31 Articles // April 2015 // Issue 4 English Newsletter by Komaba Students http://komabatimes.wordpress.com/ Content Academic Life ………………… page 1 Student Life …………………… page 6 Global Perspectives ………… page 14 Exploring Japan ……………… page 19 Photo: Erika Nakayama. ACADEMIC LIFE Lectures of University of Tokyo: Where two educational systems co-exist By Isshin Inada A student arrives at his international school and I observed stark differences in the approach asked. Opinions are not shared. Responses are classes begin. During class, he is bombarded in which domestic and PEAK students learn. not elicited. “The only voice I hear in almost all with difficult questions and so, like his class- The small number of students in PEAK classes my lectures is that of the professor. But this, for mates, he would simply ask the teacher for help. allows for interaction between teachers and me, is nothing extraordinary.” says Kugishima, a Later, the bell would ring, radiating happiness students. Students sit around a circular table first-year domestic student. to students who’ve realized that their tiring day which prompts active discussion and participa- has finally come to an end. The student breaks tion among students. The teachers encourages Personally speaking, the above-mentioned as- through the cheerful crowd, and makes his them to interrupt them anytime to ask questions pects of western education is beneficial to our fu- way to his second school – the Japanese cram or to share their own perspective on a particu- ture. The articulation of our opinions is an impor- school. At the cram school, he would restrain his lar matter. Conversely, the desks in domestic tant skill and plays a large role in how we interact curiosity and questions and keep his head down. classes are arranged in such a way that limits with the people around us. And like all skills, we He would then, only endeavor to absorb every- communication among the students. They have can acquire it through constant practice. Con- thing that is told to him. no option but to face the front of the class and sequently, it is wise to begin to polish this skill absorb information solely from the teacher. In by thinking and speaking as we see fit, even in The protagonist of this little story is me. Having some domestic classes, however, there may be the context of a classroom. To listen and absorb experienced these distinct educational styles as many as 300 students. The professor would information solely from the professor, who is in this way, I have developed a greater under- merely hold up his microphone and deliver his bounded by his own perspective, can be limiting. standing of what differentiates the two. This is purely one-sided lecture. Questions are not I believe that by voicing our individual thoughts congruent with the stereotypical impression of and exchanging our unique opinions, we open Asian and Western education; the former places more doors for learning. We can then acquire Voicing one’s opinion is the key emphasis on conformity, while the latter more to unlock multiple perspectives. multiple insights into a certain issue. But to do on individualism. Now as a PEAK student of the Image by Sean Dreilinger | Flickr. this requires courage to speak up in public as University of Tokyo, I am presented with a similar well as fluency in the way we do so. As a result, it situation of both Asian and Western educational is important that we make an effort to overcome systems incorporated into our learning. the tendency of suppressing our voices in class. PEAK is a relatively new program that was intro- This is all to say that, one day I hope most of the duced with the aim to promote the globalization classes, including the domestic ones, is replete of the university. It is targeted primarily for those with constructive and meaningful conversations. who have studied at a foreign school and its On the surface, speaking in class may seem lectures are taught entirely in English. Yet we are trivial and less economical, but it provides an also given the liberty to join domestic classes, excellent opportunity to exchange our thoughts. and vice versa. As a result, it has become a Through this, we become exposed to numerous commonplace to see students with utterly dif- perspectives, and hence grow into open-minded ferent educational backgrounds study alongside learners. Therefore, I am an advocate of the uni- one another. In this sense, there is now a co- versity’s movement towards a globalizing com- existence of the two prevailing educational sys- munity that incorporates both Asian and Western tems. educational systems. 1 Clash of two worlds: From a professor’s perspective By Chiwu I. Kim students often like to compare ourselves to the passed his initial expectations with their English regular, so-called “domestic” students, but is proficiency. there really a difference? Do we live in separate worlds? I interviewed Professor Gregory Noble, Professor Noble also noted that a key feature who specializes in comparative political economy of domestic students is that they are never in East Asia and teaches both domestic students overbearing. Having taught in two other universi- in the Hongo campus as well as PEAK students, ties, the University of California and Australian to find out more about what professors think National University, Professor Noble says with about their new students, as well as their old. confidence that the domestic students at the University of Tokyo are distinctively polite. A key Professor Noble started off by saying that he feature of PEAK students, on the other hand, is wanted to dispel a common misconception that once again the diversity in this respect. Profes- people may have of the domestic students. The sors teaching at PEAK must not only overcome domestic students at the University of Tokyo the challenge of switching their language of have a reputation of being passive, but Profes- instruction, but also must expect to be met with sor Noble argues that reality is far from the case. students who may have had an education that He says that once the professor gives them the is completely different from what he has seen signal that he or she is open to opinions, the do- before, where challenging the professor may be mestic students tend to be very active, and ea- more valued than politeness. This, he argues, ger to have a discussion. While their writing and creates an unique and exciting challenge as to speaking skills in English fall just short of their whether he can “shatter assumptions” that the PEAK counterparts, Professor Noble has said students have. that he was pleasantly surprised by their high levels of reading and listening comprehension. In the end, while PEAK students may be some- times intimidated by the domestic students’ According to Professor Noble PEAK students native Japanese language, high intellect and tend to be more diverse. In his class of political reputation, we may have more in common than Pop quiz: Which one is the PEAK student? Photo by Kamiyu Hijikata. science, many PEAK students come from differ- we think. Professor Noble feels the same; while We PEAK students are able to take many classes ent countries with different government systems. PEAK students and domestic students do have at the University of Tokyo, but we often forget Unlike the domestic students, there is no one their differences, there seems to be something who make it all possible: the professors who set of knowledge that he can expect from the universal about the behavior of students at this teach us. As PEAK is a program that started just PEAK students. He was also surprised by the University. Perhaps PEAK students and the do- three years ago, many professors teaching PEAK level of English in PEAK as well; although English mestic students can learn a thing or two from students usually have taught at the University is indeed a requirement in getting into the PEAK each other about what they could bring to the of Tokyo prior to the start of the program. PEAK program, he says that the students have sur- classroom, both in terms of behavior and ideas. What you need to know about the new “4-term system” By Erika Nakayama On September 26th, 2014, The University of (Figure 1) Tokyo officially announced the switchover to the Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 4-term system from the current semester system, Type I S*1 S2 Hol. A*1 A2 Holidays and both students and faculty members cannot Type II S1 Holidays A1 A2 W* Hol. help but more or less confused. This change in Type I: Faculties of Law, Letters, and Education, and the College of Arts and Sciences the school calendar, which applies to every stu- Type II: Faculties of Medicine, Agriculture, and Pharmaceutical Science dent at Todai, is a part of the “Comprehensive Type I to Type II: Faculties of Economy, Engineering, and Science Education Reform” which has been promoted by *S= Spring Semester, A= Autumn Semester, W= Winter Semester President Junichi Hamada since 2011. According to the Office of the President, the aim is to make Another major change will be the extension of number of credit obtainable per year). students more globally competitive by allowing class time by 15 minutes to 105 minutes. Morn- them to reduce their time attending classes and ing classes will start 30 minutes earlier, at 8:30 Although the university emphasizes the advan- giving them longer breaks, which makes it much a.m., and normal classes will end 35 minutes tages of this new term system, students’ impres- easier for them to participate in overseas pro- later, at 6:35 p.m.