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The First Annual Conference on Global Higher Education at Lakeland College Japan

2014 Presentation Summary

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Akira Kuwamura
Trends and Issues in Internationalization of Higher Education in Japan
Aichi Prefectural University
Panel 1.1   •   10:25-11:40
Akira Kuwamura is an associate professor for international education and exchange at Aichi Prefectural University where he has engaged in international programs development since the opening of its international office in 2011. His areas of interest include internationalization of HEIs, study abroad, teaching and learning a second language, and sociolinguistics. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the School for International Training now called the SIT Graduate Institute.
This session gives an overview of trends and issues in internationalization of higher education in Japan. The presenter identifies and discusses the corresponding government policies for the past three decades and key issues that have arisen during that span. Topics include international student mobility, languages of instruction, language education, professional staff placement, and funding. The presenter also covers the statistical data about Japanese higher education and locates some related sources along the way.

Mika Shimura
Influence of 'Uchimuki' and Career Plans on Japanese University Students
Gakushuin University
Panel 1.1   •   10:25-11:40

The purpose of this study is to investigate how “uchimuki” (inward-looking) and career plans influence Japanese university students’ motivation to study English. The analysis of the questionnaire responses collected from 101 freshmen shows that not only “uchimuki” but also career plans influence on the students’ motivation to study English. This result indicates that instructors should encourage students to reconsider their career plans to enhance motivation to study English.

Howard Brown, Bethany Iyobe
Understanding the Current State of English-Medium Instruction in Japan
University of Niigata Prefecture
Panel 1.1   •   10:25-11:40
Howard Brown is an associate professor in the Faculty of International Studies and Regional Development. His research interests include English Medium Instruction and materials development. Bethany Iyobe has an MSc in TESOL from Aston University in the UK. She has been working at the University of Niigata Prefecture since 2009 and is an assistant professor in the Faculty of International Studies and Regional Development. Her research interests include materials development and English medium education in Japan.
English-medium instruction (EMI) is growing in Japan and approximately ¼ of all universities offer some undergraduate EMI courses. However, programs are developing to suit local needs and contexts leaving no overall picture of EMI. This exploratory study attempts to develop just such a picture. Based on documentary evidence, interviews with stakeholders and a survey data, results show that EMI in Japan exists along a continuum from ad hoc classes to entire campuses running in English.

Adam Tompkins
iCivics in the International College Classroom
Lakeland College Japan
Panel 1.2   •   10:25-11:40
Adam Tompkins completed his PhD in history at Arizona State University and teaches U.S. and world history courses as an assistant professor at Lakeland College Japan. He specializes in 20th century U.S. history, environmental history, American West, and social movements. His research examines collaborative pesticide reform efforts in the United States from 1962 to present. The utilization of technology and games in the learning process also interests him.
This paper will discuss the potential role of two U.S.-based educational games, “Do I Have a Right?” and “Argument Wars” in college classes with an international composition. The presentation will discuss the extent to which the games were useful in strengthening students’ written argumentation in English and the degree to which the games helped students who were largely unfamiliar with American governance understand protections guaranteed to persons in the United States.

Carl Gabrielson
Japan-Centered Courses and Global Education
Lakeland College Japan Campus
Panel 1.2   •   10:25-11:40
Carl Gabrielson is a native of Denver, Colorado and holds an MA in Asian Studies from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He has worked at Lakeland College Japan as Adjunct Professor of US-Japan Relations, English for Academic Purposes Program Coordinator and English Instructor since 2011.
This presentation will focus on how global competencies such as critical thinking and cross-cultural communication can be fostered in a content course that focuses on Japan. Furthermore, this presentation will propose that sensitive topics such as war responsibility can be critically examined without 'damaging' Japanese students' sense of identity or national pride.

Paul Rowan, Hideyuki Kumaki
Anadragogy for the Univestiy Classroom
Nihon University
Panel 1.2   •   10:25-11:40

This presentation will focus on teachers/institutional perceptions of the university students: Are we teaching pedagogically or are they adult learners and if so, then we must restart a dialogue on how the curriculutm aproaches these students in the university system.

Roger Grabowski, Jr. and Carl Gabrielson
Talking Taboo: Teaching Global Communication Skills through Controversial Topics
Lakeland College Japan
Panel 2.1   •   11:50-13:30
Roger Grabowski is an Assistant Professor of General Studies at Lakeland College Japan. He teaches Reading Workshop and Fundamentals of Public Speaking.

