The academic paper titled "The Dilemma of English as a Medium of Instruction Policy in Science College Programs" by Munassir Alhamami and Abdullah Almelhi focuses on understanding the impact of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in undergraduate science programs in Saudi Arabia, specifically in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics.
The purpose of the study is to examine the influence of EMI on students' academic performance, as reflected in their cumulative grade point average (GPA). The study also investigates the attitudes of current science students and instructors towards the use of English versus Arabic as the medium of instruction and the factors influencing these attitudes.
The methodology involved analyzing data from 1,461 alumni records to explore the relationship between their English proficiency in the first year and their cumulative GPA upon graduation. Additionally, surveys were conducted with 769 current undergraduate science students and 111 university instructors to gather their perspectives on the preferred language of instruction and the challenges associated with EMI.
Key findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between students' English proficiency and their GPA, with higher English proficiency leading to better academic performance. The surveys revealed that a significant majority of current science students preferred to learn in Arabic, their native language, and believed that their academic performance would improve if Arabic were used as the medium of instruction. Instructors, on the other hand, recognized the challenges posed by students' limited English proficiency and its impact on their ability to understand and engage with scientific content.
The study concludes that while EMI presents opportunities for students to improve their English proficiency and access global scientific resources, it also poses significant challenges that need to be addressed. The authors recommend that education policymakers consider the implications of the medium of instruction on student outcomes and provide additional language support to help students succeed in science programs taught in English. Further research is suggested to explore the broader impacts of EMI on students, instructors, and educational outcomes in different contexts.