Teaching genetics, genomics and related disciplines to Erasmus students in English, language versus conceptual weaknesses

Résumé

As a result of a relative important number of Erasmus students we started to teach inEnglish in 2000-2001. Throughout the years the courses included optional courseslike Applied Molecular Biology, and Plant Genetic Engineering for undergraduates,Genomics for graduate students, Genomic tools in research for master andcompulsory courses like Genetics. Despite the offer of the different courses inEnglish, the main predictor for the students success was a general knowledge ofbiological concepts and genetics rather than their English level beyond a certainminimal threshold. Grading was performed on the basis of an oral presentation of ascientific paper and since 2009 we included a short multiple-choice test of basicconcepts. Both proved difficult but the multiple choice weeded out those students thatdid not do the every day work of attendance. The preparation of a scientific paperrequired tutorial guidance as a result of the density of the scientific writing ascompared to regular undergraduate textbooks. Undergraduate students graded equalirrespective of their origin while graduate students were significantly better whencoming from Spanish universities probably as a result of choosing the subject basedon previous knowledge and not on the language used