Bane or Boon? An Autoethnographic Narrative of the English-Medium Instruction Contradictions in a Chinese University

This paper presents the reflections of one of the authors, a junior faculty member, on teaching a master’s level, English-medium instruction (EMI) course. The course was titled, International Research on Teacher Education, and it took place in a Chinese research-intensive university. It was, in part, a response to the need for internationalisation in higher education. The authors explore seven contradictions embedded in the EMI course: (1) teacher-centred vs. student-centred educational beliefs, (2) authoritarian vs. democratic classroom atmosphere, (3) traditional printed materials vs. multi-modal learning resources, (4) direct instruction vs. self-regulated learning, (5) classroom-based teaching vs. place-based learning, (6) individual learning vs. group-based work, and (7) summative assessment vs. formative assessment. The authors apply Engeström’s cultural historical activity theory to extrapolate these contradictions. Using student narratives to demonstrate, the titular question of whether the course was a bane or a boon is answered. An autoethnographic or three-dimensional narrative approach was employed to analyse the data in the context of temporality, sociality, and place. Additionally, the authors discuss the dilemmatic space and implications associated with implementing the EMI course in China.