The Eighth Annual Conference on Global Higher Education at Lakeland University Japan
Presentation Summary
Language Issues in Japanese Business: Using English as a Business Lingua Franca
1A • 10:10 ~ 11:35 • Questions of Culture and Internationalization
English is now considered the de facto international language. Given the global spread of English, it seems the easiest solution to use English as the common corporate language for many multinational corporations. However, using English as a common language is not a panacea. International business scholars have also noted several adverse effects of company-wide language policies. Also, socio- and applied linguistics researchers propose alternative views to traditional English language education. World Englishes, ELF (English as a lingua franca), and Translanguaging provide enlightening perceptions and ways of thinking about the English language based on the vast empirical research base accumulated during the past several decades.
The presentation is about the study that explored the impacts of English as a corporate official language policy implemented at a company, a rapidly developed high profile IT company with 20,000 employees, in Japan. The study discusses the empirical findings in light of the theories of ELF and Translanguaging as well as pedagogical implications to English education in international university settings.
Saeko Ozawa Ujiie
Lakeland Univeristy Japan
Classroom Teaching Methods and Cultural Interference
1A • 10:10 ~ 11:36 • Questions of Culture and Internationalization
There is an impact that culture has on language learning, and it might be difficult to notice. Using Western methods of teaching and classroom management could affect learning quality for student development. The presenter completed a case study several years ago regarding teacher acknowledgment of cultural interference. In this presentation, the results of this case study will be presented, in addition to teaching styles which may also cause issues of interference. The current, Japanese-style format of learning in the classroom involves pair work, group work, individual work, and the standard forms of lecture format. Western methods of learning involve all of these, with the addition of whole class method of instruction. The presenter will give a brief introduction of the methods and address how they may benefit Japanese students in the classroom, as well as outside the classroom. Also, questionnaires were distributed to instructors to find out their preferences. Results from instructor questionnaires will be discussed.
Dr. Frederick Bacala
Yokohama City University
Dr. Bacala has been teaching English as a Second Language for more than 20 years now. He has been teaching college classes in the United States and Japan, and he is interested in Cultural Linguistics, World Englishes, and Task-based Learning.
Perception of Brands and Logos of Japanese Companies by Japanese and International Students
1A • 10:10 ~ 11:37 • Questions of Culture and Internationalization
This presentation describes how the Brand Personality Scale has been applied in the studies of Japanese and international students and how the logos and brands of Japanese companies were selected and perceived.
Algirdas Paskevicius
Algirdas Paskevicius, Chiba University
Mapping cultural landscapes through digital resources
1B • 10:10 ~ 11:38 • COVID-era Challenges
Although the need for direct exposure to the heritage and cultures of other countries is essential to a global education, it is difficult to determine when or if study abroad programs will ever entirely return to normal. In this presentation, I consider one strategy for using digital resources to provide direct exposure to the cultural landscape of Japan for international students unable to travel. Specifically, I will introduce a travel-style website which aims to link the writings of Natsume Soseki with the cultural landscape of Kumamoto during the four years he lived there. Maps, images and markers related to his time in the city, accompanied by commentary, will link the resources in a cohesive manner and highlight key themes in his writings related to his time in Kumamoto. It is hoped that others developing digital projects for international students unable to travel to Japan will join the discussion.
Kelly Hansen
Kumamoto University
Kelly Hansen received her PhD (Japanese) from the University of Hawaii, and is currently Professor in the Department of Literature at Kumamoto University. Her research focuses on cultural narratives reflected through literature, film, and other cultural products. Recent publications include “The Little Girl in the Red Shoes: Nostalgia, Memory and the Growth of a Narrative” (ejcjs, 2020) and “Contesting Images of Gender: Reexamining Mizoguchi"s Sisters of the Gion (Journal of Japanese and Korean Cinema, 2017).
To joke or not to joke: Contrasting views of humor in online English language classes
1B • 10:10 ~ 11:39 • COVID-era Challenges
The presenter will summarize the results of a survey aimed to examine the benefits and challenges of using humor in online language classes.
John Rucynski
Okayama University
John Rucynski is associate professor in the Center for Liberal Arts & Language Education at Okayama University. His research on the role of humor in language teaching has been published in English Teaching Forum, TESOL Journal, and System. In addition, he has published two volumes on the topic, New Ways in Teaching with Humor (TESOL Press) and (with Caleb Prichard) Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching (Rowman & Littlefield).
Constructing Identity as a Transformational Leader Through Crisis: An Autoethnography
1B • 10:10 ~ 11:40 • COVID-era Challenges
This paper shares the lived experience of managing an international exchange center at a Japanese university through a transformational leadership lens. Over the course of the pandemic, the leader was charged with predicting threats, dealing with crises, identifying the need for change, creating a vision for both during and post-pandemic, and executing that change in collaboration with colleagues.
The research takes an autoethnographic approach where the researcher recounts the story her own personal experience, coupled with an ethnographic analysis of the cultural context and implications of that experience. The use of autoethnography as a tool attempts to provide a unique opportunity for a simultaneous analysis of the particularities of leadership practice across different socio-cultural environments. This study infuses the author's own emotional reactions to being immersed in the challenges of working as a non-Japanese in a Japanese context as she challenged dominant paradigms and attempted to move the university policy, procedures and systems forward through to a new normal.
