UNSW’s Education Festival 2021 | Page 41

Theme : Micro-innovations in the pandemic

Crossing boundaries through online learning : what COVID-19 restriction brought our students

Before COVID

Participants ’ Voice

• Program aims to connect students using Japanese within and beyond classroom and course
• Invite Japanese guests ( students from Japan and local residents ) to classes , for communication and project .
Reflection by Colour Overall impression Awareness of own language About topic Admiration of the partner ’ s language proficiency Multicultural awareness , Asian identity Intention for the future event suggestion for future event
Japan
Valuable time to meet with
Asian students .
We could share our common interests such as anime
Nice to meet many UNSW students
Exciting Conversation !
I spoke in English
It was a great opportunity
Pity that the time went so quickly !
UNSW
I learned my capability and limitation of my Japanese
I could use Japanese
I introduced myself in Japanese and they understood what I said .
Japanese is a more complex language than I thought
Learned something about Japan that are Not taught in class or in the textbook
• Opportunity to study abroad for exchange and short program .

Affected Issues

• Border closure → No international students from Japan → No opportunity to study abroad → Student on study abroad were sent home
• No f2f classes and cannot meet Japanese guests physically in class
Japan
Ibaraki University ( 34 )
10 10 10
Kobe University ( 15 )
Tohoku University ( 4 )
At least 5 times for no less than 30 minutes each during T3 , using any languages
• Watching Japanese films / anime together
• Have dinner together online , explain what you are eating to each other
• Sing songs together by using online Karaoke
• Playing musical instrument together
Event Free exchange on Zoom
October 22
Event November 9
Presentation and Free exchange on Zoom
UNSW
1 st year ( ARTS1631 ) 50
10 10 10 10 10
10
1 st & 2 nd year ( 18 )
2 nd year ( ARTS2631 ) 10
10
I would love to attend future events like this .
UNSW students ’ Japanese proficiency is high
Good at Japanese , and good knowledge about Japan !
I would have liked the small group session for the whole event
We talked about study , food and anime and more
I would like to do it again
Japanese students spoke English very well !
We used three languages to communicate : Japanese , English , and Chinese !
I thought young Japanese people are interested in Western culture only , but not everyone is .

Our Reflection and Prospect

We provided a learning environment where our students can use Japanese skills and reflect their language usages .

The needs

• Offer opportunities to connect with Japan and Japanese through online ( break down walled between classroom and Japanese speaking community )
• Use a personal network of academic for organising online events for student to experience of Japan through direct communication with Japanese students without delay .
Self-introduction By Tohoku University Student
Opening of the event
Self-introduction By UNSW Student

Implementation in T3 2021

• 1st year ( ARTS1631 ) -Term-long exchange with Ibaraki University students
• 1 st & 2 nd year ( ARTS1631 & ARTS2631 ) -One-off exchange event with Kobe University students
• 2 nd year ( ARTS2631 ) -One-off exchange event with Tohoku University students
Only particular students were keen to participate in the events : different level of motivation among students in both countries .
Many Japanese students are interested in not only the Australian culture but also the South-East Asian countries ’ culture → Created bonding between our international students and
Japanese students .
Explore a possibility of a practice in which the entire Japanese program is involved in to connect our students and Japanese speaking community within Australia and overseas .
Nagisa Fukui , Sumiko Iida
School of Humanities & Languages
70 71