Lakeland College seal

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

Presentation Summary

  OR


Carmen Sapunaru Tamas
Aristocrats, Communism and Everything After: Historical and Social Models of Learning
Kobe University
1A   •   9:50-11:10   •   Perspectives on Culture

My presentation will focus on the educational environment in both private and national Japanese institutions, where students of various nationalities seem to regard their university years as a mere existential stage, something that must be done without any higher or immediate purpose. The idealistic youths who believed in "art for art’s sake" have disappeared and even those who believed in art for money are on their way to becoming extinct.

Robert J. Lowe & Richard Pinner
Finding the Connections Between Native-speakerism and Authenticity
Tokyo Kasei University
1A   •   9:50-11:10   •   Perspectives on Culture
Robert J. Lowe is a lecturer in the Department of English Communication at Tokyo Kasei University, Japan. His main area of research is native-speakerism in English language teaching, with a particular focus on the professional issues it causes in Japanese higher education. He has also produced work on special educational needs in ELT and the shadow education industry in Japan, and is a co-host of the TEFLology podcast.
Richard Pinner’s research focuses on the way authenticity is cultivated and maintained in language learning with particular focus on contexts where English is used as an international foreign language. He has published several articles, most recently in Language Teaching Research, English Today and has a forthcoming monograph for Multilingual Matters’ SLA series entitled Reconceptualising Authenticity for English as a Global Language. He keeps a blog at uniliterate.com.
In this presentation we will outline conceptual and practical connections between the two issues of native-speakerism and authenticity. We will show how the two concepts work in together and act on each other, leading to discriminatory professional practices.

John Rucynski, Jr.
"You Speak Japanese Very Well!": Conversation Starter or Microaggression?
Okayama University
1A   •   9:50-11:10   •   Perspectives on Culture
John Rucynski, Jr. is an Associate Professor in the Language Education Center at Okayama University. His research interests include CLIL, the integration of language and culture teaching, and the role of humor in language education. He is the co-author of the textbooks Surprising Japan (Shohakusha) and Working in Japan (Cengage Learning) and the editor of the forthcoming New Ways in Teaching with Humor (TESOL Press).
While most foreigners in Japan have frequently been complimented on their Japanese ability or use of chopsticks, reactions to such compliments are divided. Some view them as harmless conversation starters. Others, however, go so far as to label them microaggressions. The presenter will report on a pilot study of foreign reactions (N=40) to such compliments, sharing both quantitative and qualitative results. Finally, practical implications for multicultural classes at universities in Japan will be shared.

Wayne Malcolm
Training the Future and Meeting Challenges Through a Systems Approach
University of Fukui
1B   •   9:50-11:10   •   Internationalization of the Japanese University
Wayne Malcolm is a Senior Assistant Professor at the University of Fukui where he teaches English using communicative and project-based learning approaches. He is currently working towards a doctorate of education. His dissertation focuses on the value Japanese companies may find in study abroad when recruiting university students, and how socio-economic systems operate and meet challenges together. Mr. Malcolm is originally from the United States and has been residing in Japan since 2002.
When training Japanese university students to be active globally competent human resources ready for a competitive and globalized labor market, and be able to meet the challenges of an uncertain domestic future, educators, administrators and policy makers need to understand that no one single national entity is equipped to handle such a task. In this presentation I will identify and discuss challenges, and provide some solutions that could assist in overcoming the current changing environment.

Howard Brown
The Internationalization of Higher Education in Japan: An Historical Perspective on the Process of Innovation
University of Niigata Prefecture
3A   •   1:55-3:15   •   Studying Abroad
Howard Brown is an associate professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture. He heads the Academic-Communicative English program and sits on the steering committee for English-medium studies. His current research focuses on curriculum planning and program design for EMI.
While the current focus on internationalization in HEIs in Japan is recent, the implementation process being followed has been seen before. Looking at an historical precedent helps stakeholders in current efforts see a larger picture and understand how such innovations are adopted. This presentation traces the adoption of information technology (IT) in Japanese higher education and shows how current internationalization efforts follow a similar trajectory and may be heading for a similar position on campuses.

