Investigating Engineering Instructor Characteristics Associated with English Medium Instruction and Their Influence on Intrinsic Motivation

Abstract

This study explores how instructors view the current state of English medium instruction (EMI) in terms of the existence of EMI engineering courses, how EMI influences instructor motivations, and how motivation constructs influence the intrinsic motivation to teach EMI courses. Explanatory variables regarding intrinsic motivations included the use of the Korean language (L1) when teaching EMI courses, EMI teacher self-efficacy, EMI teacher anxiety, and perceived student benefits for English acquisition when attending EMI courses. The influence of demographic variables (i.e., age, teaching experience, experience living overseas, and second-language proficiency) on intrinsic motivation was also identified. Ultimately, a cross-sectional research design was conducted with a group of 54 engineering professors at a South Korean university. Mean score and correlation analyses provided an initial view of the data. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the explanatory variables’ influence on the intrinsic motivation to teach EMI courses. Several significant relationships in the model were identified. The results showed that the surveyed professors have high self-efficacy in teaching EMI courses, which corresponds with low anxiety levels. Furthermore, the professors reported the frequent and varied strategic use of their first language, L1 (i.e., Korean), when teaching EMI courses. Generally, professors with low self-efficacy in their English will use their own language (L1) more frequently than their more confident counterparts. Self-efficacy, anxiety, and the perceived benefits for students were significant predictors of their intrinsic motivation to teach EMI courses. The pedagogical implications are briefly discussed, and methods for preparing the EMI course instructors are recommended.