Abstract

This study examines the role of an online pre-sessional program in easing the transition for students preparing to matriculate into an English-medium bachelor’ s program at a Japanese university. To accommodate the wide range of students who come from both Japan and abroad, the instructors aimed to design a program that would introduce participants to the learner-centred, interdisciplinary curriculum of the program, encourage the development of learner autonomy regarding language study and personal academic goals, and ease the transition to an English-medium curriculum. Assessment of the pre-sessional program is based on participant feedback and usage data drawn from the first two online sessions. Results highlights gaps between instructor goals and student expectations, as well as distinctly different patterns of participation that emerged in the two sessions, despite nearly identical content. Given the large number of university courses that have gone online following the outbreak of COVID-19, it is hoped that this study may generate discussion for methods of promoting active learning online, or other forms of distance learning.

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