Building EMI Capacity in Thailand
A Successful Blended Learning Program for University Educators
21 October 2024 I The Queensland Institute
Philippa Coleman (centre) facilitates training at KKU.
At The Queensland Institute, we’re always excited to collaborate with passionate global educators, and our recent blended program with Khon Kaen University (KKU) was no exception.
Focused on building EMI capacity across disciplines, our bespoke program combined online learning with in-person workshops at KKU’s vibrant campus. 30 lecturers participated, enhancing their EMI skills and exploring active learning strategies.
A Blended Learning Approach for Maximum Impact
Lecturers from multiple fields came together, sharing ideas and enhancing their EMI skills through a combination of online and in-person learning. The online phase provided a strong foundation, fostering collaboration and helping participants build digital capacity. The in-person workshops examined active learning strategies across disciplines.
Reflecting on the success of the program, our Co-Founder, Philippa Coleman, shared,
"The blended learning approach worked really well. We connected online to build rapport and digital capacity, then took a deep dive into the content when I arrived in person. It was a delight to work with such bright and engaged colleagues."
KKU participants join QI online.
Participant Feedback: A Transformative Experience
Active learning was a key focus, with participants acknowledging its impact on student engagement, communication and critical thinking. Feedback from participants highlighted the program’s value:
“The combination of online and in-person learning gave us the opportunity to develop both our digital and classroom teaching skills. The balance worked perfectly.”
“Philippa is a wonderful trainer—energetic, engaging, and so good with time management. She would definitely be one of my role models!”
“Every training session gives me a lot of new techniques. I learnt how to conduct activities logically and how to develop my students' higher order thinking skills.”
“I realised how important active learning is, especially for language learning. I now that active learning, when employed properly and strategically, will help students maximize their learning experience.”
By examining how active learning is applied across disciplines, lecturers evaluated how EMI classrooms can become more interactive and effective.
Working with our delightful KKU colleagues.
Supporting Teaching Excellence and Cross-Cultural Exchange
We want to extend a special thank you to our dedicated champions and KKU colleagues, Jon Songserm and Prowsaeng Siripanuwat, for their support in bringing this collaboration to life. Co-designing programs with such engaged partners is always an inspiring experience for the QI team.
Philippa was also delighted to savour the sights and sounds of the Khon Kaen region, famous for its vibrant local markets and delicious Isaan cuisine, adding another layer of richness to the experience. We love connecting through education and engaging in cultural exchange. This collaboration was a perfect example of how learning communities can come together to create lasting impact.
We invite you to read our colleagues' blog post from Khon Kaen University here and browse the photo album below to enjoy highlights from the program.
Connect with us
To learn how we help institutions reach their development goals, connect with Philippa and Fiona via email. We’d love to hear from you!
