Teaching and Learning Dynamics in Online EMI Environment
Speakers: Prof Marijana Prodanovic, Kristina Juodeikienė (Kauno kolegija, Kaunas, Lithuania) and Prof Begoña Crespo (University of A Coruña, Spain)
Abstract
This study explores the characteristics of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) communication in a fragile teaching environment: online teaching, which boomed with the onset of Covid-19 in 2020. Since then, the online medium has been widely used by higher education institutions to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in complex circumstances for students. The use of English to teach academic subjects in non-English speaking contexts has emerged as an important pedagogical trend in an increasingly globalised academic landscape. However, its effectiveness is often hampered by issues such as language proficiency gaps, digital literacy disparities and the complexities of virtual interaction. Communication barriers often arise due to linguistic diversity, cultural differences and the lack of face-to-face interaction.
This study aims to explore the dynamics of EMI in online teaching, examining its pedagogical implications and strategies for overcoming the above challenges. To this end, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to a group of teachers who teach content in an online programme at the University of A Coruña (UDC): a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism. Hearing the voice of practitioners could undoubtedly shed some additional light on the online EMI practices and give a helping hand to all those involved in similar contexts out there. Asude from that, the study seeks to highlight the importance of training teachers in culturally responsive pedagogies and fostering collaborative online environments to increase engagement and comprehension.
The findings argue for a holistic approach to EMI that prioritises teacher training alongside inclusivity, adaptability and innovation to ensure equitable learning opportunities for a diverse global student body. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for robust research to optimise the implementation of EMI in virtual teaching, ensuring high quality and sustainable learning experiences for all students.
Bios
Dr Marijana Prodanović is an Associate Professor of English Linguistics at Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia, and Kauno Kolegija, Kaunas, Lithuania. She actively participates in international projects and initiatives. She has organised over 50 conferences, round tables, workshops, and language schools aimed at promoting multilingualism in the region. Notably, she served as a board member of the Foreign Languages and Literature Association of Serbia (2016–2021). She is currently a board member of the English Language Association of Serbia and co-editor-in-chief of SingiLogos Journal. Dr Prodanović is an international communicator, teacher, and teacher trainer with expertise in cross-cultural pragmatics, particularly intercultural encounters, as well as emerging trends in EMI and ELT. She has explored these areas in over 50 research papers, two monographs, and four textbooks.
Kristina Juodeikienė is a lecturer and international coordinator at Kauno Kolegija Higher Education Institution in Lithuania. She holds a master’s degree in Education and has a strong interest in intercultural communication, particularly in the context of international student engagement. Her academic and professional focus also includes virtual and hybrid teaching and learning methodologies, reflecting her commitment to innovative pedagogical approaches in higher education.
Dr Begoña Crespo is a Full Professor of English Linguistics at the University of A Coruña, Spain. She has published on diachronic semantics, genre/text-type taxonomy and discourse analysis applied to English scientific writing, especially women writers, as well as on EMI and intercultural communication. She has supervised several PhD dissertations on various aspects of the language of science and is currently supervising two more on intercultural competence and European policies in multilingual settings. She has published in journals such as Studia Neophilologica, Nordic Journal of English Studies, Linguistica Pragensia, Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, English Studies, Anglica, SAP and Literary and Linguistic Computing, Journal of Historical Pragmatics, among others, as well as book chapters in D.S Brewer, Rodopi, Peter Lang, Lincom Europa or John Benjamins.