Wade Carlton
Dialogue Journals: Developing the Ability of Our Global Citizens to Think and Write Freely
Lakeland College Japan
1C   •   9:50-11:10   •   The Classroom: From Theory into Practice
Wade Carlton is from the small river town of Louisiana, Missouri. After a brief, 6-year detour as an Air Force officer, he settled down into a career in education. He was a JET Programme ALT in Fukuoka after receiving his Master of Education degree in 1995 and has been in Japan ever since, teaching seven years in national universities, a few years at junior and senior high schools, and the last eight years at Lakeland College Japan as an English for Academic Purposes instructor. His interests are cycling and watching his son's basketball games.
This presentation will inform the attendees of one method for giving students an avenue of free expression: dialogue journals. Through 18 years of experience at a variety of schools in Japan, and through research conducted for my M.A. in TEFL/TESL degree, I have learned many positive effects of incorporating dialogue journals in the classroom and have been encouraged by the efforts of the hundreds of students who have engaged in communication with me through them.

Jonathan Derr
Using Debate in the Low to Intermediate Level ESP Classroom
Lakeland College Japan
1C   •   9:50-11:10   •   The Classroom: From Theory into Practice

Although debate is a popular way to teach speaking and writing and critical thinking skills in advanced ESP and ESL classes, it is not used as often in lower level classes.However, with proper support and practice debate can be an effective way to teach, writing, listening speaking and critical thinking skills in a low to intermediate level ESP class.

David A. Gann
Critical Thinking Skills Instruction through Deception
Tokyo University of Science
1B   •   9:50-11:10   •   Internationalization of the Japanese University
In 2010, David Gann began co-producing Critically Minded Podcast. That same year he also co-founded JALT Critical Thinking SIG. In 2013, he completed a second M.A. in Educational Technologies and TESOL at the University of Manchester. He teaches as Assistant Professor at Tokyo University of Science, where he has continued to develop materials for critical thinking instruction.
Critical thinking begins with the ability to comprehend and analyze arguments and involves distinguishing premises from conclusions and evaluating arguments on the strength of the logic linking the former to the latter. This four-skills activity treats magic trick as argument with a hidden premise. The presenter will demonstrate how to implement this simple card trick as a motivating collaborative five-skills classroom activity which can be completed in one lesson.

John Blake
Developing statistical literacy through textual analysis
Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
1C   •   9:50-11:10   •   The Classroom: From Theory into Practice

Statistical literacy was developed through critical analysis of texts contextualizing the use, misuse or abuse of statistical evidence. Ten texts were sequenced to enable learners to apply knowledge gained from earlier texts to later texts. Summative assessment scores were invariably higher than formative scores, indicating that knowledge had been acquired and was able to be applied. It is hypothesized that the textual analysis and subsequent discussions contributed to the overall improvement in performance.

Brian David Berry
The Globalizing Voice of Graduate Students at a Japanese University ETP
University of Tokyo
2A   •   11:25-12:45   •   Welcoming Diversity
Brian David Berry is currently a fifth year PhD Student at the University of Tokyo, ITASIA program. His research primarily focuses on the globalization of Japanese Universities and examines the role of students within the globalization process. In addition to his research activities, he also teaches at Yokohama National University, and Vice President of the Asia Association for Global Studies.
This research explores how graduate students take an active role in their professional development through "globalizing" their graduate program at a Japanese university. Initial results of participant-observation and auto-ethnographic data details how these students (Japanese and non-Japanese) hold a unique degree of agency due to interdisciplinary nature of their program and their negotiation of the structural, cultural, and political barriers of the Japanese university. The existence of such "grass roots" student involvement is largely absent in the research on the globalization of Japanese universities—research that has instead focused primarily on top-down government policy and isolated cases of undergraduate English language education

Brett R. Walter
Elementary Teacher Education: Adapting for a Multicultural Workplace
Hiroshima University
2A   •   11:25-12:45   •   Welcoming Diversity
Brett Walter is a Lecturer at Hiroshima University. He has taught English in Japan from 2005-2010, and then Japanese in the United States from 2010-2015. His research interests include methods of second language instruction and introducing multicultural education in universities in Japan.
In current research on the relationship between ALT and JTE little is discussed about how we in the field of teacher education can make steps toward preventing this conflict. This presentation will share data on elementary education students’ awareness of and exposure to diverse cultures at one Japanese university and discuss the implications this data has on the future of elementary education teacher training and the need for multicultural education.

