Longitudinal Research on Collaborative Learning in a Multilingual and Multicultural Classroom Environment

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26580091
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Japanese language education
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHINO AYA 千葉大学, 国際教育センター, 准教授 (10261885)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NISHIZUMI Kanako 千葉大学, 国際教育センター, 講師 (40554176) ; WADA Ken 千葉大学, 国際教育センター, 准教授 (20292485) ; KOBAYASHI Satoko 千葉大学, 国際教育センター, 特任助教 (90737701) ; GAITANIDIS Ioannis 千葉大学, 国際教育センター, 特任助教 (90715856)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 協働学習 / 二言語併用 / 異文化間コミュニケーション / 対話 / 座談

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project aimed at clarifying three processes taking place in liberal arts courses that dealt with topics related to Japanese culture and society, and that specifically targeted undergraduate students of multicultural and multilingual backgrounds: the process of building collaborative learning environments, the ensuing process of change of awareness among students, and the related process of relationship-building between students. We recorded and analyzed student group conversations throughout the semester, in four courses, which were held either in Japanese or in Japanese and in English. Our findings clarified the possibilities offered to students to acquire multiple perspectives, not only about each course’s content, but about themselves and others too. The project also identified conflicts arising from the existence (even situational) of linguistic minorities, and illustrated the multilateral awareness that stemmed from participation in such conflicts among students.

Free Research Field

日本語教育学