The International College of Innovation (ICI) at National Chengchi University recently received a visit from a delegation of inspectors from the Ministry of Education to collect the teaching practices and experiences of the college as a “seed base” for English-medium instruction (EMI) at NCCU.
Simon, one of the inspectors, noted that the college continuously improves its teaching techniques through the EMI program, with mentors providing feedback to each teacher through classroom observations and discussions, creating a natural English-speaking environment. He offered some specific suggestions, including continuing to promote curriculum innovation and improving teaching techniques, paying more attention to the needs and backgrounds of students, and encouraging more international exchanges between teachers and students.
Simon also stated that rather than designing courses specifically for EMI, the goal of EMI is to design “good” courses that cater to student needs and promote flipped learning. He saw that the ICI’s EMI program promotes teaching improvement and international cross-domain teacher collaboration in the college’s flagship courses. Simon also believed that focusing on pedagogy rather than language strategies was more effective. He agreed that using various resources and curriculum innovations could expand the effectiveness of teaching.
In addition, Simon was impressed by the level of internationalization of the ICI. He noted that students use English in class and discuss their progress in learning Chinese during break time. This natural English-speaking environment surprised and impressed him. He felt that the ICI had a fresh and vibrant atmosphere, and many excellent teachers were willing to collaborate. He also inquired whether domestic teachers had come to collaborate, but was informed that all teachers who came to the ICI were pre-assumed to teach in English, as there were many international students, and teaching in English was the most natural choice.
Finally, Simon stated that he would compile a report on the college’s findings and provide it to the Ministry of Education and other schools in Taiwan for reference. Prof. Du Wen-ling, the dean of the ICI, also expressed her hope that the EMI program could cultivate students with international competitiveness and that the college could continue to improve its teaching to become a more international, innovative, and dynamic academic base.
