a teacher - student, teacher - teacher, and pupil - student. The most frequent occurrence of this is the so-called collision of generations. It practically means a clash of two cultures - climates, an adult culture (teachers), and a culture of youth (students). It all takes place in an environment with its own surrounding called school. This environment and this surrounding are characterized by certain traditions, customs, norms, habits, achieved results, manners of behaviour and communication, religion and so on. All this together with all its complexity, dynamism and openness we call the culture of the school. The word culture has a Latin origin - colare, which means nurturing, developing and embellishing. Culture and climate are interactive states of common characteristics of group influence on the environment. The paradigm of school culture goes hand in hand with the paradigm of inequality and the option of greater autonomy in schools. According to several authors, schools should not be forced to produce quick results, only for the benefit of politicians and for public satisfaction. This means that the educated results should be held accountable by the school principals, not the ministers. This practically means penetration into management, from slow changes to controlled systems (top-down changes), to school support systems (bottom-up changes). It is important to note that each school has its own recognizable culture. The school's culture can be increased in different ways. Basically, it is a content of mutually divided values. Divided values can also be experienced in the form of rituals and repetition ceremonies. This paper aims to show that through the improvement of school culture and school climate, a positive atmosphere of order and discipline, a way of communicating staff, established vision for development will be ensured, and all this towards the construction of an effective and efficient school.

Bullying, School Violence, and Climate in Evolving Contexts

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Avi Astor ◽  
Rami Benbenisthty
Keyword(s):  
School Violence ◽  
School Safety ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
New Research

Since 2005, the bullying, school violence, and school safety literatures have expanded dramatically in content, disciplines, and empirical studies. However, with this massive expansion of research, there is also a surprising lack of theoretical and empirical direction to guide efforts on how to advance our basic science and practical applications of this growing scientific area of interest. Parallel to this surge in interest, cultural norms, media coverage, and policies to address school safety and bullying have evolved at a remarkably quick pace over the past 13 years. For example, behaviors and populations that just a decade ago were not included in the school violence, bullying, and school safety discourse are now accepted areas of inquiry. These include, for instance, cyberbullying, sexting, social media shaming, teacher–student and student–teacher bullying, sexual harassment and assault, homicide, and suicide. Populations in schools not previously explored, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students and educators and military- and veteran-connected students, become the foci of new research, policies, and programs. As a result, all US states and most industrialized countries now have a complex quilt of new school safety and bullying legislation and policies. Large-scale research and intervention funding programs are often linked to these policies. This book suggests an empirically driven unifying model that brings together these previously distinct literatures. This book presents an ecological model of school violence, bullying, and safety in evolving contexts that integrates all we have learned in the 13 years, and suggests ways to move forward.

scholarly journals Enhancing social work education’s diversity-oriented perspective by integrating refugees into higher education: Experiences from the ‘refugee crisis’ in Germany

2021 ◽  
pp. 002087282110082
Author(s):  
Stefan Borrmann
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Homogeneous Groups ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Global Mindedness ◽  
Universities Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Higher Education Experiences ◽  
Work Education

This note describes how integrating refugees into programs of social work education at universities and universities of applied sciences in Germany influenced the education provided, especially in rural areas where student bodies tend to be homogeneous groups. The refugees enrolled in social work courses changed those mostly homogeneous groups of students not only with their presence but moreover by introducing new perspectives on course content. As the changes prompted shifts in the global mindedness of fellow students and the teaching staff, the quality of the programs was enhanced.

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