The presentation begins by outlining types of educational leadership, focusing on defining transformational leadership. Next, we explore the critical incidents during the pandemic and reactions to those incidents, and finally, we look at concrete examples of how an aspiring transformational leader attempted to provide "followers" with a sense of hope, optimism, and energy as the team work towards meeting goals, thus influencing shared beliefs and values to facilitate change in times of crisis.
This research will be of interest to administrators and scholars in educational leadership and management.
Dr. Sarah Louisa Birchley
Faculty of Business Administration, Toyo Gakuen University
Sarah Louisa is the Director of International Exchange at Toyo Gakuen University, she has 20 years experience in Japan and has set up international programs and partnerships in the USA, Spain, Cambodia, India, Australia, Canada, and the U.K. Her research field is Diaspora Entrepreneurship, Trade and Investment.
Developing High Quality COIL courses to foster 21st century skills among students
1Z • 10:10 ~ 11:41 • Focus on the Student
The global pandemic has forced many teachers to transition their classes to online formats and has led to an increase in courses which utilize Virtual Exchange (VE) and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). The quality and content of these courses, however, differs greatly between universities in Japan, ranging from courses that simply provide Japanese students opportunities to virtually meet and chat with students abroad to project based learning (PBL) courses in which students from different countries work collaboratively online. The aim of this presentation is to share Kwansei Gakuin University"s (KGU) approach to developing high quality COIL courses, which surpass simple virtual interaction and provide students with an opportunity to develop and hone important 21st century skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. This presentation will disseminate some of the best COIL practices found in KGU courses and demonstrate how high-quality COIL courses can be developed for a broad range of topics and classes.
Dr. Matthias Hennings
Kwansei Gakuin University, Center for International Education and Cooperation
Dr. Matthias Hennings is associate professor of Japanese Business and Society and Director of the Contemporary Japan Program at Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo, Japan. His research interests include the Japanese labor market, internationalization of Japanese universities and the promotion of global human capital in higher education.
Since 2020, Professor Hennings has also been Lead Faculty for COIl courses, which he promotes and supports campus-wide.
Exercise, Nutrition, and Sleep: The Knowledge and Practices of Japanese University Students
1Z • 10:10 ~ 11:42 • Focus on the Student
This study investigates students" basic knowledge and practices surrounding the three main pillars of health: physical activity, nutrition, and sleep. Ninety first-year undergraduate students voluntarily participated in this study, answering a questionnaire related to their general health knowledge and current habits. The results paint a complex picture of a student body with inconsistent and often misdirected health knowledge and practices.
Dr. Max Praver, Dr. Ian Roth
Max Praver, Meijo University; Ian Roth, Meijo University
Max Praver is a Professor at Meijo University in the Faculty of Foreign Studies. He received his doctoral degree from Temple University in 2015. His research interests lie in health and wellness, teacher self-efficacy, motivation, and technology-enhanced learning.
Ian Roth is a Lecturer at Meijo University in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and at Osaka Prefectural University"s Center for Advanced Education of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He earned his doctoral degree from Saybrook University in 2018. His research fields include health and wellness, educational systems, leadership, and organizational development.
“Current Issues in TESOL, Mongolia: Student Learner Autonomy: The Mongolian Example”
1Z • 10:10 ~ 11:43 • Focus on the Student
We present some ideas about own experiences as English language learner, teacher and now teacher educator provide personal insight into the many challenges in developing both language skills and learner autonomy in the context of Mongolia.
Soyol-Erdene Sanjaa, Bolormaa Batsuuri
Mongolian National University of Education
Soyol-Erdene Sanjaa is a lecturer at the Mongolian National University of Education in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. She is a graduate of Monash University, Melbourne, Australia majored in Master in TESOL and did minor research under the topic “Investigating students" perceptions towards the use of self-assessment to promote learners" metacognitive skills”
Bolormaa Batsuuri is a Head of the English-German Languages Department at the Mongolian National University of Mongolia. Her specific research focus is on “Motivating EFL learners”.
Fun Activities to Inspire Students into Thinking More About How They Think
2A • 11:45 ~ 1:10 • Curriculum and Pedagogy
In this presentation we introduce teachers to some fun and interesting activities to generate curiosity in students about how thinking biases can emerge and potentially cloud sound reasoning and judgment. These activities serve as an initial step in a process working towards helping learners become more mature critical thinkers by paying more attention to understanding, examining, and taking control of their thinking processes.
Guy Smith, John Peloghitis
Guy Smith, International Christian University; John Peloghitis, International Christian University
Guy Smith - I teach at International Christian University in Tokyo in the English for Liberal Arts program. I am interested in issues related to cognition in education and especially how cognitive bias impacts on effective critical thinking.
John Peloghitis - I currently reside in western Tokyo and am presently teaching as an instructor in the English Liberal Arts Program at International Christian University in Japan. I teach academic reading and writing, debate, and research writing. I am interested in second language writing, metacognitive strategies, syllabus design, and critical thinking.
Addressing Cultural Bias in Music Education: Teaching music from a “global” perspective.
2A • 11:45 ~ 1:11 • Curriculum and Pedagogy
In my presentation, I will outline the biases in the design and origins of modern music education, whether in applied practice (i.e. choral and instrumental music performance) or academia (i.e. musicology and music theory), address the challenges encountered by international students when faced with unfamiliar cultural and musical cues, and provide some suggestions and strategies in how to keep all students included in music education
Pat Glynn
Lakeland University
Pat Glynn is Adjunct Professor of Music at Lakeland University, teaching Music Theory and Music History. He has taught music from elementary to university, both in the US and in Japan, and specializes in jazz studies and pedagogy. In addition, Pat is an active performer on the bass in the jazz and commercial music idiom, having performed or recorded with a wide variety of artists including Sam Rivers, Seiko Matsuda, and Sigur Ros.