Carl Gabrielson is a native of Denver, Colorado and holds an MA in Asian Studies from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He has worked at Lakeland College Japan as Adjunct Professor of US-Japan Relations, English for Academic Purposes Program Coordinator and English Instructor since 2011.
Most university students know to avoid using racial and sexual epithets or other so-called “hate speech” in English, but may be unsure of what to do when encountering such language. Similarly, students may shy away from important yet controversial topics for fear of causing offense. This presentation will introduce productive ways to include controversial language and subject matter in the classroom as a means to enhance students’ critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

Melanie Czarnecki and Nerys Rees
Classroom Diversity Challanges in a Global Context: Mixing L1 and L2 Proficiency
Rikkyo University
Panel 2.1   •   11:50-13:30

The researchers aim to contribute to the current discussion surrounding issues concerned with classroom diversity in tertiary education in Japan. Drawing on their findings from a case study at a private university in Tokyo, they offer insight into student perceptions regarding classroom diversity in a content-based English course, where Japanese second language (L2) learners study with both international students with varying degrees of L2 proficiency, as well as native language (L1) speakers of English.

Lary MacDonald
Implementing English-medium Courses in Higher Education
Soka University
Panel 2.1   •   11:50-13:30
Lary MacDonald is a professor in the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University where he teaches Cross-Cultural Understanding, Education for Sustainable Development and Issues in Social Policy. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in International Education Policy.
To meet the demands of globalization, Japan’s Ministry of Education is promoting the expansion of English-medium content-based instruction. As a result, Japanese professors are being called upon to teach courses in English, which presents considerable challenges given that professors are not trained in EFL/ESL pedagogy. This workshop will introduce methods developed for, and utilized in, content-based English courses. Specifically, scaffolding of reading materials, discussion strategies, and short writing assignments will be introduced.

Yukiko Ishikawa
Fostering global citizenship through language learning advising
Soka Women's College
Panel 2.1   •   11:50-13:30

The goal of language learning advising is to foster learner autonomy, so that individual learners learn to learn by themselves, which is a central skill for global citizenship. The presenter will share her experience in advising on self-studying English at a self-access language learning center in a Japanese university. Successful cases and challenges in developing self-directed learning behaviors in Japanese college students will be demonstrated.

Yuko Kawanishi
Global Higher Education and Mental Health
Lakeland College Japan
Panel 2.2   •   11:50-13:30
A sociologist specializing in cross-cultural mental health issues. ( PhD from UCLA), the author of 3 books and numerous articles on responses to mental illness, clinical depression, and US-Japan comparative perspectives. Also a New York State -licensed social worker specializing in clinical mental health, with a Masters in Social Work from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and currently a psychological counselor at Lakeland College Japan.
The presentation will focus on the mental health challenges accompanying the ever-growing globalization of higher education. Although globalization seems to be inevitable in the 21st century, and is often regarded as a positive and sometimes exiting phenomenon on an individual level, it can be a very stressful experience as well. As the globalization progresses in the field of higher education, exchange of students, scholars, and educators will increase and the presence of many international students and scholars becomes a daily part of university campuses in Japan and abroad. However, having to deal with various cross-cultural situations can pose more conflicts, puzzlement, and psychological issues than ever in students’ lives and also in the work of anyone involved in the international education. Study abroad can include various mental health risks for students and educational institutions. I will first examine these potential risks and then suggest what needs to be done to ease “pains” of global education experienced by institutions, educators, and students themselves, especially in the context of university education in Japan.'

Valerie Hansford
Incorporating Theory and Practice into a Cross-cultural Understanding Course
Soka University
Panel 2.2   •   11:50-13:30
Valerie Hansford is a Lecturer in the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University Japan. Her research interests include curriculum design, integrating culture into the language classroom, and intercultural communication.
With globalization, effective communicators who can work with diversity are needed. Developing these cross-cultural skills in learners who will study abroad in different cultures is challenging. To address this, a cross-cultural understanding course was developed incorporating cultural dimensions theory with critical incidents of real life misunderstandings. Learners study the theory, analyze these incidents and develop strategies for dealing with similar incidents. The presenter will discuss the approach taken and provide samples of typical activities.

