While I was working as an assistant language teacher for the JET Program, I was asked by a Kyoto Women’s University professor to put together a 60-minute guest lecture for his “US History and Race” course.
My challenge was to design an interactive activity for Japanese English-learners that was both engaging, informative, and at an appropriate level of English difficulty.
This has been, to date, one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever worked on!
Overview
Christopher Garth, English Program Coordinator at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities, connected me with Fuyuhiko Shimomura, an English professor at Kyoto Women’s University. He was seeking a guest lecturer for his course, “US History and Race”, in which a person of color would share their race-related experience with his Japanese students.
I was very excited to participate in this opportunity, but of course, it presented a few challenges. The presentation had to be at a level of English that the students could follow, but also accurately and earnestly depict my experience with race in America. I had to come up with a learning experience that would strike the perfect balance between simple and complex.
The Situation: How can I build a 60-minute, one-time lecture for Japanese students that paints an accurate picture of race and racism in the United States?
Duration of project: 2 months
Audience: Undergraduate Japanese students of English
Format: In-person workshop, PowerPoint Quiz
My Role: While I developed the learning experience, script, and materials independently, I coordinated with Professor Shimomura frequently to determine the needs of his students.
Skills Demonstrated: Instructional Design (Higher Ed), eLearning Development
Technologies Used: Google Slides, Microsoft Powerpoint, YouTube
Final Result
