Analysis of english as a medium of instruction at Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena

Abstract

English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) is an educational approach and educational policy that entails the use of the English to teach content in subjects into higher education. This educational model is part of the international agenda between nations in Europe, whose commitments were written in a document, which is part of the educational reforms in higher education in Europe. The scope of these agreements has influenced the course of education in other continents. The Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena implemented one subject and one unit taught in English. This new implementation was analyzed through phenomenology, with the aim of describing the perceptions of students and professors from three majors to enhance academic performance. This qualitative research collected linguistic information using questions whose answers were analyzed in small units. The interviews were transcribed to recognize the categories of study, and compared with other research to see similarities and differences. The theoretical framework encompassed classic authors and theories that supported the influence of language on thought, the role of students in the learning process, the interaction between culture and equal access to education. The categories of analysis were filtered through theories, and the findings showed two perceptions about the EMI effects in the short and long-term, the students’ strategies were different in the three major, and the curricular adaptations had things in common and were different as well.