This is a Japanese culture course intended for first year international undergraduate students. Using the concept of intercultural communication and methodology, this course enables students to gain a point of view which is essential in order to live with people with different language and culture. In addition to lectures, students will take place in group work and discussion to gain both knowledge and experience. Furthermore, students will gain practical communication skills through exercises handling methods to communicate with people with different backgrounds and culture.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:・Understand interpersonal communication・Analyze and understand their own communication style and values・Express their own idea and opinion in an appropriate way in the Japanese society・Understand different values and harmonize views in order to work cooperatively in a group with multinational members
Communication, International student, Cross-culture, Japanese, Japanese culture
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Class will be conducted with small groups of 5~6 people. Class will start with lecture, followed by group work. Students will make a presentation of the discussion outcome. As for group work, active participation such as stepping forward as a group leader is desired . At the end of each class students are expected to complete and turn in a review sheet.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Communication/Nonverbal communication | Understand interpersonal communication. |
Class 2 | Difference and diversity in individual values | Analyze and understand your own values. Make decisions harmonically with others. |
Class 3 | How misunderstanding occurs | Through case study, analyze how misunderstanding occurs from each of the party's point of view. |
Class 4 | Intercultural contact and development(1) | Understand the theory of Cultural-contact. Analyze cultural receptive attitude and the process of cultural adaption based on your own experience of intercultural contact |
Class 5 | Intercultural contact and development(2) | Understand culture shock and reverse culture shock based on your own experience. Term paper subject will be announced. Students who need comments should turn in the paper by Class 7 to get comments. |
Class 6 | Co-cultural communication | Understand co-cultural complexity through self-analysis and case study. Discuss difficulties of people with different co-cultures. |
Class 7 | Communication and approach in a multicultural environment (1) | Learn and practice communication skills. |
Class 8 | Communication and approach in a multicultural environment (2) | Learn about communication difficulties in a multicultural environment through exercises. |
Handouts will be given in each class.
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Awareness of students' own communication style, understanding of intercultural communication, and group work contribution will be assessed Reflection sheet (20%), Group work(10%), Term paper(70%)
International students only.