Promoting Climate Activism using Social and Emotional Learning Skills
2Z • 11:45 ~ 1:12 • Questions of Culture and Internationalization
Combining Environmental Education and Social and Emotional Learning to Encourage Concrete Activism
Kaveri Moitra
Soka University Japan
Kaveri is a graduate student pursuing a Master's Degree in International Peace Studies. She is passionate about Human Rights, the SDGs, Conflict Transformation, and Peace building and Quality Education. She aspires to become an educator who focuses on courses and skills that will allow learners to discover their true potential and become creative individuals who contribute towards creating value in society.
Online Study Abroad: Fostering Intercultural Awareness in the COVID-19 era
2B • 11:45 ~ 1:13 • Studying Abroad
Professors from three institutions (one in Japan and two in California) will discuss the benefits and challenges of our online study abroad over the last two years.
Debra J Occhi, Anderson P Passos, Nicolas Morales, Kseniya Gregory, Flannery Norton, and Miriam Hutchins
Debra J Occhi and Anderson P Passos, Miyazaki International College; Nicolas Morales and Kseniya Gregory, California State University, San Marcos Flannery Norton and Miriam Hutchins, Sonoma State University
The "300,000 International Student Plan": Disruption of the entry ban on inbound student mobility
2B • 11:45 ~ 1:14 • Studying Abroad
As Japan is moving to open its borders to international students, it is crucial to grasp the prospects for internationalization, especially for those tasked with managing and leading its future. This presentation discusses Japan's '300,000 International Student Plan' to recognize the broader significance of higher internationalization policy. It also seeks to understand how the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic for inbound IS affects internationalization policies.
Nerys Rees
Rikkyo University
Improved Well-Being in University Language Teachers Through Coaching Psychology
2C • 11:45 ~ 1:15 • Research and Professional Development
The presentation will introduce coaching techniques that can be used to improve well-being. Audience members will also be invited to join a coaching research project.
Colin Mitchell, Alessandro Grimaldi
Reitaku University
Colin Mitchell is an Associate Certified Coach and a member of the International Coaching Federation. He is also a Senior Lecturer and coordinator of the Self-Access Language Learning Centre at Reitaku University. Colin has coached academics and corporate businesspeople from all over the world. He is currently conducting research into Transpersonal Psychology as part of his PhD. He aims to develop programs and communities that enhance a growth mindset and positive change.
Alessandro Grimaldi is a Lecturer and Reitaku University's Center for English Communication and coordinator for the English Writing Center where he has worked since 2018. He completed his MS in Organizational Psychology in 2021 and his current research interests center on educator commitment and work engagement, as well as student self-regulation. Currently, he is working on projects related to improving second-language reading and writing fluency, coaching psychology, and engagement.
Using alternative methods of research to investigate psychology-related journal articles
2C • 11:45 ~ 1:16 • Research and Professional Development
This research presentation covers a podcast project called “Lost in Citations.” As the COVID-19 crisis of 2020 led to the suspension of research activities and conferences, this endeavor was an attempt to connect with academics and share information with a global audience. With each episode centered on an academic publication, the main goals of this long-form interview-style podcast were to (a) explore elements of research activities that added context to the publication, (b) learn more about the background of each guest, and (c) gain insights into researching and writing better academic papers.
Christopher G. Haswell
Jonathan Shachter
Kyushu University, Kyushu Sangyo University
Christopher G. Haswell is an associate professor at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. He has an M.A. in English Language Teaching from the University of Technology Sydney and a PhD. in Sociolinguistics from The University of Sheffield. He has been living in Japan for over 20 years and conducted research into various ways English has affected Asian countries' interactions, including how Asian users of the language view other Asian varieties in common use, how teaching assistants around the world use English in Japanese universities, and how effective linguistic modeling can encourage a more pluricentric view English throughout Asia. His current research interests are how the reporting of Asian sociolinguistics in academic journals has changed over time and a project to produce online materials for the teaching of Global Englishes.
Jonathan Shachter is a full-time lecturer at Kyushu Sangyo University in Fukuoka, Japan. He holds a B.A. in Trumpet Performance from Virginia Tech, an M.Ed. in Education from American College of Education, and a Masters in Psychology from Macquarie University. Throughout his teaching career, he has taught English and Trumpet in America, Canada, Israel, Australia, and Japan. He's a firm believer that the skills developed in studying the language of music can be applied to language acquisition.
The evolution of discipline-specific terminology in World Englishes-related journals
2C • 11:45 ~ 1:17 • Research and Professional Development
This presentation reports on a corpus analysis of journal abstracts that provides insight into how the usage of terminology related to World Englishes, ELF, EIL, and similar concepts has changed over the last several decades.
Dr. Aaron Hahn, Dr. Christopher Haswell
Dr. Aaron Hahn, Kyushu University; Dr. Christopher Haswell, Kyushu University
Aaron Hahn is a lecturer at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. He holds a PhD. in TESOL from Kumamoto University. He conducts research using corpus linguistics tools and a critical discourse analysis perspective to understand how the professional discourse of teachers constructs and reflects the ideologies and identities of its producers and further attempts to shape students, classroom conditions, and the world at large.
