Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce us to analyzing socio-cultural contexts reflected in Japanese landscapes. In addition, we discuss significant social, cultural, political, ecological, and economic issues in modern0 day Japan.
This course is designed to introduce us to analyzing socio-cultural contexts reflected in Japanese landscapes. In addition, we discuss significant social, cultural, political, ecological, and economic issues in modern0 day Japan.
Reflective Narrative:
This course contributed to the fulfillment of MLO 2 in terms of presentational skills, and overall knowledge of the culture. We used the following textbook, Japan in the 21st Century: Environment, Economy, and Society. In addition, our professor utilized supplemental texts to enhance the quality of our discussions. This class not only focused on Japanese culture, but allowed us to increase our awareness with social issues around the globe and the impact it has on that societies' people. In one of our group presentations we were assigned Taiwan. We Identified elements that effected Taiwan but were also similar to Japan's current challenges. They are, urbanization, birthrate and national identity. This was different from our usual presentations. We conducted a panel discussion, where we asked the audience what their views and perspectives were and we were able to get several Japanese student's views on Taiwan and how it compares with their own culture.
To insure we developed a deep understanding of Japanese culture and the unique challenges that they face, we were to write on specific topics of concern that our professor chose. One topic that he assigned was Japan's educational system. I focused on English education, but I also discussed the exam structure and how important it is to Japanese society and the different terminology that they use to describe which process they are involved in. Words such as juken senou (exam war), juken jigoku (exam hell) are quite common in Japan. You can find a sample of this short essay below. Through presentations, group discussions and short essays, I was able to learn in-depth information about the social challenges that the Japanese have dealt with in the past and in some cases are still dealing with.
This course contributed to the fulfillment of MLO 2 in terms of presentational skills, and overall knowledge of the culture. We used the following textbook, Japan in the 21st Century: Environment, Economy, and Society. In addition, our professor utilized supplemental texts to enhance the quality of our discussions. This class not only focused on Japanese culture, but allowed us to increase our awareness with social issues around the globe and the impact it has on that societies' people. In one of our group presentations we were assigned Taiwan. We Identified elements that effected Taiwan but were also similar to Japan's current challenges. They are, urbanization, birthrate and national identity. This was different from our usual presentations. We conducted a panel discussion, where we asked the audience what their views and perspectives were and we were able to get several Japanese student's views on Taiwan and how it compares with their own culture.
To insure we developed a deep understanding of Japanese culture and the unique challenges that they face, we were to write on specific topics of concern that our professor chose. One topic that he assigned was Japan's educational system. I focused on English education, but I also discussed the exam structure and how important it is to Japanese society and the different terminology that they use to describe which process they are involved in. Words such as juken senou (exam war), juken jigoku (exam hell) are quite common in Japan. You can find a sample of this short essay below. Through presentations, group discussions and short essays, I was able to learn in-depth information about the social challenges that the Japanese have dealt with in the past and in some cases are still dealing with.
taiwan.pdf | |
File Size: | 1062 kb |
File Type: |
social_issues_paper__2_.doc | |
File Size: | 39 kb |
File Type: | doc |