Alleviating EMI Teacher Anxiety through AI-Enhanced Professional Development Program

Abstract

As English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) continues to gain prominence in educational settings worldwide, the importance of teacher professional development (TPD) in enhancing pedagogical outcomes cannot be overstated. This presentation presents a locally developed EMI PD program in Taiwan that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, including Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT), speech recognition, and AI feedback mechanisms, with commonly accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to revolutionize EMI teaching. The program aims to alleviate the anxiety that EMI educators often experience with respect to their language proficiency and instructional effectiveness. By integrating these tools, the TPD program appeared to equip EMI educators with the necessary resources and mindset to augment both their pedagogical competencies and confidence.

As part of a larger initiative for university faculty and K-12 bilingual educators in Taiwan, this program specifically addressed the challenges of EMI teacher anxiety related to English language skills and teaching efficacy. The TPD program highlighted the multifaceted impacts of AI tools on fostering a solution- and pedagogy-oriented mindset among EMI educators. Through synchronous and asynchronous tasks, discussion, and teaching observations, the teacher participants were also encouraged to engage in reflective practice and cultivate a deeper understanding of language intricacies, which are crucial for effective EMI content delivery.

The integration of AI not only enhances educators’ pedagogical competencies but also fosters a more positive attitude towards the English language and EMI pedagogy. Preliminary findings indicate significant positive shifts in teacher attitudes and attention to course design and teaching strategies. In conclusion, the intentional integration of AI technologies into EMI PD programs represents a major step forward and provides a roadmap for the development of adaptive, interactive, and pedagogically sound EMI learning environments that benefit both educators and students.