Summary of the Self-Evaluation Report for the 111th Academic Year (Achievement Summary)

I: Summary of Project Self-Evaluation 

1. Overview of the Features and Highlights of the Bilingual Program and Achievements 

Our school, focusing on "healthcare," considers the cultivation of healthcare professionals essential to its mission. Recognizing the need for extensive use of professional medical terminology in the post-graduate work environment, particularly for interdisciplinary communication, the "Bilingual Healthcare Talent Tenfold Cultivation Program" emphasizes student-centered approaches. The program gradually introduces English as the medium of instruction (EMI) for professional subjects, emphasizing that English instruction in classrooms should be grounded in content knowledge. The conceptual focus is on English as a medium for conveying expertise, aiming to achieve a tenfold increase in the number of students enrolled in EMI courses within ten years. This vision positions our school as a bilingual healthcare talent cultivation institution. Key features of the program include:

Feature One: Student-Centered, Adaptive Grading Instruction

Acknowledging diverse entry paths, our school assesses new students' English proficiency using TOEIC. Classes are categorized into A, B, and C (high proficiency), with corresponding English hours: A (4 hours, 2 credits), B (3 hours, 2 credits), C (2 hours, 2 credits). Classes are limited to 25-30 students (The four-year college consists of 18 classes, but is divided into 25 classes based on the categorization). English classes are organized with different ratios based on proficiency levels, providing adaptive listening, speaking, reading, and writing instruction. Learning outcomes are validated through the TOEIC exam at the end of the upcoming semester. From the 112th academic year, first-year English credits increased from 4 to 6, extending to focus on Professional English (ESP/EAP) in the second year. The language center offers diagnostic counseling for oral and written English proficiency, establishes post-class guidance mechanisms, and provides teaching assistants to assist individual or small-group learning for students facing difficulties. Additionally, it develops a platform for courses in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, along with learning schemes to encourage students in self-directed learning.

Feature Two: Enhancing EMI Teaching with Incentives:

Enhancing the Teaching Competence and Confidence of EMI Instructors. The credits for teaching EMI courses are calculated at 1.5 times and included in the improvement of teaching awards. To alleviate the pressure on instructors for full English instruction, encouragement is given for instructors to gradually transition 1-3 course units per year to full English instruction (referred to as hour-based models). Subsidies are provided (3500 NTD per 2 hours, up to a maximum of 6 hours) for each successfully transitioned unit, gradually achieving EMI status for the subject. To strengthen the teaching competence and confidence of EMI instructors, certification courses related to EMI teaching techniques are offered. Additionally, self-learning resources in the form of individual or small group (3-5 people) study sessions are provided. Online English conversation courses, such as TUTOR ABC, are also recommended. In the academic years 110-111, a total of 50 instructors were trained in EMI, and 22 EMI courses and 53 hour-based model courses were offered.

Feature Three: Immersive Bilingual Learning Environment.

Each year, we progressively build and enhance the bilingual campus environment. We have successfully established 1 English Corner and 1 Writing Center in the Linkou campus, organizing 94 Writing events and 6 English Corner sessions, receiving enthusiastic feedback from students. The English Corner in the Chiayi campus is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2023. Regarding the development of an English environment, English signage and an English AR Smart Campus have been implemented in areas such as the cafeteria, dormitories, and public spaces to enhance the immersive learning experience. With the easing of the pandemic, international exchanges are set to resume. In the 111th academic year, 88 students and 12 teachers will participate in overseas learning during the summer vacation, expanding students' international exposure and perspectives.

The main performance indicators for this project (2021-2025) total 5, with both the 110th and 111th academic years meeting the standards. The achievements for the 111th academic year are as follows: (1) The ratio of English-taught courses reaching 45% (target: 40%); (2) Sophomore and first-year graduate students taking EMI courses achieving 3.8% (target: 2%); (3) Students improving their English proficiency by one level compared to entry level before graduation, reaching 15.51% (target: 4%); (4) 12 EMI courses offered across the entire university, accounting for 2.4% of undergraduate courses (target: 9 courses, accounting for 1.8% of undergraduate courses); and (5) Training 50 EMI instructors (target: 40). This project aims to progressively enhance the English proficiency and international competitiveness of healthcare students over the years.

II: School's Approach to Self-Assessment 

To ensure the effectiveness of the project, our school employs the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle, incorporating four continuous improvement steps for the promotion of EMI. The process is briefly described as follows: 

1. Plan (P): The school principal, also serving as the project lead and director of the Bilingual Teaching Promotion Resource Center, convenes meetings every semester to explain the objectives, implementation strategies, and expected indicators of EMI teaching. During these meetings, relevant regulations are established, and coordination across units is discussed. This includes the development of training plans for EMI faculty, inventory and utilization of resources, gathering feedback and suggestions from both teachers and students regarding the implementation of EMI teaching, and incentives for teachers participating in EMI courses.
2. Do (D): In the initial stages of implementation, the Bilingual Teaching Promotion Resource Center takes the lead in executing the plan using a top-down approach. This includes carrying out the training of EMI faculty, managing and verifying budgets, training and assigning EMI teaching assistants, scheduling pre-and post-assessments and diagnostic assessments for students, and organizing activities such as EMI course roundtable meetings and teaching sharing presentations in collaboration with the Teaching Resource Center.
3. Check (C): The assessment of effectiveness ensures the quality of EMI courses. Student interviews are conducted after the courses to understand the status and receive feedback on the EMI implementation. Solutions are developed for issues encountered by teaching and administrative units, such as how to remedy situations where students cannot complete post-tests during the pandemic. The School Research Center continuously collects and analyzes students' learning outcomes, providing the results to teaching and administrative units for reference. This information serves as a basis for rolling adjustments to the execution strategies or plans.
4. Act (A): Addressing the issues identified in the Check (C) phase involves providing improvement strategies to facilitate the advancement of various tasks. Teaching and administrative units report execution difficulties to the Bilingual Teaching Promotion Resource Center for adjustment. Supervisors from different departments jointly convene meetings to formulate improvement strategies or revise rules and regulations. Rapid coordination and communication are crucial for resolving cross-departmental issues and facilitating the promotion of EMI teaching. Professor Zhou Shuo-Gui from the Foreign Language Group of the Ministry of Education is appointed as a consulting committee member. He provides advice once per semester on EMI implementation strategies. Professor Zhou suggests that the school should focus on English language skills related to "healthcare as a distinctive clinical practice field." Learning content should align with students' future professional needs; professional teachers should start with small units and gradually accumulate to the entire curriculum. Furthermore, teaching materials and assessments should match the characteristics of the students.