Yuri Jody Yujobo
Global human resource development through short-term study abroad and overseas service-learning programs
Tamagawa University/St. Margaret's Junior College
Panel 2.2   •   11:50-13:30
Yuri Jody Yujobo is an adjunct lecturer at Tamagawa University and St. Margaret's Junior College. Prior to teaching university students, she coordinated several global human resource development programs and managed the corporate sponsored overseas training program at Fuji Xerox Learning Institute. Her research interests include project-based learning, service-learning, study abroad, and the 4Cs of 21st Century Skills.
Do study abroad experiences contribute to Japan’s future global human resources? Higher education institutes offer several study abroad opportunities. However, the experience should go beyond classroom English and actively immerse with the host society through volunteer work. This presentation will give details of a service-learning approach that was actually done with Japanese employees as a global HR development program and hopefully provide hints on how to implement a similar program into Japanese higher education institutes.

Dr. Sarah Louisa Birchley
The Discursive Construction of Study Abroad: Selling the States
Toyo Gakuen University
Panel 2.2   •   11:50-13:30
Sarah Louisa has a Doctorate in Education (Management) and an MA Education (TESOL) from the University of Bath, UK. She has worked in Japanese higher education institutions for over twelve years including the University of Tokyo and Toyo Gakuen University. An active researcher, Sarah is a member of the Society for Research in Higher Education, regularly presenting on managing, marketing and internationalising higher education. She is also the Series Consultant for English in Common (Pearson, 2012).
This presentation explores the marketing of study abroad as an example of the commodification of higher education. Based on Caton and Stanton’s (2009) paper on selling study abroad in a post- colonial world, this research looks from the ‘other’ perspective at the discursive construction of a western university experience portrayed in Japanese study abroad promotional literature and how study programs are ‘sold’ to Japanese student consumers.

Maria Guajardo, Ph.D. (organizer);
Global Higher Education in Action: Integration at the University Level
Soka University
Panel 2.3   •   11:50-13:30
Maria Guajardo, Ph.D., is the Dean for the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University. Her passion is Leadership Development across sectors. She is a clinical psychologist who earned her B.A. from Harvard University and Ph.D. from the University of Denver. Her publications include The Spirit of Culture and Understanding Vulnerable Children: Who needs to participate in community change? She is an author, international speaker, mother and recent transplant to Japan.
One university’s efforts to transform, from course curriculum to English language education to study abroad to creating a new English language Faculty of International Liberal Arts. The key elements or building blocks shaping Soka University’s move toward globalization will be presented, with the goal of developing broad humanistic perspectives on global issues for students that seek careers on the international stage. Challenges, successes, lessons learned and future strategies will be woven throughout the presentation.

Presenters include:

Akiko Nakamizu, Student, Soka University
Masahiro Hirano, Administrative Staff, Soka University
Minoru Koide, Associate Dean, Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Soka University
Maria Guajardo, Dean, Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Soka University
Anthonette Gibson, PhD
The Role of Women - Global Citizenship in Higher Education in an Aging Japan.
Lakeland College Japan
Panel 3.1   •   15:40-17:20

The overall aim of this research is an attempt to help reshape and expand our discussion of global citizenship education to include a more gender-focused perspective. Helping to expand current platforms by which to better understand the experience of women may have both significant and far reaching outcomes, thus fulfilling the definition of true global citizenship

William Bradley
Negotiating the Trilemma of Globalizing Higher Education in Japanese Universities
Ryukoku University
Panel 3.1   •   15:40-17:20
William Bradley is Professor of Intercultural Communication at Ryukoku University. He was past Dean of the International Center there. He has published books and articles on higher education, risk, and multiculturalism
Kariya (2011) has referred to a trilemma in higher education; cost, accessibility, and quality. While Japanese higher education has been fairly successful in the first two, the third has been critiqued for too little internationalization. This paper explores the problems of developing systems from multiple perspectives. I analyze the lack of sustainable support among staff in many universities as well as the education background of students prior to entering university and their targeted future outcomes.

Maria Guajardo, Ph.D.
Creating a Culture of Leadership in Higher Education
Soka University
Panel 3.1   •   15:40-17:20
Maria Guajardo, Ph.D., is the Dean for the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University. Her passion is Leadership Development across sectors. She is a clinical psychologist who earned her B.A. from Harvard University and Ph.D. from the University of Denver. Her publications include The Spirit of Culture and Understanding Vulnerable Children: Who needs to participate in community change? She is an author, international speaker, mother and recent transplant to Japan.
What type of leadership in higher education is needed to successfully lead in diverse global perspectives? For Globalization to become integrated in the university creating a “new” culture requires leadership.This workshop will focus on women as emerging leaders in a global society. This experiential workshop will provide resources and exercises for embracing the challenge of a culture of leadership in higher education. Men and women are invited to explore leadership for advancing globalization.

