Educational Joint Venture instructor Marvin Guojun Han, who teaches English at Anyang Normal University, recently won the 12th National Foreign Language Teaching Contest in China. 

Educational Joint Ventures are agreements that Holland College has with colleges and technical institutes in China to deliver a combination of Holland College programs and English language training to students. As part of the agreements, Holland College hosts EJV best practice symposia, with instructors from Prince Edward Island leading workshops to help Chinese instructors hone their teaching skills.

The adjudicators at the 12th National Foreign Language Teaching Contest were impressed with Mr. Han’s North American accent, his understanding of North American culture, and his teaching techniques.

Mr. Han attributes his career success to his participation in the biannual EJV best practice symposia, which he has attended since 2011.

"From Chengdu to Anyang, from Haikou to Lanzhou, I have been a loyal follower of the EJV Best Practice Symposium. I find it extremely useful to us frontline instructors in terms of down-to-earth pedagogy, active learning, practical interactive techniques, and assessment methods. The booklets from each symposium have become idea cookbooks for me and I browse them from time to time when I am at my wits' end. They are a resourceful and inspirational treasure house for me,” he said.

Dave Beaton, Director of Adult & Community Education, Customized Training, and International – China, said Holland College staff were delighted to hear of Mr. Han’s success.

“Marvin has been a tremendous supporter of the EJV program, and this award is a testament to his teaching excellence. He has always embraced the tenets of Holland College’s system of competency-based education and the EJV best practice symposium,” he said.

Holland College hopes to hold an EJV Best Practice Symposium in China in 2022.