Class Exchange with Michigan State University Students (Session 1)

On Friday, October 23, 2026, sixteen students enrolled in Japanese Language Teaching Methodology I and eleven students enrolled in International Collaborative Learnin at Ibaraki University participated in an online class exchange with students studying Japanese at Michigan State University in the United States.

During the exchange, students from Japanese Language Teaching Methodology I designed and facilitated communication activities for Japanese language learners based on the theories and teaching methods they had studied in class. The activities were carefully planned to encourage active participation and enjoyable interaction in Japanese. The Michigan State University students enthusiastically engaged in the activities and actively used Japanese throughout the session.

In addition, eleven students enrolled in International Collaborative Learning also took part in the exchange. This course aims to help students critically reexamine Japanese culture through online collaboration with students at American universities. Working together with students from Michigan State University and other overseas institutions, participants engage in group presentations and the creation of digital articles. During this session, the students exchanged ideas in English with their counterparts at Michigan State University. They discussed topics related to culture and values, shared perspectives from their respective backgrounds, and explored different ways of understanding and interpreting Japanese culture. Through these discussions, students gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of viewing issues from multiple perspectives and recognizing diverse cultural viewpoints.