Christopher G. Haswell
Viewing International Student TAs as a Valuable Resource
Kyushu University
2A   •   11:25-12:45   •   Welcoming Diversity
Christopher G. Haswell is an Associate Professor at Kyushu University in Japan. His doctoral research was conducted at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, one of the premier international universities in Japan, comparing that institution with five other universities in Japan, Korea and China. His research focuses on the field of sociolinguistics, investigating the internationalization of Japanese universities and the use of English in Japanese higher education.
In this era of accelerating university internationalization, students from overseas working as teaching assistants (TAs) provide support to instructors and are positive role-models of proficient language users. This presentation uses data from interviews with international student TAs in Japan, and concludes that these students play a vital but as yet unrefined role in university internationalization. It also recommends methods to assist with the organization of TA programs employing international students.

Andrew J. Lawson
Choose Your Own Motivation
NIC International College in Japan
2B   •   11:25-12:45   •   Fostering Active Learning
Andy Lawson is a native of Glasgow, Scotland who has spent nineteen years living and working in Japan, struggling to resist the temptation to teach Japanese learners to roll their 'R's properly, use 'ach' as the preferred interjection, and perfect the glottal stop. Alas, his wife and two sons have been less fortunate, much to the amusement of the English-speaking community of Narita, where they reside.
Persuading students in a lower level class to engage in extensive reading can be particularly challenging, given limited ability, and possible lack of previous positive experiences. This presentation examines the use of a series of ten multiple-path adventures in an HB to LI-level class. The presenter offers some student-based perspectives on the need to explore new forms of graded readers, and to consider other issues which may lead to students becoming more engaged in reading.

Guy Cihi
Gamification - The Future of Education?
Lexxica R&D
2B   •   11:25-12:45   •   Fostering Active Learning
Guy Cihi is an educator and producer with degrees in industrial design from University of Bridgeport and business management from Harvard Business School. Guy has co-founded three successful educational ventures including Australia’s Endeavour College of Natural Health with 10,000+ students, World Family KK, and Lexxica R&D. Guy has produced and directed many learning programs including: Disney’s World of English Video, World Family Club, PlayAlong, Cartoon Word Power, WordEngine, and the Words & Monsters vocabulary game.
500 million people play puzzle-action games every day for 20-30 minutes! Why is matching gems and candies so fascinating? Can learning materials be made as attractive and addictive? Come hear about major gamification trends and research into how uncertainty promotes high motivation, emotional attachment, and long-term memory. Learn how the research has informed creation of Words & Monsters, a free mobile game that teaches 99% of all English vocabulary.

Valerie Hansford
Effective Use of Active Learning in Global Higher Education
Soka University
2B   •   11:25-12:45   •   Fostering Active Learning
Valerie Hansford is a Lecturer in the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University Japan. Her research interests include curriculum design, the linguaculture classroom approach and intercultural communication.
In response to demands from MEXT, a surge in globally-focused programs and pressure to implement Active Learning initiatives in Japanese Higher Education have occurred. Successful implementation of these programs and initiatives is challenging. Therefore a fundamental change in program design and teaching approaches based on how the brain processes information is needed. This presentation will discuss why this change should occur and provides some guidelines to create effective learning environments designed to foster global citizens.

Anderson Passos
A case study of e-Portfolio implementation in and out of the classroom
Miyazaki International College
2C   •   11:25-12:45   •   Embracing Technology
Anderson Passos teaches computer-related courses at Miyazaki International College, where he shares his classroom with an English language instructor in a CLIL setting for all his first-year courses. His passion for teaching makes him continually search for new ways to teach content using English as a medium to his Japanese students.
The presenter will explain how an e-Portfolio system using Moodle and Mahara was successfully integrated in an already existing introductory ICT course. At the end of this presentation the audience should be able to understand that, with little effort and with assistance of a well-thought course rubric, an e-Portfolio system can be implemented in any course and promote student work outside class, keep students motivation and also support reflective learning.

