One would think that when the topic of learning is business, language would not play a major role. But that is not the case. Based on our online survey of the students at Oulu Business School at the University of Oulu, there are some very strong opinions on language use, especially as it pertains to teaching.
In total, 123 students answered the survey between April 14 and 19, 2016. Of those, roughly 60% were in the master’s program with the rest being undergraduates. While there were differences in degrees between the two groups, the overall sentiments were similar across all responses. And the overall sentiment was that language matters. Indeed, quite a few respondents had strong opinions on whether a Finnish school should be teaching Finnish students in Finnish, in English, or using a mix of both, with opinions divided over a spectrum spanning both positive and negative. And while some of the responses seemed to be based on ideology, others had more concrete and immediate points.
On the ideological front, several respondents outright said that since the school is in Finland, all teaching should be in Finnish. One response even went as far as to call Finnish the only natural language of communication. In contrast, there were respondents who found it only natural to use English in their studies since the world is becoming more and more globalized. Among the more concrete points, many students, naturally, cited their own skills in English as being a hindrance to their learning when the teaching is in that language, going so far as to admit having not signed up for courses held in English. Several also professed to having doubts about the language skills of their teachers. They felt that poor pronunciation and rigid sentence structures were detracting both from their learning and, more importantly, from the ability of the teacher to impart all the knowledge they held. Conversely, many found that the mixing of languages and gradual transition from courses being held in Finnish to mostly studying in English had helped to develop their linguistic skills and likewise worked wonders in preparing them for exchange studies or a career in an international setting. And though some did find it great that exchange students were able to attend the same courses with them, others felt that the use of English was pandering to those very exchange students and a money-grabbing scheme by the school to lure in more of them.
All in all, the survey showed that the decision on what language to use in education can be an important one. Students have opinions on languages, both in support and against. And regardless of these, whether their opinions are based on ideology or concrete matters, they can and will affect how the students perceive their studies. The survey also made it apparent that there is potential for more research on the topic. And while the obvious choice would be to delve deeper into the students’ thoughts and experiences, another angle could be to find the teachers’ side on the language issue and how they feel about teaching in a non-native language or using a mix of languages.
For a more indepth look at the data and our essay discussing it, click here.
Writers: Wille Backman, Silja Heikinheimo, Meeri Salonurmi, Jenni Roivainen
English in Finland 