Christopher G. Haswell is an associate professor at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. He has an M.A. in English Language Teaching from the University of Technology Sydney and a PhD. in Sociolinguistics from The University of Sheffield. His current research interests are how the reporting of Asian sociolinguistics in. academic journals has changed over time and a project to produce online materials for the teaching of Global Englishes.
The Power of Cuteness: Teaching Japanese Popular Culture via Kawaii Aesthetics
3Z • 2:40 ~ 4:14 • COVID-era Challenges
Today, Japanese popular culture (JPC) represents a valuable teaching resource that can serve as a didactic tool for the progressive lecturers of JPC worldwide. The core presumptions of this approach in global teaching is that a serious study of JPC should not only enhance the Japanese language-learning experience, but students should be trained to think critically about their favorite pop-cultural products.
When I teach JPC, I distinguish the three “functions” of culture in general: it is not only the classical notion of culture as "imitation" (mimesis, re-presentation), but also culture as "cultivation" (contemplation, propaganda), and finally culture as "play" (deconstruction, convergence). In this framework, I focus more closely on the Japanese “culture of cuteness” (kawaii bunka). This is important, because kawaii is one of the most culturally pervasive aesthetics of the new millennium, and a strong economic driver in manga, anime, fashion, television, magazines and pop-music.
By analyzing their favorite cute characters, students can learn 1) how does kawaii culture imitate and essentialize lived experience through new performances and artifacts, 2) how does kawaii culture contribute to a “cultivation of the soul” (both positively and negatively) and finally 3) how does kawaii culture operate within the postmodern discourse (which lies in a playful emancipation via deconstruction, media-mixing, and proactive participation). Such pedagogy enables students to approach the ongoing kawaii fever in Japan not only as a spontaneous cultural boom promoting things Japanese, but also as a political process that appropriates the unique, subtly countercultural appeal in order to pursue an ideological and commercial agenda.
Dr. Igor Prusa
Dr. Igor Prusa, Ambis College Prague
Igor Prusa (1979) is a Japanese scholar and media theorist from the Czech Republic. He is currently affiliated with Ambis College Prahue, where he teaches mass communication theory. Prusa received his first PhD in Media studies at Prague"s Charles University, and in 2017 he defended at the University of Tokyo his second dissertation titled "Scandal, Ritual and Media in Postwar Japan". Prusa"s research interests include Japanese scandals, Japanese media culture, and cultural representations of anti-heroism. His research has appeared in a wide range of publications, including Media, Culture & Society and Japan Forum. Apart from his academic activities, Igor Prusa is a music composer and guitarist in a band called Nantokanaru. He may be contacted at igorprusa@gmail.com.
Content and Language Integrated Learning through International Exchange
2Z • 11:45 ~ 1:20 • Questions of Culture and Internationalization
This presentation examines students' journey in an online exchange program between schools in Japan and Nepal. In the first phase, students learned about school life, culture, and society in each other's countries through video letters. Then, students investigated and deepened their knowledge and skills about preparing for earthquakes and other natural disasters through project work and video exchange.
Dr. Pramila Neupane
Gunma University
Online Intercultural Exchange during a Pandemic
3A • 2:40 ~ 4:05 • Reflecting on the Pandemic
This presentation compares two online intercultural exchange projects, respectively held in June 2021 and December 2021. The participants were university-level international learners of Japanese and high-school-level Japanese learners of English. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several of the international students were unable to enter Japan, and those who resided in Japan had little to no contact with Japanese peers because classes conducted online confined them to their dormitory rooms. The projects" goal was to provide a venue to meet peers and exchange about culture and habits, improve English and Japanese language skills in a stress-free setting, and maintain language learning motivation. The presenters will first introduce the content of the first project and then describe how the content of the December project was adjusted based on issues encountered during the June project (e.g. status consciousness) and requests for improvements by the first project participants (e.g. prior profile exchange). Also, instructor reflections are considered. Finally, the survey results of both projects are compared and discussed. The results indicate that participants were pleased with the project contents and would like more exchange opportunities. However, some activities were judged as too school-like and language skill improvement was not necessarily obtained. Nevertheless, the exchange did motivate participants to continue studying Japanese or English. Further research will focus on how the intercultural exchange content can be adjusted to lead to language skill improvement without the tasks being too scholastic which might lead to motivation loss.
Ruth Vanbaelen and Niklai Gergely
Ruth Vanbaelen, University of Tsukuba; Niklai Gergely, Meikei High School
Ruth Vanbaelen is an Associate Professor at the University of Tsukuba. After teaching English at university level for a decade, she currently specializes in Japanese language education for international students, Japanese language pedagogy and sociolinguistics. She tries to scaffold learning, so her students become able to study and work autonomously. She is convinced the joy of learning languages is all about memorizing rules and vocabulary and then realizing they are used differently in real life.
Originally from Budapest, Hungary, Gergely Niklai came to Japan in 1998 as a foreign student. After completing his undergraduate course at the University of Tsukuba, he enrolled at the master"s course in English Education. Ever since, he has been teaching English Conversation at Meikei High School. As a member of the International Education Department, Gergely actively assists students who wish to go study abroad in the different programs Meikei High School provides.
