Mid-October saw the conclusion of 2022 Continuing Professional Development Training for faculty members at SWJTU-Leeds Joint School. Focusing on English as Medium of Instruction (EMI), the training was divided into four modules and lasted for two weeks. Over 60 teaching faculty attended the training, including those from the University of Leeds, the Programmes of Civil Engineering with Transport, Mechanical Design Manufacture and Automation, Electronic and Information Engineering, and Computer Science and Technology at the School, and teaching faculty for the first year students.  

Yixin Shen and Joanne Shiel, the Year One Programme Director and Deputy Director, introduced the necessity of EMI training and the main issues to be addressed. Timothy Amsdon, the module leader of “Embedded Computer System” at the Programme of Electronic and Information Engineering, proposed blended learning mythology to cope with the challenges of online teaching. He emphasized that the academic staff should raise effective questions to engage students in classes, organize in-depth group discussions, prepare quizzes focusing on the demands of students, and consciously improve the English teaching skills.  Zhaopeng Zhang shared practical teaching methods in EMI and strategies for integrating Chinese and English in teaching according to his extensive experience as a physics teacher in international student exchange programs at the University of Leeds. Howard Mitchell discussed the importance of grammar and specialist vocabulary in professional courses. During the group discussion, the teaching faculty expressed their views on teaching practice, many of which had triggered extended deliberation.

SWJTU-Leeds Joint School will continue CPD training to cultivate teachers’ competences in class management, teacher-student interaction and teaching in English and promote the quality of teaching and learning.  

By:Tina ZHANG