Integrated Approach to Project Work: Effective Use of “ Relay Method ” and Technology Yuka Akiyama CAS Japanese instructor SED graduate student in TESOL

Target Students Class of about advanced students who:  have completed 4 semesters of Japanese courses  have basic command of oral Japanese  can read and write simple essays in Japanese

Sample Class Schedule  A typical textbook-based class three days a week and a presentation session once a week MonTueWedThuFri Textbook- based instruction Project work posters, videos, skits, power point presentations, Skype interviews, reaction papers, and group discussions

Objectives To enable students to:  orally express their opinions based on their findings  write an academic essay  criticize each other ’ s work (to enhance the ability to think critically)  acquire skills in employing multiple media of communication

HOW? Integrated approach:  Task-based Learning  Autonomous Learning  Cooperative Learning  Compensation Strategies  Assistance from Japanese community at BU  Use of multiple media of communication  “ Relay Method ”  Use of technology such as “ Skype ”

“ Relay Method ”  Students rotate their topics and pass down their findings in a so-called “ button ” (portfolio) from one group to another  Effective when there are multiple topics to cover

Topics need to be controversial and worth being discussed for about 2 months Each student has a chance to work on all 5 topics and use all the media of communication Each group passes down the “ button ” or portfolio with their findings

Week 1: Poster Presentation

 Students read a simple article on their topic and search for statistics on their topic from any reliable source of information  They create a poster that concisely summarizes their findings  (Presentation day) Group members each take a turn (10 min) presenting their poster to other classmates. When not presenting, group members go around the classroom and interact with other presenters and their posters.

Week 1: Poster Presentation

Week 2: Video Presentation  Students watch an assigned video, summarize the content, and present the summary after showing a clip of the video to the rest of the class  This requires intense listening and succinct writing

Week 3: Skit Presentation  Based on the poster and presentation, students create their own skit and present it to the class  This requires students to be expressive and creative, which enhances their oral skills

Week 4: Power Point Presentation  Students make a Power Point presentation that summarizes the overall content on the topic and contrasts the situation in Japan with that of their own countries ’  This practice requires students to analyze their countries ’ socio-political climate and take a stance

Week 5: Skype Interview  Students interview assigned Japanese individuals on their topic on “ Skype, ” a free online voice call/instant messaging application  The use of Skype provides students with actual opportunities to interact with native speakers in spite of the physical distance limitations

Week 5: Skype Interview

 Before the interview, students need to make an appointment with their interviewees via , come up with questions to ask, and rehearse the interview session  The conversation can be video-taped for the instructor ’ s grading reference  Students are expected to develop compensation strategies when facing technical problems on Skype

Week 5: Skype Interview  (In class) Each group presents their interviewees ’ point of view, compares it with their own, and holds a question and answer session

Evaluation  Students submit both their final portfolio and an in-group assessment sheet  In-group Assessment: Each student has 20 points to distribute among their group members. They can distribute the points in any configuration (e.g. D ’ s assessment of his group members A, B, & C)

Reaction Paper  Students write individual reaction papers on any one of the five topics (summary and their opinion)  In class, they show the first draft to their peers, receive feedback, and discuss their stance in depth (Cooperative Learning)  Students revise their paper and submit it the following week considering their peers ’ comments and discussions in class

Interaction with Japanese Students at CELOP  Students invite Japanese CELOP students to class and discuss the issues once again  Students are to wrap up all the knowledge acquired through the past seven weeks, create friendship bonds between international communities, and practice the casual form of Japanese used among friends.

Educational Benefits 1. The “ Relay Method ” ---implements Autonomous Learning by having students take responsibility for their part work on their task outside the classroom (Task-based Learning) ---fosters discussion not only among group members but also between groups ---helps establish a peer bond by passing down the “ button ” (Cooperative Learning) ---helps students listen attentively to other groups ’ presentations and improve note-taking skills

Educational Benefits 2. Incorporation of Multiple Media of Communication ---enhances students ’ presentation and academic writing skills 3. Use of the Internet ( /Skype*/Youtube etc) ---makes students realize the usefulness of online resources *Even potential communication breakdown on Skype develops Compensation Strategies and furthers both their communicative and grammatical competence

Educational Benefits 4. Interaction with Native Speakers of Japanese ---establishes a bond between students and native speakers of Japanese (intrinsic motivation) 5. Grading (portfolio and in-group assessment) ---helps the instructor grade fairly on their project work

Application to Non-language Courses Examples:  Skype Interview: ---Project that requires intercultural or international perspectives in sociology, politics, anthropology, education, law etc.  Relay Method: ---Course which covers multiple discussion topics

Summary  The integrated approach, which makes great use of the “ Relay Method ” and technology, helps raise conscientious critical thinkers in academia who can employ various communication media and look at social issues from diverse perspectives  By using these techniques, instructors of any other academic subject can make the classroom communicative, ensure students take responsibility for their tasks, and encourage students to articulate their stance on issues

Thank you. Q&A Contact Information Yuka Akiyama (CAS Japanese instrucutor)