A chance and a challenge: Students" reflections on online study abroad experiences
3A • 2:40 ~ 4:06 • Reflecting on the Pandemic
In this presentation, I reveal the findings of a discourse analysis of online study abroad testimonials given by 75 tertiary level students from Japan.
Dr. Antonija Cavcic
The University of Shiga Prefecture
Originally from Western Australia, home to the happiest animals on earth (quokkas), Antonija Cavcic is currently a senior lecturer at The University of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Her current research interests include gaming uses and gratifications and gender representation in manga and print media. Generally, though, she is involved in research concerning both Japanese popular culture and language education in Japan.
Transformation through Disruption: Learning Spaces of Belonging, Relevance, and Purpose
3A • 2:40 ~ 4:07 • Reflecting on the Pandemic
This presentation explores how the disruption of a pandemic led to discovering creative pathways for actively engaging learners, leading to a transformative learning experience for students. Teaching and learning experiences were examined through two pedagogical approaches, Ikeda"s value-creation philosophy, and Freire"s social justice principles. Praxis, dialogic experiences, and a love ethic, bridge these two approaches. A thematic analysis of student narratives presents how the learning experience built community and promoted the co-construction of knowledge. Findings feature the importance of connecting global issues to student lives, while deepening a sense of belonging, connection, and purpose.
Dr. Maria Guajardo
Soka University
Maria Guajardo is a Professor of Leadership Studies at Soka University, Tokyo, where she previously served as Dean and Vice-President. Her research is at the intersection of women, leadership, critical pedagogy, and globalization in higher education. Recent publications: Global Citizenship Education and Humanism: A Process of Becoming and Knowing (2021), and The Space in Between: Letter to an Immigrant Child (2022). She is currently co-editing: Value Creating Education: Teachers Perceptions and Practices (in press).
Tracking Employment Trends in EMI Programs in Japan (2002 -2021)
3B • 2:40 ~ 4:08 • Faculty at the Japanese University
This project draws on a data set of all jobs advertised from 2002 to 2021 on the JREC-IN Portal, an academic job posting site, to track changes in the approach to recruiting faculty members in EMI programs. The data shows the clear development of English-medium programs and reveals interesting trends in the number of positions advertised by private, public, and national universities, as well as differing trends in different disciplinary areas. The changing prevalence of tenured and term-limited positions is also examined. These trends both reflect previous research on, and offer new insights into, the development of EMI programs in Japan.
Howard Brown
The University of Niigata Prefecture
Howard Brown is a professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture in Japan. He has been active in research on English-medium instruction (EMI) and the internationalization of higher education for more than 10 years. His main research interests focus on program-level implementation and curriculum planning for EMI programs.
Research on Teachers in HEI, Why?
3B • 2:40 ~ 4:09 • Faculty at the Japanese University
The presenter will share an introduction to the study that she has been working on. This presentation will share her insights on the importance of conducting research on teachers in the higher education institutions (HEIs), based on her reflection of her experience.
Job Satisfaction of International Faculty at Japan"s Universities
3B • 2:40 ~ 4:10 • Faculty at the Japanese University
This study is to investigate the predictors of job satisfaction perceived by two broad types of full-time international faculty-the Chinese/Korean faculty and the British/American faculty-drawing on main findings from a national survey of them in 2017.
Futao Huang
Hiroshima University
Blended Learning for the “Multi-Track” Undergraduate Students in Ghana in a Pandemic Crisis
3X • 2:40 ~ 4:11 • Beyond Japan
There is no doubt that undergraduates in higher education institutions (HEIs) have unprecedented interest and access to internet and technology. The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a paradigm shift in the status quo of education. Institutions globally migrated from the traditional face-to-face (F2F) learning to online learning to ensure progressive education and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4). The massification of online learning, which has been met with resistance in most Sub-Saharan African countries, is on the brink of realization. However, Ghana and his peer countries have unique challenges which hinders effective education and smooth instruction delivery. Since 2017, Ghana has subscribed to a multi-track year-round education (MT-YRE) for its students at the Senior High School level because of limited physical capacity. In the wake of the COVID-19 with its social distancing norms, the failure of online learning has compelled some universities in Ghana to adopt the multi-track system to ensure its undergraduates" education is not in jeopardy. The public outcry since the adoption of the MTYRE cannot be underestimated. In this paper, qualitative data from twenty students in some selected universities, collected on their perceptions of the MT-YRE andfuture education delivery suggests that, blended learning is a way to mitigate the “challenge- ridden” online learning and as a solution to the MT-YRE in. Blended learning can be a “game changer” in this pandemic crisis for a developing country like Ghana because of its cost-effective nature and undergraduates" rapid usage of technology.
Michael Agyemang Adarkwah
Faculty of Education, Southwest University
Michael Agyemang Adarkwah is a Doctoral Researcher at Southwest University, Faculty of Education. He has a Bachelor's degree in nursing and has worked as a Registered Nurse (RGN) in Ghana. In 2021, he was awarded a best researcher award by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in China. His research interests are; teaching and learning, motivation, assessment, digitalization, disability, STEM, linguistics, diversity in healthcare, and holistic health and wellness. Michael is part of the editorial board of Journal of Educational Studies and Multidisciplinary Approaches (JESMA) and International Journal of Modern Education Studies (IJONMES). He is an Associate Editor for SN Social Sciences.
