On June 16, Professor Xu Jinfen, a second-level professor and doctoral supervisor from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, was invited to the School of Foreign Languages to deliver an academic lecture titled "Effective Foreign Language Teaching and Classroom Instructional Design." The lecture was chaired by Professor Chen Xin, Director of the Faculty Development and Teaching Quality Evaluation Center of the School of Foreign Languages. It attracted active participation from faculty members and graduate students of the School, creating a vibrant academic atmosphere on-site.
In this lecture, Professor Xu Jinfen focused on the core concept of "effective teaching," offering an in-depth analysis of the challenges and transformative directions facing foreign language education in the new era. She emphasized that effective teaching is a multidimensional systematic construct, encompassing not only the reasonable setting of teaching objectives but also instructional methods, teaching evaluation, learning environments, and the individual qualities of teachers. In particular, she highlighted that "cultivating innovative talents" is a crucial goal for contemporary higher education in foreign language teaching.
Professor Xu proposed that achieving high-quality foreign language classroom instruction requires efforts in the following areas: First, teachers must continuously enhance their fundamental teaching skills and advance their educational philosophies. Second, they should reconstruct their instructional design thinking and strengthen their classroom organization and implementation abilities. Third, they should prioritize the study of disciplinary education theories, broaden their interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives, and improve the comprehensiveness and forward-thinking nature of course design. Fourth, they should foster teacher-student interaction to create a positive and highly participatory classroom atmosphere.
The lecture further emphasized the critical role of instructional design in achieving effective teaching. Professor Xu pointed out that scientific instructional design should be based on curriculum standards and learner characteristics, constructing a systematic teaching plan with clear goal orientation, reasonable content organization, appropriate methods and strategies, and a well-structured feedback mechanism. Drawing on the guiding principles from the Ministry of Education regarding the development of first-class undergraduate courses, she stressed that "advanced nature, innovation, and challenge" are the core requirements for course construction in the new era. Teachers should concretely integrate these concepts into the instructional design of foreign language classrooms, reinforce the learner-centered approach, and emphasize interactivity and evaluation-driven practices.
During the subsequent interactive Q&A session, the atmosphere in the venue grew even more lively and engaging. In response to questions from faculty and students regarding professional development, Professor Xu Jinfen listened attentively and provided thoughtful, in-depth answers. Her responses not only demonstrated her profound academic expertise but also reflected her deep passion and sense of responsibility toward the field of education. Ideas sparked through exchanges, and wisdom was ignited in dialogue. Attendees widely expressed that they benefited greatly from the session, gaining valuable insights and food for thought.
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