Debra J Occhi
Benefits and challenges in the campus-wide introduction of an e-portfolio system: a PDCA-based analysis of the first year
Miyazaki International College
2C   •   11:25-12:45   •   Embracing Technology
Debra J. Occhi, a linguistic anthropologist, is a Professor of Anthropology at Miyazaki International College, Japan. Her research on cute Japanese mascot characters engages her interests in aesthetics, ideology, gender, regionality, and cognition/emotion. She also writes about Japanese higher education. Recent publications include Global and Local Perspectives on Discourses and Practices of University Internationalization (2016, in Internationalization in Japanese Higher Education. John Mock et. al., ed. Rotterdam and Boston: Sense Publishers, 19-33.)
This presentation discusses action research from the anthropological perspective on the implementation of e-Portfolios, as part of a MEXT-based AP grant program in progress at the small private college in southern Kyushu. e-Portfolios are intended to foster student autonomy even as they enhance accountability for educational outcomes, in Japan's increasingly neoliberal tertiary educational environment. Applying the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) stipulated in the grant proposal specs affords a critical perspective on the project.

Harunori Miyagi
Global Competency through E-Portfolios
Soka University
2C   •   11:25-12:45   •   Embracing Technology
Mr. Harunori Miyagi is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of International Liberal Arts at Soka University.
Instructors in Soka University's Faculty of International Liberal Arts (FILA) help students acquire global competencies. FILA students spend a year abroad after the first semester and instructors guide these students by using an e-portfolio system. The e-portfolio maintains a daily journal and allows photo video recording where students reflect on their experiences while they study abroad. Students gain cross-cultural perspectives, global awareness and communication skills. This presentation will show the development process to global citizenship.

John Nevara
The Impact of Globalization on Japanese Higher Education
Kagoshima University
2D   •   11:25-12:45   •   Curriculum Changes and Challenges
John Nevara has lived in Japan for approximately 25 years, and has worked in the Japanese higher education sector for about 20 of those years. Presently he is a Professor in the Education Center at Kagoshima University, but previously he worked in the Kansai area for many years. His interests are in English education and the internationalization of higher education.
Evidence of the impact of globalization on Japanese higher education remains somewhat inconclusive, as certain institutions make dramatic changes towards internationalization while other universities seem much less affected. My analysis takes a comparative approach in examining trends around the globe, in the Japanese domestic situation, and at a particular Kansai-area university. In this presentation, I argue that internationalization efforts by individual universities in Japan face challenges that often defy generalization.

Laura MacGregor
What is this thing called CLIL?
Gakushuin University
2D   •   11:25-12:45   •   Curriculum Changes and Challenges
Laura MacGregor is a professor of English in the newly opened Faculty of International Social Sciences at Gakushuin University, Tokyo. Besides CLIL, her current research interests include academic writing, note-taking in lectures, criticalt thinking, and the changing landscape of English education in Japan. She is interested in getting in touch with those interested in CLIL or teaching with CLIL. laura.macgregor@gakushuin.ac.jp
The name CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning, but what, in practical terms does it mean? How is it different from other teaching methodologies? What does it entail? The presenter will attempt to answer these and other questions based on the CLIL literature and data from interviews with university teachers in Japan implementing CLIL practices.

Anthony Fenton & Stephen Jennings
Internationalisation, quality assurance, and curriculum change at an elite Japanese private university: Confounding complexities
Tokyo University of Science
2D   •   11:25-12:45   •   Curriculum Changes and Challenges

Internationalisation and quality assurance for higher education are imperatives in the current global market. Internationalisation engenders reforms to curriculum articulation, necessitating changes to content, delivery, evaluation and pedagogical practices. Quality and standards are increasingly at the vanguard of institutional endeavours to become more globally competitive. This paper investigates the case of a highly regarded private university that prepares Japan’s future engineers and scientists for entry into large technology-driven international corporations. The focus of our research is on the intercultural challenges of curriculum change and the adoption of pedagogical best practices within an international departmental context.

Sylvain Bergeron
Closing the Circle: A Proposal to Redefine the Meaning and Understanding of Quality of Education within the Sphere of International Education
Gunma University
3A   •   1:55-3:15   •   Studying Abroad
Sylvain Bergeron has been teaching EFL in Japan since 1993. He holds an MEd TESOL from the University of Wollongong (Australia). A member of Gunma University's Center for International Education and Research, he is involved in program planning and development while also continuing to maintain his role as a language instructor. His research interests include global education management, peace and ethics education, and learner-centered teaching.
The purpose of this presentation will be to propose a new model by which the meaning and understanding of quality of education pertaining to study abroad programs in Japanese universities are redefined and perfected as a result of being redesigned for student success and sustainability.