The relationship between soft skills, extracurricular activities, and satisfaction- perceptions of overseas students studying in Chinese universities
3X • 2:40 ~ 4:12 • Beyond Japan
Graduate employability can be investigated from hand-off and non-cognitive perspectives, but most studies aiming to understand the choice process of international student mobility, view student future employment market from only one perspective. However, arguably, to gain more understanding of the complexities of the international employability process, more than one perspective may need to be included. Therefore, to understand the outcome of overseas experience in the context of higher education in specific, in the present study both a hand-off perspective and a non-cognitive perspective would be included: the extracurricular activities and student perceptions of soft skills. More specifically, whether the relation between soft skill perceptions and satisfaction of overseas students can vary depending on the provision of extracurricular activities will be explored by student perception. The researcher is proposing this study to universities and institutions to enhance the support offered to this often overlooked, overseas student, but very significant group of students.
Nwigwe Esther Onyinye
Southwest University
Nwigwe Esther Onyinye is a student at the department of Educational economics and management at Faculty of Education Southwest university, China. Her research interests include international student mobility, AI in education research, research productivity and supervision in HE.
Latest Trend of Graduate Study Abroad: Bangladesh Perspective
3X • 2:40 ~ 4:13 • Beyond Japan
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 60,390 Bangladeshi students pursued higher education abroad in 2017. USA, being the most popular country for graduate education, has welcomed 1.1 million international students from all over the world (2019-20). With an average output of 500,000 graduate students each year (2014-19), the preferred country of Bangladeshi students' (higher education) plays a major role in the sector of global higher education. This presentation discusses and analyzes the trends of more than 1,000 outbound Bangladeshi students through a quantitative and qualitative survey. The findings highlight the latest status (Dec. 2021) of Bangladeshi outbound students, especially in the fields of research, immigration and global development.
Toukir Ahmed Chowdhury, Md. Arif Arman Akash, Mohammad Mushfiqul Islam, Wasiq Ameen
Toukir Ahmed Chowdhury, Shabash Fakibaj™ LLC; Md. Arif Arman Akash, Shabash Fakibaj™ LLC; Mohammad Mushfiqul Islam, Shabash Fakibaj™ LLC; Wasiq Ameen, Shabash Fakibaj™ LLC
Adaptation to New Ways of Living and Learning: The Zeitgeist in intersemiotic translations
3Z • 2:40 ~ 4:14 • COVID-era Challenges
This presentation shows and analyzes examples of the art and design of intersemiotic translation projects by international university students, comparing pre-pandemic projects with those made under 2020 and 2021 conditions in order to demonstrate how young creative imaginations have adapted their storytelling to new ways of living.
Beverley Curran
International Christian University (ICU)
Beverley Curran teaches interlingual, cultural, and media translation at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo. Publications include Theatre Translation Theory and Performance in Contemporary Japan: Native Voices, Foreign Bodies (Routledge 2014) and “Recognition, risk, and relationships: Feminism and translation as modes of embodied engagement” in The Routledge Handbook of Translation, Feminism and Gender (2020), edited by Luise von Flutow and Hala Kamal.
Social-Emotional Learning in a First-Year University Classroom
4A • 4:15 ~ 5:40 • In the Classroom
In this presentation, I describe the classroom context and challenges that led me to include SEL in my teaching. SEL practices include strategies that allow learners to become socially and self-aware, participate in responsible decision-making, self-manage, and manage their relationships with others (CASEL, 2020). I discuss specific strategies and activities I utilized in online university courses with ELLs and share some largely positive outcomes of the approach.
Natasha Hashimoto, Ph.D.
Tokyo Woman's Christian University
Natasha Hashimoto is an associate professor in the English Language Department at Tokyo Woman"s Christian University. Her doctoral degree is in education/applied linguistics, and her master"s is in human rights and social justice. Her teaching and research interests include Bourdieusian theoretical framework, multilingualism, metacognitive strategies, social-emotional learning, and fairness in language assessment. She has lived and studied in four different countries and has been in Japan for 20 years.
Arts-Based Peace Education in Refugee Settings- Holistic healing and learning in camps through participatory arts
4A • 4:15 ~ 5:41 • In the Classroom
What does education look like in a fragile/vulnerable setting? When many people are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a safe place due to conflicts or persecution, education seems to lose its meaning and is lost in translation. In a typical refugee camp, anger, frustration, confusion is common and a place where violence can be escalated due to minor things. Because there is a sudden discontinuity and breakage with the familiar environment, the pain of being forced to have left behind one's identity, culture, homeland, social environment, everything that defined them and their lives. Refugees who have witnessed and survived conflicts suffer from physical and mental trauma, which is unseen. Hence, refugees need to find ways to reconnect with society and crucial for them on their road to recovery. Education in such settings is imperative and can serve an essential function for children to socialize and develop necessary social and mental development skills to enjoy a fulfilling life. Reflecting on the title, the research aims to explore and deepen the understanding of refugee education and how can arts-based method bridge those gaps. Of course, many will probably disagree with this assertion that formal education can improve refugees" future, which is correct; we all need formal education, no discussion. We can use arts as a method to enhance learning, developing empathy, teamwork and conflict. The research will highlight through case studies and interviews of different stakeholders like refugees, peace researchers and project founders how participatory arts or art-based methods respond to the educational needs of refugee children, provision of life skills and psychosocial support.
