Transforming Learning, Conceptualisation and Practices through a MOOC on English as a Medium of Instruction for Academics

One of the oft-cited advantages of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is that they provide access opportunities for learners that they might not otherwise have, for example, offering continuing professional development, complementing traditional courses of study, or opening up new areas of knowledge (Ferguson & Sharples, 2014; Hollands & Tirthali, 2014; Zheng, Rosson, Shih, & Carroll, 2015). We report on our experiences designing the FutureLearn MOOC "English as a Medium of Instruction for Academics," and reflect upon how a free, online platform, operating across a global network, has the potential to enhance learning and practice in English Medium Instruction (EMI) domains. We consider how EMI, a topic with transient, contextual, and emergent themes, can profit from contextualisation through global online dialogues in ways that benefit wider understanding of EMI while simultaneously informing educators about the field. [For the complete volume, see ED578177.]