Antonija Cavcic
Addressing "Anshin Anzen" Anxiety: Tackling Issues in Studying Abroad in an Age of Insecurity
Asia University
3A   •   1:55-3:15   •   Studying Abroad
Antonija is currently a faculty member of Asia University’s Center for English Language Education (CELE). Having completed her Master’s degree in Heidelberg and a year of fieldwork for her PhD in Japan with the kind cooperation of Meiji University, not only is Antonija a keen advocate of study abroad programs, but her interests lie in Japanese education policy and increasing opportunities for local students.
With Japan’s ambiguous international relations, its stagnant economy and the growing presence of ISIS worldwide, issues such as welfare, security and financial stability have become decisive factors for Japanese students considering a study abroad program. Based on findings from a survey conducted with over 500 students at Asia University, this paper will explore the range of anxieties which students have towards studying abroad and offer potential solutions to address their concerns.

Robin Sakamoto
A Japanese Research Agenda for Adapting to Changes in Internationalizing Higher Education
Kyorin University
1B   •   9:50-11:10   •   Internationalization of the Japanese University
Robin Sakamoto is Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Studies at Kyorin University in Tokyo, Japan. She holds degrees from Kalamazoo College (Bachelor of Education), Antioch University of Ohio (Master of International Relations) and the University of Minnesota (Doctorate of Comparative and International Development Education). She served as editor of SIETAR Japan’s Journal of Intercultural Communication and is co-author of two English textbooks as well as Cross-border Partnerships in Higher Education: Strategies and Issues.
This presentation examines seven topics identified as the most pertinent for a U.S.-focused research agenda on inbound mobility: 1) adjustment issues: 2) recruitment strategies and international student decision-making; 3) orientation practices; 4) English language programs and academic supports; 5) social support and campus connections; 6) intercultural learning; and 7) immigration and legal issues. Each topic will be discussed in the context of internationalizing higher education in Japan incorporating lessons to be learned from the U.S.

Luke Lawrence
Re-assessing translation skills for the global age
Yokohama City University
3B   •   1:55-3:15   •   The Global Classroom
Luke Lawrence has been teaching in Japan for over 13 years and currently teaches at Yokohama City University. His research interests include group dynamics, native-speakerism and sociocultural aspects of language learning, including use of L1 in the classroom.
The persistence of grammar translation is often cited as an obstacle to Japanese learners acquiring the communicative competence deemed necessary to compete in the global age. This interactive presentation will argue that modern forms of translation exercise that focus on oral skills, as well as more traditional written forms are beneficial for students and a potentially vital skill in a globalised world. As such, they should be encouraged, rather than suppressed, at higher education level.

Sachie Banks
Global Perspectives through Joint Presentations of Japanese and International Students
Bunkyo University
3B   •   1:55-3:15   •   The Global Classroom
Sachie Banks, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Media and Communications department at Bunkyo University. She specializes in language education (English and Japanese) and intercultural communication. Her research interests are the impact of studies abroad and innovation in language classrooms.
This study analyzed the changes in perspectives after groups of Japanese and International students gave joint presentations and received feedback.They gained new awareness of how to use a foreign language, differences in common sense, differences in working toward goals and how to prepare for future intercultural encounters. Many Japanese students said they were able to view themselves differently by observing international students and interacting with them.

Sarah Sanderson
Teaching for Global Citizenship: Understanding and using the Global Peace Index (GPI) in the higher education classroom as a tool for critical thinking and international awareness
International Christian University
3B   •   1:55-3:15   •   The Global Classroom
Sarah Sanderson is from the U.S.A. and is a Rotary International Peace Fellow and M.A. candidate at International Christian University in the field of Peace Studies. She is also a Global Peace Index Ambassador for the Institute of Economics and Peace in Washington D.C.
The Global Peace Index (GPI), an index created by the Institute for Economics and Peace, is an annual ranking of both nations and regions in terms of 'global peace', which encompasses the levels of societal safety and security, domestic and international conflict, and militarization. In this session, participants will not only receive a brief introduction to the GPI, its themes and how it’s calculated, but will also walk away with possible activities useful for classrooms engaging with global citizenship.