Diksha Sood
Soka University
A young recent MA graduate in International Peace studies, Soka University, Japan with deep research interest in forced displacement and refugees crisis. At a nascent stage of my career I am looking forward to learn, contribute and grow from various opportunities. I have held dialogue with people from researchers, peace educators and refugees around the world and contributed to the study of international refugee women which have been valuable to my learning and understanding.
They Swung the Bootstrap: LUJ"s EAP Students, Strategic Multimodal Skill Building, and Fluency Gain
4A • 4:15 ~ 5:42 • In the Classroom
This presentation reports briefly on cognitive research regarding bimodal input, and then focuses on projects carried out at LUJ. Students in EAP did “book club” discussions and skill-relevant (but fun) activities after reading-listening to increasingly high levels of graded readers on the Xreading program. The students demonstrated that integrated extensive reading and listening, embedded in the curriculum and while completing course syllabi, can complement and strengthen learning: preliminary results show students found strong gains in reading speeds and improved TOEFL scores, in addition to feeling greater fluency (reading and listening), vocabulary gains, and improved skills and confidence with speaking and writing. ......................(Is this too long? Any edits/revisions suggested?)
Anna Husson Isozaki
Anna Husson Isozaki currently teaches at the Center for Language Teaching at Gunma University in central Japan. Research interests include L2 reading fluency, learner collaboration and autonomy, bimodal methods for language learning, and L2 “book club” reading circles.
Japan"s First Joint Undergraduate Degree – The Ritsumeikan – American University Partnership: A Model of Internationalisation in a Japanese Higher Education Institution
4B • 4:15 ~ 5:43 • The Japanese University
This paper examines the history, establishment, and evolution of Japan"s first ever joint undergraduate degree: The American University - Ritsumeikan University Batchelor of Arts in Global International Relations. The joint degree (a single degree awarded jointly by both institutions using a single integrated curriculum and involving two years of study at both institutions) is the only one of its kind in Japan and the background to its creation, operation and evolution are thus unique experiences within the Japanese higher education sector. This paper, presented by Ritsumeikan"s head of the program and senior staff involved in its creation and operation, will detail the history, operations and curriculum of the degree. The challenges which have been faced and overcome by the program, ranging from the complexities of its curriculum, the integration of practices from institutions with differing organisational structures and cultures, through to maintaining it in the face of Covid-19, will also be detailed. The applicability of the joint degree"s structures and development to the broader sector and its significance and symbolism within the internationalisation of higher education in Japan will also be explored in detail.
Prof. Thomas French, Mr Yutaka Niino, Ms Erika Nakamura
Ritsumeikan University
Thomas French is the incoming (April 2022 - ) Vice Dean of the Ritsumeikan - American University Joint Degree Program, and a long-standing member of the team which negotiated and created it. He is an Associate Professor of Modern Japanese History in the College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University. He is a specialist on the Occupation of Japan, and peacetime military interactions between Japan and the West. He is the author of National Police Reserve: The Origin of Japan"s Self Defense Forces (Global Oriental, 2014) and editor of The Economic and Business History of Occupied Japan: New Perspectives (Routledge, 2018). From 2018 to 2022 he led the JSPS funded project “Old Friends, New Partners: A History of Anglo-Japanese Peacetime Military Relations: 1864-Present”.
Yutaka Niino is an administrative staff member of the Ritsumeikan Trust. From 2010-2021 he served as a senior administrative staff member in the College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University. During his tenure in the college, he helped develop the Joint Degree Program. He has experience in the fields of international education, curriculum and program development, student support, and college administration. He has also co-authored academic papers, on both the Joint Degree and the establishment of the English writing tutorial system at Ritsumeikan, another first for a Japanese University.
Erika Nakamura is an administrative staff member of the Ritsumeikan Trust. Since 2021 she has served as an senior administrative staff member for the Joint Degree Program, specializing in the administrative and student support areas. She is also a career consultant (holding a national certification in Japan). In her previous department, the Career Center, she helped International Students find jobs in Japan by giving lectures and workshops on the employment situation in Japan. She has also developed programs for Japanese students seeking to be globally active, including company tours in Japan /abroad and Project-Based Learning programs related to industry-academia collaboration.
The status quo of internationalization of higher education in Japan: Examining the recent MEXT report on the 300,000 international student plan
4B • 4:15 ~ 5:44 • The Japanese University
Despite the Japanese government endeavor to internationalize universities for the past two decades or so, diversity and inclusion issues still remain in such fundamental areas as international student enrollment, language education, and staffing. This presentation discusses the status quo of internationalization of higher education in Japan in this light by drawing on a recent MEXT report released in March 2021 on the outcome of the 300,000 international student enrollment plan, a major inter-ministerial effort that ended in 2020.
It is also meant to give a wider audience in the field access to part of updated government information which has tended to be only available in Japanese.
Mr. Akira Kuwamura
Aichi Prefectural University
Akira Kuwamura is currently an associate professor of international education and exchange at Aichi Prefectural University. His areas of interest are internationalization of higher education, second language teaching and learning, English-medium instruction (EMI), and sociolinguistics.
