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Learning through EMI (English-Medium Instruction) in a Macau University: Students' Perspectives and Content and Language Outcomes

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Title: Learning through EMI (English-Medium Instruction) in a Macau University: Students' Perspectives and Content and Language Outcomes
Language: English
Authors: Yan Wang, Shulin Yu (ORCID 0000-0003-1051-311X)
Source: Asia Pacific Journal of Education. 2025 45(4):1195-1211.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Language of Instruction, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries, College Students, Student Attitudes, Content and Language Integrated Learning, Language Proficiency, Outcomes of Education, Instructional Effectiveness, Bilingualism, Majors (Students), Instructional Materials, Mastery Learning, Native Language, Chinese
Geographic Terms: Macau
DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2023.2270725
ISSN: 0218-8791
1742-6855
Abstract: While English as the medium of instruction (EMI) is becoming a popular institutional practice across the globe, the bulk of research has yielded inconsistent findings regarding its effectiveness for students' content and language learning. Through a qualitative inquiry into students' EMI experiences in a Macau university, the study discovered that content learning and language proficiency are vague terms to describe students' learning outcomes, which consist of multiple dimensions, including knowledge mastery, access to information, disciplinary professionalism, academic/disciplinary English and Chinese proficiency, etc. While EMI promoted student learning in some dimensions, it failed in others, and it is unrealistic to judge the overall effectiveness of EMI as a curriculum provision. The study confirms previous research findings on EMI as an ineffective means for knowledge mastery and further exposes this as a problem that can hardly be remedied by raising admission requirements on students' English proficiency in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Additional issues and challenges of EMI were identified in the study, including a quandary in promoting students' bilingual academic and disciplinary proficiency in English and their mother tongue. Suggestions for future research are given, and ideas for possible measures to help students cope with EMI in EFL contexts are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1484139
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Learning through EMI (English-Medium Instruction) in a Macau University: Students' Perspectives and Content and Language Outcomes
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yan+Wang%22">Yan Wang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shulin+Yu%22">Shulin Yu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1051-311X">0000-0003-1051-311X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Asia+Pacific+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>Asia Pacific Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 45(4):1195-1211.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 17
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+of+Instruction%22">Language of Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+and+Language+Integrated+Learning%22">Content and Language Integrated Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Proficiency%22">Language Proficiency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Effectiveness%22">Instructional Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Majors+%28Students%29%22">Majors (Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Materials%22">Instructional Materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mastery+Learning%22">Mastery Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Native+Language%22">Native Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chinese%22">Chinese</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Macau%22">Macau</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/02188791.2023.2270725
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  Data: 0218-8791<br />1742-6855
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: While English as the medium of instruction (EMI) is becoming a popular institutional practice across the globe, the bulk of research has yielded inconsistent findings regarding its effectiveness for students' content and language learning. Through a qualitative inquiry into students' EMI experiences in a Macau university, the study discovered that content learning and language proficiency are vague terms to describe students' learning outcomes, which consist of multiple dimensions, including knowledge mastery, access to information, disciplinary professionalism, academic/disciplinary English and Chinese proficiency, etc. While EMI promoted student learning in some dimensions, it failed in others, and it is unrealistic to judge the overall effectiveness of EMI as a curriculum provision. The study confirms previous research findings on EMI as an ineffective means for knowledge mastery and further exposes this as a problem that can hardly be remedied by raising admission requirements on students' English proficiency in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Additional issues and challenges of EMI were identified in the study, including a quandary in promoting students' bilingual academic and disciplinary proficiency in English and their mother tongue. Suggestions for future research are given, and ideas for possible measures to help students cope with EMI in EFL contexts are discussed.
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Instructional Effectiveness
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      – TitleFull: Learning through EMI (English-Medium Instruction) in a Macau University: Students' Perspectives and Content and Language Outcomes
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