Mario Leto, Michael Tasseron
Beauty and the beast: Japanese student ideologies and perspectives on Ariana Miyamoto and mixed race heritage in Japan
Meiji University, University of Tsukuba
3C   •   1:55-3:15   •   Questions of Culture
Mario Leto is currently assistant professor in the School of Global Japanese Studies at Meiji University. He has one MA in American Literature, another in Applied Linguistics, and is working on his PhD through the University of Birmingham's Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics in the UK. His research interests include literature, language education, and the discourse of food in online media. Michael Tasseron is currently assistant professor in the Center for Education of Global Communication at the University of Tsukuba. He is from South Africa. He started teaching in China in 2004, after which he moved to Japan where he spent six years. He worked in Oman from mid-2011 to mid-2012. He holds a CELTA and an MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL. His research interests are pedagogical materials, intercultural communication, and collaborative learning.
This paper presentation will discuss the results of an analysis of written texts about Miss Universe Japan 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, and her relevance to internationalization, diversity, and cross cultural communication. The texts were produced by undergraduate Japanese learners of English in a series of assignments addressing social issues in current events. Analysis focuses on cultural ideology, shared patterns of rationalization, and an emergent awareness of identity and nationality.

Michael Hollenback
Critically Evaluating Cultural Content in EFL Materials
Konan University
3C   •   1:55-3:15   •   Questions of Culture

As the relationship between language and culture becomes more accepted, EFL materials have incorporated cultural content. However, without an understanding of pedagogy and methodology surrounding culture in the classroom, many fail to provide cultural awareness. This presentation will explore different ways that culture in EFL materials have been traditionally investigated and present a new way to examine cultural content. Accordingly, a nuanced approach of how culture is approached in the EFL classroom can be adopted.

Kevin Watson
Teaching Culture in an Integrated Assessment Context
University of the Ryukyus
3C   •   1:55-3:15   •   Questions of Culture
Kevin Watson is an Associate Professor at the University of the Ryukyus. He holds a Master’s Degree in Education with a specialization in Lifelong Learning from the UK. Further, he holds Bachelors degrees in Education and Human Kinetics from Canada. He additionally holds also a Canadian K-12 teaching License with specializations in English and PE. Last, He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL with a focus on Systemic Functional Linguistics. His research interest are in identity development, curriculum design, and culture.
This presentation explores the success of an integrated Japanese culture curriculum that accommodates the needs of international students (i.e., ECTS, AACSB accreditation), and that concomitantly meets the needs of high-level Japanese students (MEXT). Additionally, this presentation elucidates four major issues/questions surrounding the teaching of culture: (1) defining culture, (2) bridging the gap between cultural theory and pragmatic practice, (3) determining how to assess cultural learning, and (4) determining how to make cultural learning and cultural competence visible.

Adam Tompkins
The "Struggle" Within: Using Public History and Community Outreach to Empower Students
Lakeland College Japan
3D   •   1:55-3:15   •   Beyond the Classroom
Adam Tompkins is an Assistant Professor of History at Lakeland College Japan. He received his Ph.D. in history from Arizona State University and his M.A. in history from Pennsylvania State University, specializing in environmental politics and social movements. His book Ghostworkers and Greens: The Cooperative Campaigns of Farmworkers and Environmentalists for Pesticide Reform was published by Cornell University Press in 2016.
This presentation will introduce a multi-faceted project in which students develop research skills by doing history on a volunteer basis, and in which they interweave own strengths into project design. It will discuss the ability to engage the interests of both high-achieving and low-achieving students through non-traditional means, and how such projects benefit the students and larger community alike.

Anthonette Gibson
Work! Work! Work!- Exploring the Relationship between Changing Economic Social Conditions and the Life Course Decisions of Japanese and Non-Japanese Private University Students.
Lakeland College Japan
3D   •   1:55-3:15   •   Beyond the Classroom

Previous investigations have been utilized to develop various profiles of Japanese and non-Japanese students at private universities in Tokyo. Yet, upon closer examination, there does not appear to be research which helps to confirm the influence of broader economic and social forces on the life course decisions of these same students. This proposed research suggests the development of a more comprehensive profile scale to help identify and measure such broad influences on these students today.