Where Our Reform Measures Should Be Reformed
4B • 4:15 ~ 5:45 • The Japanese University
This presentation examines intractable problems within the Japanese higher education sector that may limit the potential for positive reforms. Some examples given include the following: the dangers of six-year mid-term planning, the pitfalls of time-limited budgets, the pernicious effects of top-down managerialist management styles, the reliance on “transfer” approaches to change, the lack of actual evidence-based program evaluation, and the over-dependence on so-called higher education scholars. These problems also link to two broader concerns: 1) the lack of a clear, shared knowledge of the purpose of universities, and 2) the over-importance of the Ministry of Education in higher education reforms. None of the aforementioned problems can be claimed to be solely specific to Japan. Also, many of these problems can be felt more acutely at national universities rather than at private ones. However, facing our failed initiatives of the past—these cases of mal-adaptation and lack of innovation—may help lead to the construction of more positive reform efforts in the future.
John Nevara
Atomi University
John Nevara has lived and worked in Japan for almost 30 years now. He has extensive experience as a language teacher in Japanese higher education, and has a research interest in higher education studies. Presently, he works full-time at Atomi University, a women's university with campuses in Tokyo and Saitama.
Utilizing Data Analytics in Student Affairs: An Investigation into New Professionals' Perceived Readiness
4Z • 4:15 ~ 5:46 • Institutional Challenges
The presentation aims to share the findings of the dissertation study on new student affairs professionals" perceived readiness in utilizing data analytics and the implications on practice, particularly professional competency. The findings suggest that new student affairs professionals are not ready to use data analytics even though new student affairs professionals acknowledge the importance of data analytics at their workplace.
Dr. Jonathan Marpaung
Oklahoma State University
Jonathan Marpaung is a recent graduate of higher education leadership & policy studies doctoral program at Oklahoma State University (OSU). He received his bachelor"s and master"s degree in Management Information System from OSU and worked for OSU as an application developer where he developed and implemented numerous products such as O-Key Student Information System, Graduate College online application, and Ellucian Banner.
Growing Usage of Learning Management System in Higher Education: Implications for Educational Leadership
4Z • 4:15 ~ 5:47 • Institutional Challenges
Learning management system helps educational institutes to improve the process of teaching and learning in higher education. These systems also creates vital information for educational leaders to work more effectively in the competitive global environment. This study highlights the growing importance of various learning management system used in higher education worldwide by reviewing the recent existing literature. Furthermore, using interpretive methodology this study examines the implications for educational leadership.
Usama Kalim
Southwest University Chongqing China
Usama Kalim is currently a PhD student in the faculty of education of the Southwest University China. He has been doing research since the last three years and has published different articles in the field of education. His research interest includes educational management, educational technologies, and STEAM education.
Student Voice and Governance at a Top Japanese University
4Z • 4:15 ~ 5:48 • Institutional Challenges
This research examines graduate students' actions as they assembled and ran a student organization for interacting with faculty and improving their program. It discusses the successes and difficulties that they faced over several years of the initiative, in hopes of providing a recommendation for future student initiatives in Japan.
Brian Berry
Chiba University of Commerce
Investing in culturally sustaining pedagogies through changing modalities: Using strategies to engage diverse students in post pandemic college classrooms
3Z • 2:40 ~ 4:05 • COVID-era Challenges
Preparing future educators to teach in in-person, hybrid, and online means identifying effectives strategies that can support both content and pedagogical learning experiences to model how to teach while building knowledge. Transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000, Nerstrom, 2014) in a college classroom embeds differentiation, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and efficacy while challenging perspectives and developing culturally responsive educators. This theory drives purposeful engagement investigations as pre-service teachers increase content, curricular, and pedagogical knowledge (Shulman’s Knowledge Growth in Teaching framework, 2013). Coupled with strategies that support language learners through the facilitation of reflective discourse as part of the lessons, hands-on activities considering these frameworks were utilized in a teacher education program. Now that delivery of instruction has been stretched to not only teaching in-person and online but to accommodate and change modalities with little notice, considerations to ensure access while supporting students’ needs includes flexible teaching practices. The strategies that will be shared in this session ensure culturally sustaining engagement occurs while students build knowledge through critical thinking. These strategies also model effective teaching practices to support teaching diverse learners in the pre-service teachers’ future classrooms. Research that reflects on the effectiveness of these strategies and examples of how to use these strategies through different modalities of instruction will be shared in this presentation. We will then hold round table discussions to further explore the application of these strategies in conference participants’ courses.
Dr. Karen Guerrero, Dr. Margarita Jimenez-Silva
Dr. Karen Guerrero, Arizona State University; Dr. Margarita Jimenez-Silva, University of California, Davis
Dr. Karen Guerrero is an educator with 20 years of K-12 classroom experience, 16 years of teaching future educators at local colleges and universities, and 20 years of conducting teacher professional development. She has worked with a variety of students from inner-city children to urban adults. Her research focus is teaching STEM content to diverse learners. She is a National Geographic explorer with research on STEMSS teaching and learning and continually looks for opportunities to collaborate globally.
Dr. Margarita Jimenez-Silva is Associate Professor and Chair of Teacher Education at the University of California, Davis, and co-founder of Sisterhood for Equity Consulting. Prior to entering higher education, Professor Jimenez-Silva worked with newcomer students as a middle-school math and science. Her research focuses on preparing and supporting teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse learners. She has coordinated curriculum and programs addressing the needs of emergent bilinguals in the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Jimenez-Silva has evaluated numerous federally-funded projects. Her most recent work focuses on developing pipelines of future bilingual teachers in ways that honor and build on their cultural and linguistic capital. Her research has been published by journals such as Harvard Educational Review, Multicultural Perspectives, and the Journal of Research on Childhood Education.