Integrating English Study With the Learning of Basic Principles of Politics and Economics: A Self-Study System for Individuals and Small Groups of Japanese University Learners

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This project is offering practical examples of a new approach to curriculum development. It offers a new approach to English Medium Instruction (EMI) by showing how the core principles and information associated with subjects that students are studying in Japanese can be simultaneously studied in simplified form in English. It demonstrates how an e-learning "portfolio" approach to a university English curriculum can support learners in ways that go beyond language and academic study: the processes and content of study can also help them to focus on personal development in areas such as self-confidence, thinking and note-taking skills. The system also makes it possible for face-to-face classes to be much smaller, and to reduce the burden on both English teachers and the teachers of other subjects. The possibility for an e-learning system to be dynamically responsive to students' and teachers' needs is also practically demonstrated by this system. By reducing the burden on teachers this research addresses the long-standing problem for university teachers of reconciling the learning needs of their students with their own need to pursue research. Another important aspect demonstrated by the system is its economic viability and ease of implementation.