Rumiko Nakano
Search for Ways to Help Enhance Students' Wellbeing in HE -from the viewpoint of preventive medicine in confronting challenges-

3D   •   1:55-3:15   •   Beyond the Classroom

Wellbeing is a state of being well with some positive affects such as happiness and optimal function (Deci and Ryan, 2008). This study sought to investigate the factors university students would consider as important for their wellbeing. The results indicated the importance of positive ties and support from other people including families and friends for their wellbeing as well as for overcoming hardships given that there are five other SWB dimensions in Ryff (1989).

Todd Leroux
Self-efficacy & Reading Speed: Think Global, Act Local
Temple University
4A   •   4:35-5:55   •   Student Motivation and Self-Efficacy

Past success has been shown to be the major determinant of learner perceptions of self-efficacy, which has been strongly correlated with academic achievement. This presentation will present findings that suggest reading for speed programs can provide notable reading speed gains in 6 weeks or less and are sustainable over an entire semester. Thus, reading for speed programs can contribute to self-efficacy development in addition to supporting other forms of academic achievement and/or proficiency testing.

Mehtap Bekhan
FACTORS CAUSING LANGUAGE ANXIETY FOR EFL LEARNERS IN SPEAKING A TARGET LANGUAGE
Bezmialem University- Istanbul-TURKEY
4A   •   4:35-5:55   •   Student Motivation and Self-Efficacy
Bachelor degree in English Language Teaching-Class of 2006, Turkey. Masters Degree in International ELT and Applied Language Studies/ Class of 2009 MA.-London Metropolitan University. /UK. 10 years teaching experience at colleges and universities in London-Istanbul.
Speaking in a foreign language class, especially in front of others, can be a significant anxiety inducing task for the language learner. Therefore it is important to consider how anxiety affects the foreign language learner. This study investigates why English foreign language learners feel anxious or feel embarrased while speaking English language and what influences their communication in the target language. It also suggests some useful strategies for both language learners and teachers to reduce language anxiety.

Matthias Hennings
Promoting Global Human Capital in Japanese Higher Education - A Case Study on Special Programs for International and Japanese Students
Hitotsubashi University&Saitama University
4B   •   4:35-5:55   •   Instituational Challenges
Matthias Hennings is currently teaching at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University and Faculty of Economics, Saitama University. After receiving his Ph.D., he has been working as a coordinator for international university partnerships and lecturer for Japanese Studies at Hamburg University, Germany. His research interests include the Japanese labor market, internationalization of Japanese universities and the promotion of global human capital in higher education.
Deepening demographic changes and intensifying global competition pose major challenges for Japanese companies to globalize their workforces. Accordingly, the promotion of global human capital is playing an increasingly important role in Japanese education policy. Based on a case study of Saitama University, this presentation will give an insight into the university’s Global Talent and International Students programs and assess the degree that they can help promote global human capital.

Eugenie Tiu
An Overview of the Current State of International Branch Campuses in Singapore and Japan
Osaka University
4B   •   4:35-5:55   •   Instituational Challenges
She took her Bachelor's degree at De La Salle University Manila, Philippines. Currently doing her Master's at Osaka University, Japan. Her research interests include Internationalization of Higher Education, Transnational Education, and Development studies in poverty and gender.
This report will be divided into three parts. First, it will present the current state of International Branch Campuses (IBCs) in both Japan and Singapore by showing some basic facts about the campuses. Next, it will compare the national policies of both countries with regard to the establishment and regulation of IBCs. Lastly, it will identify the challenges of the IBCs and include a number of ideas to improve its situation as well.

Charles Laurier and Michael Bell
Measuring Student Information Literacy in an International Two-Year Academic Program
Lakeland College
4C   •   4:35-5:55   •   The Changing University
Charles Laurier is Librarian and Learning Center Coordinator at Lakeland College Japan. Michael Bell is Assistant Librarian at Lakeland College Japan and is currently completing his Master's degree in Library and Information Science at Robert Gordon University.
Abstract: The explosion of information made accessible by the digital and Internet revolutions has also increased the difficulty of acquiring relevant information sources acceptable for academic research and coursework. This has increased the need to give first- and second-year college undergraduates increased amounts of training and guidance to meet the research and information needs of college education. This paper reports on one attempt to provide a multi-part research training program to a diverse, international student body of first and second-year undergraduates in a Japanese college. Using the American Library Association’s standards defining information literacy as "the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information effectively," the librarians designed a curriculum-integrated program spanning students' first academic year to give students training in doing academic research, including planning, finding, documenting, and using information for academic purposes. Additional attention was given to issues of citation, plagiarism, and paraphrasing. Pre- and post-program questionnaires measured student information skills before and after the three-part workshop. Additionally, pre- and post-program surveys measured faculty perception of student information literacy skills. The potential efficacy of multi-part information literacy programs spanning the first-year of college is suggested by the questionnaire and survey results.

