26-March-2019 / Tuesday / 15:00 - 15:20
LOCATION: P03
ABSTRACT:
Recent university internationalization efforts have resulted in unprecedented numbers of international students in Japan’s higher education institutions. Some of these students are in newly developed full degree English-taught programs designed primarily for international students. Others study alongside domestic Japanese students in English- or Japanese-medium programs. Studying in a diverse global classroom offers students the opportunity to increase their awareness and understanding of other cultures, promotes critical thinking, and helps to develop an appreciation for other points of view. However, Japan’s tendency towards a monocultural mindset and limited experience with large numbers of international students may mean that this recent increase in student diversity is not taken advantage of. In addition, the needs of international students may be overlooked. This poster presents the experiences of both international and domestic students in Japan as they navigate new contexts and cultures and learn to feel a sense of belonging in classrooms that are internationalizing in different ways. In-depth interviews inform the study. Students elaborate on their feelings towards increased classroom diversity and their understandings of global citizenship.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
AUTHORS:
Dr Annette Bradford
Associate Professor,
Meiji University,
Japan
Annette Bradford is Associate Professor in the School of Business Administration, Meiji University, Tokyo, where she teaches courses focused on enhancing the international competencies of undergraduate students. She is the co-editor, with Howard Brown, of English-Medium Instruction in Japanese Higher Education: Policy, Challenges and Outcomes (Multilingual Matters, 2017).