Rab Paterson
In the Digital Doldrums: The sad state of educational technology in Japan
ICU
Panel 3.1   •   15:40-17:20
Rab Paterson is Asia Association for Global Studies President, Fellow of the British Royal Asiatic Society, holds memberships in many educational technology associations and is an EdD doctoral candidate at London University’s Institute of Education, conducting research on digital / information / multimedia / visual literacy. In 2013 he was a winner of the Apple Distinguished Educator award, and selected to attend the Google Teacher Academy in London to become a Google Certified Teacher.
Technology has changed modern education. International schools and universities require students to have laptops and/or tablets and teach students how to use these. Others teach digital literacy and integrate it with traditional classes. However this is not happening to any great degree in Japan, and in educational technology terms Japan is lagging far, far behind its developed nation rivals. This presentation will explore this issue and look to the future for Japan.

Futao Huang & Tsukasa Daizen
Cultivating global talents in Japan: An analysis of national strategies and major findings from national survey
Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University
Panel 3.2   •   15:40-17:20
Futao Huang & Tsukasa Daizen are both full professors at Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University. In Recent years, they have done a great deal of research in changing academic profession, internationalization of higher education and curriculum reforms on undergraduate education.
This presentation will begin with a brief introduction to the national context and especially the national strategies on fostering global human resources, then it will make an analysis of major findings from the national survey on this topic in Japan. The study concludes by discussing the perceptions by individual universities and faculties or schools on the terminology, their responses to address the issues concerning the production of global talents, and implications for research, policy and institution

Alan Brender
Globalization -- Salvation or Fantasy for Solving the Higher Education Crises in Japan and South Korea
Lakeland College Japan
Panel 3.2   •   15:40-17:20
Dr. Alan Brender, currently the Associate Dean of Lakeland College Japan, was the Japan and South Korean correspondent of the Chronicle of Higher Education for a number of years and published numerous articles on the higher education systems of the two countries. He has also made annual presentations on the state of Japanese higher education today and its future path.to US administrators visiting Japan on Fulbright grants as well as American students studying in Japan on Fulbright scholarships.
Japan' and South Korea's higher education systems are facing a crisis of too many universities and a dwindling number of students. The Education ministries in both countries are hoping greater internationalization will combat the predicament. Japan is mainly attempting to increase the number of foreign students by offering more programs in English, while South Korea is taking a broader and farther-reaching approach to resolve its crisis.

Annette Bradford
Globalization and Internationalization: Drivers of Japanese Higher Education Reform
Meiji University
Panel 3.2   •   15:40-17:20
Annette Bradford is an assistant professor in the School of Business Administration at Meiji University, and is also pursuing a doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy Studies the George Washington University. She has recently completed a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship in Japan. Her current research focuses on student mobility and the internationalization of Japanese universities through the introduction of English-taught programs.
Over recent decades the terms globalization and internationalization have been used with ever increasing frequency in higher education circles. The two concepts have moved from the periphery to the core of interest in higher education systems. They are often used interchangeably, causing confusion among those involved in implementing new internationally-orientated policies. But, what do they really mean? Specifically, what do they mean in the context higher education in Japan?

Takao Kamibeppu
Internationalization policy of Japanese higher education: Analysis from multiple perspectives
Tokyo Jogakkan College
Panel 3.2   •   15:40-17:20
Research interests include history and politics of international education policymaking, international student mobility, and internationalization of higher education. Previously, he worked at MEXT and UNESCO, Bangkok in the field of international education development and cooperation. He also served as a consultant for UNESCO, ASEAN, East Asia Summit, MEXT, and other organizations. He received an MA from the School for International Training and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.
This presentation inquiries into the developments of Japan’s internationalization policy of higher education from the early 1980s to 2013 by employing a multiple-perspective approach for policy analysis. Through viewing the policy developments from rational, organizational, political, and symbolic perspectives, this presentation attempts to reveal the complex nature of the policy evolution of internationalization of higher education in Japan.

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