Vincent Petrin
The Academic - Professional Skills Test (APS) for the CLIL Classroom: An Integrated Genre-based (ESP) Framework for Assessing University (L2) Learners
Sophia University
4C   •   4:35-5:55   •   The Changing University

This presentation introduces the APS test as an alternative to the traditional summative textbook exam. More specifically, the APS test is a 90 minute classroom based assessment experience based on Coyle's 4C's (content, communication, cognition, and culture (2005)) with the goal of empowering learners to be successful in an interactive "Lecture-genre" environment. The presentation will also provide a summary analysis of learners' comments (n=91) regarding the APS test suggesting significant positive washback.

Varun Khanna
International faculty: Experiences of academic life at universities in Japan
Department of Human Sciences, Osaka University
4C   •   4:35-5:55   •   The Changing University
Varun Khanna is a young scholar at the Human Sciences International Programme of Osaka University. He is currently working on a funded research project to map the experiences and characteristics of Japan’s international faculty. Broadly, his academic interests include education, gender, sexuality and community development. He holds various positions outside the university like National Vice President of Stonewall Japan, Vice Chair of Foreign Citizens’ Council at Toyonaka, and Coordinator of Future Village NPO.
While there has been much research on the satisfaction and experience of foreign students, we know little of how foreign academics perceive and navigate their time at Japan’s universities. We in-depth interviewed twenty-two academics at seven 'former imperial' national universities. During the presentation, we aim to provide personal contexts from this study woven into broader discussions of patterns and changes occurring in the top national universities in Japan.

Frederick Bacala
Content-Based Learning: Japanese Culture in English
Yokohama City University
4D   •   4:35-5:55   •   New Strategies for Teaching
I have been teaching English as a Second Language for the past 16 years (10 years at the college/university level in the United States and Japan). I have an interest in teaching academic writing and grammar, and especially like bringing together culture and language in the classroom.
Content-Based Learning: Japanese Culture in English Japanese students already have knowledge of their own culture in Japanese, so they would normally have an interest in the subject. To test whether learning about a student’s own culture in English could be beneficial for the students, the presenter created and taught a Japanese Culture in English course at the Yokohama City University Extension Program. This presentation is about the journey and pitfalls of teaching content-based learning.

Keith Lane
Team Authored In-Class Student Compositions
Wenzhou Kean University, China
4D   •   4:35-5:55   •   New Strategies for Teaching
Keith Lane, MEd TESL, has taught in university programs in Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia and China over 25 years. Most recently, his work has involved teaching academic skills, principally writing.
This presentation describes an experimental collaborative learning approach for teaching and developing EAP skills, particularly writing skills, in ESL/EFL university environments. The presenter-teacher guides the students to experience writing essay answers, paragraphs, summaries and essays collaboratively as structured exercises. The presenter provides some rationale, but is interested: what questions and considerations should be addressed to future audiences in promotion of this methodology.

Michael Short
"Word-Scape", the vocabulary building app, its in-class use, and the results of a small field trial.
Lakeland College
4D   •   4:35-5:55   •   New Strategies for Teaching
I worked as an Industrial Designer for Seiko Epson and Ricoh for 9 years and then moved into educational multimedia. My own company, Mindstorm Inc’s first product, "Top Score", a TOEIC tester, was bundled with Apple Performers. Concurrently, I worked with Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund on science education based applications. Also, I’ve been working at Lakeland College, Bunkyo Gakuin and Waseda University teaching Art, Design and multimedia software, Communications, TOEIC/TOEFL preparation and British Culture, respectively.
"Word-Scape" is the iPhone App companion to the book "Wordscape" used as a vocabulary builder at Waseda University in the department of Political Science and Economics. In the presentation I will describe its use in-class and for homework, and an ongoing field trial. "Word-Scape" is a joint project between Waseda University and Mindstorm Inc.