Keio University Syllabus and Timetable

EDUCATION IN JAPAN: ISSUES OF CULTURE, SOCIAL STRUCTURE, & WORLDVIEW

SubtitleEducation in Japan: Learning Culture, Social Structure, & Worldview
Lecturer(s)RIESSLAND, ANDREAS K.
Credit(s)2
Academic Year/Semester2024 Fall
Day/PeriodMon.3
CampusMita
Class FormatFace-to-face classes (conducted mainly in-person)
Registration Number83958
Faculty/Graduate SchoolINTERNATIONAL CENTER
Year Level2, 3, 4
Grade TypeThis item will appear when you log in (Keio ID required).
Course DescriptionA course to aim to look at Japanese education critically, with a multidisciplinary perspective and an objective balance in order to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Japan.
K-Number CIN-CO-00133-212-09
Course AdministratorFaculty/Graduate SchoolCININTERNATIONAL CENTER
Department/MajorCO
Main Course NumberLevel0Faculty-wide
Major Classification0Other Course
Minor Classification13International Center Course (Humanities) - Cultural and Intercultural Understanding
Subject Type3Elective subject
Supplemental Course InformationClass Classification2Lecture
Class Format1Face-to-face classes (conducted mainly in-person)
Language of Instruction2English
Academic Discipline09Education and related fields

Course Contents/Objectives/Teaching Method/Intended Learning Outcome

Education offers a useful lens for looking at Japan’s society (or societies), for education is all about becoming a functioning member of society. It focuses on issues such as what one needs to know to act properly, whom to respect, when to speak, and who to become. Education is also a critical site of the ongoing debate about globalization, bringing the spread of English along with an increased presence of ethnic and social minorities. What is more, looking at education helps us understand Japanese family structure, food, fashion, and the culture of the everyday, all of which reflect (and construct) culture, social structure, and worldview.

In general, Japanese education has a bad reputation. Some scholars point out that bullying is widespread. Certainly there is a dark side, but there is also a lot to acknowledge and learn from. This course aims to look at Japanese education critically, yet with a multidisciplinary perspective and an objective balance, in order to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Japan. Each week, there will be assignments of approximately 15-30 pages that everyone is required to read before class, and attention will be given during class to exploring the issues raised in these assignments, deepening analytic understanding, and articulating both a personal and academic response.

The course will be conducted entirely in English. It is open to students from Keio and from abroad. For international students, the goal is to expand knowledge of Japan in a way that will help negotiate living and working in this country. For Japanese students, the goal is to deepen awareness of one's own culture, and practice explaining local customs and worldviews to people from abroad.

Active Learning MethodsDescription

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Preparatory Study

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Course Plan

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Method of Evaluation

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Textbooks

All reading materials will be distributed by the instructor, placed on reserve in the library, made available on the website, or uploaded to the Google classroom homepage.

Reference Books

• DeCoker, G. & Bjork, Christopher. (2013). Japanese education in an era of globalization. Culture, politics, and equity. NY: Teachers College Press.
• Sato, S. & Doerr, N.M. (Eds). (2014). Rethinking language and culture in Japanese education. Multilingual Matters.
• Willis, D.B. (2006). Learning culture, learning citizenship: Japanese education and the challenge of multiculturalism. In Lee & Befu (Eds.), Japan's diversity dilemmas (pp. 47-74).

Lecturer's Comments to Students

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Question/Comments

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