Globalization in the Classroom: A Qualitative Study on Teaching and Learning in English-Medium Courses at a University in South Korea

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018Background/Context: English-mediated instruction (EMI) is one of the widely-adopted internationalization strategies in higher education in non-native English-speaking nations. The multicultural and multilingual space created by EMI is one space where globalization meets the lived experiences of teaching and learning and new social relations are created. My dissertation focuses on EMI courses offered at a university in Korea and draws on questions about the interrelations between transnational movements of people, situated identities and power issues in the educational context. Purpose: Using figured world as a conceptual framework, this research focuses on teaching and learning in EMI courses at a large public university in Seoul, Korea. The research examines what resources and practices in EMI facilitate or limit students to claim certain positions and identities and how do learners accept and act on the identities, practices and resources available to them. Research Design: Guided by the qualitative research design, the data primarily consisted of semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 participants, including six international, six Korean students, and three EMI course instructors. In addition, four class-observations were conducted, and class materials such as syllabi and handouts were collected for analysis and triangulation. Findings: Analysis revealed that, first, identities and positions are influenced by the resources and practices within a learning community such as transnational backgrounds of both students and instructors, various pedagogies, and English competency. Emphasizing English creates dynamics that privileges certain groups of students who have English capital and, thus, position them as active participants. Second, identities are influenced and re-created by the actions of people on those practices and resources. Different types of literacy practices such as being vocal and silent were adopted by participants according to the value attributed to those practices in a particular frame of reference. Third, participants engaged in making worlds in three different dimensions depending on where they envisioned their positioning and agency: international, local, and transnational. Conclusions/Recommendations: This dissertation recommends future research to (1) analyze the implications of globalization in higher education for the core activities of teaching and learning ; (2) shed a light on instructors who have experienced transnational mobility and how the transnational experience influences their identity and teaching; and (3) attend to the question of what pedagogies and curricula will prompt students to use their imaginations to create identities that transcend the traditional borders of national and/or ethnic communities