Learning Ecologies and Transcultural Interaction in EMI Classes: A Comparison of Student Perceptions in Italy and Taiwan

Abstract

The boundaries between different approaches to English Medium Instruction (EMI) are often blurred, and the term has evolved to encompass a wide range of practices at the tertiary level (Macaro et al., 2018). EMI in multilingual university settings acknowledges the diverse linguistic environments of internationalised higher education, where both learners and teachers contribute to shaping the language learning ecology (Dafouz & Smit, 2020). This article presents the findings of a pilot study conducted in Italy and Taiwan, investigating key aspects of learner perceptions concerning interaction and learning within a transcultural awareness and communication framework, as proposed by Baker (2015). The study also examines the specific learning ecologies (Barron, 2006; Siemens, 2007) that can characterise EMI classrooms, providing insights into learners’ experiences and offering valuable guidance for future EMI course design and teacher training. A mixed methods approach (Dörnyei, 2007) was adopted to analyse primarily the potential influence of destination or study choice, and Chi-Square testing for Independence of questionnaire responses was conducted. This was then followed by a qualitative analysis of emergent key themes by means of a qualitative approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006); the study of questionnaire responses revealed the dimensions of students’ experiences in our EMI contexts. It focused on peer and student-teacher interactions and students’ perceptions of potential benefits in internationalised EMI courses in both Taiwan and Italy. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on internationalisation and offer a series of learner-driven insights, which may also be useful in shaping future EMI teacher training programmes.