Training on «Design on EMI 10 Modules and Lesson Plans» at Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Training on «Design on EMI 10 Modules and Lesson Plans» at Liverpool John Moores University, UK
On April 3-12, 2023, in the frame of Erasmus + «Support for Innovative Methodology, Approaches and Tools for Teaching through the Medium of English in order to improve Educational Yield, Sustainability and Internationalization» (SMARTI) Project a 10-day training was held at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), UK. The training sessions were devoted to the design of the EMI 10 modules and lesson plans to enhance EMI teaching, as well as innovative teaching methodologies and student-centred learning strategies. At the beginning of the meeting, welcoming speeches were made by Adam Shore, Professor from the host university and Director of Liverpool Business School, and by Gerard Cullen, SMARTI Project Manager and representative of the Project grant-holder, Dresden University of Technology (TUD). Vanadzor State University (VSU) was presented by LusikVardanyan, local project coordinator, Associate Professor of the Chair of Foreign Languages and Literature, GayaneKanaryan, Assistant Professor of the Chair of Mathematics and Informatics, and Arine Danielyan, Assistant Professor of the Chair of Foreign Languages and Literature.
The training sessions were conducted by EU trainers Gerard Cullen, and Sven Riddell from Dresden University of Technology; Professors Maureen Royce, Ryan Wynn-Williams, Casey Beaumont, and Amanda Mayson from Liverpool John Moores University; as well as Marina Platonova and Tatiana Smirnova from Riga Technical University. The training sessions were replete with EMI-module-related theoretical materials and practical activities that were accompanied by lively group discussions. In the frame of the Project, each PC HEI is expected to design two modules on the basis of the materials provided by the EU trainers. VSU is to design and implement two modules (Module 1:Communicative Approach (student-centred) and Blended/ICT/E-Learning strategies that are as opposed to the more common traditional teaching approaches used in all faculties and Module 7:EMI Student Assessment Strategies (formal and alternative assessment).
On the last day of the training, each university presented the preliminary versions of the two pre-selected modules and lesson plans which were considered by the EU trainers. The latter expressed their remarks and advice regarding the structure and content of the presented modules and lesson plans.
During the period of September-November, 2023, the implementation of piloting courses and training sessions is visualized for the HEI academic staff. The training sessions will be monitored by EU experts. On the whole, two piloting courses are expected to be completed by the end of the project.
