The effectiveness of using computer technology to strengthen English as a medium of instruction courses in Taiwan tertiary education

摘要

The advancement of computer technology had made new tools available that have the potential to enhance students' comprehension and engagement in the English as a medium of instruction (EMI) settings, thus aiding EMI both from a theoretical and a practical perspective. The perceptions of the effectiveness of computer technology were investigated from the perspectives of 292 students at three Taiwan universities. This study took a qualitative approach to inquire into students' learning experience in the EMI environment. The results illustrated that students perceive the use of computer technology such as interactive websites, films, videos, images, pictures, songs, and music are effective in EMI courses especially in participants' content comprehension and reduction of language anxiety. The results also revealed that most of the students approved the benefits of employing computer aids in the EMI setting at Taiwan universities. Thus, this research provided suggestions for practioners and teachers on effective adaption of computer technology in EMI teaching.