Globalized education means that there is an increasing need for a standard language for education. English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) has developed as a term to explain how students across the globe are encouraged to learn English for their education, and to also have a higher English-proficient population (Dang, 2013). With the rise of EMI, there is an increased need for English teachers, as well as tools to help bridge the language gap for those who consider English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

Subsequently, this is where Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) comes into play. AWE is a tool used by students to aid in grammar, spelling, and syntax inaccuracies when creating a written piece (Saricaoglu, 2021). AWE provides automated feedback for a user, and is designed to decrease errors in writing due to EFL. While AWE is a useful tool, the challenge still remains for students who are just learning the language, as it is common that the focus of their studies is not the language, but another subject entirely (Mackey, 2009). In addition, sometimes the expectation of sophisticated, high-level writing is implied without any plausible tools for EFL students.

In the context of learning ecologies and this course, I have considered the potential drawbacks and benefits from an EFL view, though I am a native English-speaker myself. As a former teacher with an ESL endorsement, I understand the difficulties that students face on the unlevel academic playing field. While there are some amazing AWE programs, just like any tool, there isn’t going to be a large amount of evidence of progress within writing if students don’t eventually understand the reasoning behind the suggested edits. Furthermore, how often are students engaging with the AWE? In an MOOC, I would figure that there would be implicit tools available to all, but up to the students to utilize the feedback. Another valuable resource for EFL students is the community of peers that can offer discourse at the academic level necessary for the course.
 

Saricaoglu, A., & Bilki, Z. (2021). Voluntary use of automated writing evaluation by content course students. ReCALL, 33(3), 265-277. doi:10.1017/S0958344021000021

Dang, T. K. A., Nguyen, H. T. M. & Le, T. T. T. (2013) The impacts of globalisation on EFL teacher education through English as a medium of instruction: An example from Vietnam. Current Issues in Language Planning, 14(1): 52–72.

Mackey, A. & Polio, C. (2009) Introduction. In Mackey, A. & Polio, C. (eds.), Multiple perspectives on interaction: Second language research in honor of Susan M. Gass. New York: Routledge, 1–10.