Research Project Objectives
The aims of the project were to identify effective practices in bilingual
teaching and learning in higher education, and to profile effective bilingual
teaching and learning models for different cohorts of students and different
settings.
Research Methodology
A multi-method approach was taken to the research. Data were collected
by distributing questionnaires to students, observing lectures in bilingual
settings and interviewing lecturers and students. During 2007-2009, 543
questionnaires were completed by students, 19 lectures were observed, and
63 students and 10 staff members of the School of Education were inter-
viewed. During the following discussion, the lectures will be referred to as
‘bilingual lectures’.
Student questionnaires
The first part of the research sought the opinion of students attending
bilingual lectures. At the end of the 2006/7 academic year, a pilot question-
naire was distributed, consisting of open questions on the students’ experi-
ence and their opinion of the strengths and weaknesses of the bilingual
provision. A second questionnaire, developed following the pilot feedback,
was distributed at the end of 2007/8 and 2008/9. The respondents were
asked to note to what extent they agreed or disagreed with 33 statements
regarding the bilingual lectures. The main part of the latter questionnaire
was closed and structured, in contrast with the semi-structured initial
questionnaire (Cohen et al., 2000). The students’ response is detailed in
Table 8 .1.
Interviews with students
In order to gain a deeper insight into the students’ experience of bilingual
provision, group interviews were carried out. The groups were established by
convenience sampling, that is, students in all observed lectures were invited
to attend interviews (Cohen et al., 2000). The sample was determined by
those who chose to take part, although efforts were made to include equal
numbers of students from both language groups and students from all
courses. The sample is detailed in Table 8.2.
The interviews were semi-structured and audio-recorded. The questions
were based on the students’ questionnaire responses and matters arising
during observation of lectures.
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