The cross-cultural understanding class was conducted in an omnibus format.This semester, lectures were given by 7 teachers in addition to the main professor Yoshida, and 1 multinational students from the 4st to 76th grades took the course.There are also exchange students from Inner Mongolia University who are taking remote courses because they cannot come to Japan due to the coronavirus.
What is culture?What is communication?What is cross-cultural understanding?How to Overcome Communication Obstacles?What is media influence?In addition to classes that delve into various perspectives, Mr. Akimoto Hashimoto, Managing Director of Dotonbori Hotel, and teachers from other faculties such as the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences will also be on stage as lecturers.It seems that the students' interest in the lectures from various perspectives such as international nursing, disasters, airline business, and travel business has increased.
In addition to that, students from many different nationalities are taking the course, so it seems that through discussions, they were able to realize the differences in the cultural backgrounds of their respective countries and regions, which was a valuable learning opportunity.
Let's take a look at the students' impressions.
・Experience cross-cultural understanding by studying with multinational students
It was interesting and fun to talk with international students who have values different from mine. (Kira Fumino, 1st year student)
It was a lot of fun to study with students from many countries, hear their voices, and experience different cultures first-hand. (1st year student Misaki Tabe)
・An opportunity to reconsider yourself
I was able to notice stereotypes and values that I was unaware of.
Also, I was able to learn about a new culture and feel that I was able to broaden my horizons a little more than before.It was a class that felt interesting to listen to the story. (1st year student Miu Sakakibara)
I was most impressed by the story that not only animals but also plants are talking.I realized that there are many ways to communicate, and I felt that I still have many stereotyped thoughts. (1st year student Mika Asai)
It was a very interesting class because it gave me an opportunity to re-examine myself when I applied meta-cognition to myself and found that it was not enough. (1st year student Masakazu Sugimoto)
Concepts such as metacognition and knowledge of ignorance are very interesting, and I felt that they are a way of thinking that is absolutely necessary for me to live in the future.In particular, I am now always conscious of metacognition, and I feel that I have become more accepting of "different cultures" and have a more tolerant heart.
I felt that this class was a class that I could immediately use in my daily life. (1st year student Hibiki Aoyagi)
By taking this lecture for half a year, I had more opportunities to reflect on my own small actions, behavior, and emotions.In particular, the metacognition and communication sessions were very impressive.Just as I have the accumulation of my life up until now, the other person also has a background. I was able to learn that it is important to understand "that's how it is" and to be interested in it, and that even if subjectivity is mixed, it is necessary to act with such awareness when interacting with others.It was interesting every week. (1st year student Niyu Imamura)
・An opportunity to take a step forward
Looking back, I feel that it was a class that only Professor Yoshida could have done.I'm going to go to Mr. Hashimoto's company information session at the Dotonbori Hotel.Thank you for giving her the precious opportunity. (1st year student Yuji Asai)
Before taking this class, I knew about cross-cultural understanding.I thought.However, after taking this lecture, I realized that there are various ways to understand.I would like to go abroad and deepen my understanding of different cultures. (1st year student Kokoro Yamamoto)
・For deep learning and deep thinking
It was very interesting because he dealt with things that I was interested in, such as metacognition, discrimination, and prejudice.It also covered diversity management, which I was interested in, and gave me an opportunity to learn more. (Takumi Toyama, first-year student)
I've heard that people who don't like women on the side, men on the vertical, and women on the side make people feel really bad when they come in. I'm convinced that I feel bad if someone who is not very close to me comes next to me.It was a fun new discovery.Also, I thought that the first effect was certainly the same.I was able to enjoy listening to the class while being convinced. (1st year student Yune Ueyama)
I have heard words such as "accepting different cultures" and "valuing diversity" many times, but I have not had the opportunity to learn detailed content and terminology such as diversity management and metacognition. I'm glad I was able to make a great discovery. (First-year student Miyu Yamato)
In this class, I was able to learn a wide range of things, from human psychology to ways of thinking about understanding different cultures.Although it was difficult, I was able to learn about human psychological habits, so it was interesting because I was able to learn deeply that I didn't have in high school.When it comes to understanding different cultures, I thought that only understanding and accepting the differences in foreign cultures would lead to understanding different cultures. I understood that cultural understanding is important in daily life and in various fields.I am really glad that I took this class. (Ikumi Ueno, 1st year student)
・It was interesting and I listened to it no matter how sleepy I was.
When I was in my third year of high school, I took Professor Yoshida's class on zoom, and then I entered this university because I definitely wanted to take this teacher's class.After all, the teacher's class had a lot of interesting stories that I didn't know, and even if I was sleepy, she would always open her eyes and listen to the story.It was great to hear so many interesting stories. (Azuki Koyama, first-year student)
I am glad that I entered the school.The cross-cultural understanding class made me re-recognize the base of my thinking.The feeling of returning to my school days, along with new learning and realizations other than my previous experiences, is very refreshing.Learning at our school is all connected like synapses, and it is global without feeling barriers of nationality or age.I would like working people to receive the latest lectures.Thank you. (Masako Yokoyama, first-year student (working adult))
Through the class, I was able to think about various problems and it was an opportunity to come into contact with a different culture.Thank you very much for teaching me many things this semester. (Nguyen Thien Chan, 1st year student)
The course content was interesting and easy to understand. (Gwen Tirejang, 1st year student)
This class really helped me to understand more.The teachers are very enthusiastic. (1st grade Nguyen Hoang Hao)
My Japanese is still poor, so there are many things I don't understand.But the teacher's teaching method is interesting.He also understands that it is difficult for us international students to understand. (Second-year student Rei Shinryu)
It is very difficult to understand different cultures, but after looking into it, I found it very interesting and interesting. (1st year Chuntikamhan)
Makoto Yoshida, Professor, Department of Tourism, Faculty of International Communication
