2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

An Empirical Study of Evaluations of Studies in Japan by Former International Students and the Relation between the Evaluations and Japanese Language Learning

Research Project

PDF

Project/Area Number	17K02839
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Japanese language education
Research Institution	Ibaraki University
Principal Investigator	HACHIWAKA Sumiko 茨城大学, 全学教育機構, 教授 (20334013)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	池田庸子茨城大学, 全学教育機構, 教授 (30288865)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
Keywords	元留学生 / 留学評価 / 留学成果 / ライフストーリー / 日本語学習 / 日本語使用
Outline of Final Research Achievements	This study examines evaluations by 35 former international students of their studies in Japan 3-10 years ago and the influence of the experience on their lives. It also elucidates how their use of the Japanese language during and after studying in Japan affected their evaluation. The results show that the former international students evaluated their study experience favorably, making the most of what they learned in their present work. Regarding the relation between the evaluations and the language-learning situation, the exchange students who majored in Japanese and now do interpretation or translation work at Japanese-related companies regard Japanese as an important part of the foundation of their lives both during their studies in Japan and after starting work. On the other hand, those who studied in a doctoral program in science and used mainly English while in Japan regard the Japanese language as having enriched their lives beyond research and expanded their network in Japan.
Free Research Field	日本語教育
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	留学修了後の「人生」という長期的な視野に立って、個々の元留学生にとっての留学そのものの意義や影響を質的に検証することができた。次に、社会人となった元留学生の視点から日本語学習、即ち「ホスト国の言語を学ぶ」意義と長期的な影響を検証し、準備的な性格が強い大学での日本語教育の実践に新たな方向性を示すことができた。日本語教育を含む留学生教育の改善に向けて具体的な方策を設計することに貢献するとともに、グローバル化の進む日本の地域コミュニティの在り方にも有効な提言ができた。