College Students’ Perceptions of English-medium Instruction: A Survey in a Local Chinese University

Abstract

With the internationalization and globalization of recent decades, English has increasingly become a medium of instruction at universities worldwide. This survey was conducted in a local Chinese university, and focused on college students’ needs and satisfaction regarding content, instructors, and assessment. A mixed method was employed, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire and qualitative data from interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS 26.0, and qualitative data were analyzed in NVivo 12 plus. The findings reveal that students generally have a positive attitude towards the needs, content, instructor, and assessment satisfaction in EMI programs, which increased steadily. There is no significant difference in students’ perceptions by gender and self-proficiency, and perceptions of needs, instructor, content, and assessment satisfaction are closely correlated with the overall satisfaction. The study suggests that course design tailored students’ practical needs and advanced teaching techniques are crucial for enhancing EMI courses. Feedback was limited in students’ participation and class size. Gender differences tend to diminish in EMI university settings and English proficiency should be assessed effectively. Needs and satisfaction with content, instructor, and assessment are vital in the overall satisfaction. These insights contribute valuable recommendations for the effective implementation of EMI programs and propose avenues for further research.