[Joint] Online Activity “Dream Tour to Japan 2021”
2022.02.03
We co-held “Dream Tour to Japan 2021” from September 27 to December 20, 2021, with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, International Christian University, Aoyama Gakuin University, California States University, Northridge and University of California, Riverside. In this project, students created virtual and ideal tour plans to Japan. Therefore, this is entitled “dream tour to Japan”. Participating students were separated into two groups, both including students from Japan and America. Each group decided its concept, and planned the tour itinerary including place to visit, accommodation, food and transportation based on the concept.
Students had prepared for their final presentations during the project by cooperating each other online. Furthermore, we held three synchronous online meetings in which coordinators and students from each team shared their progress and exchanged opinions. Because not all students could attend final presentation at the same time, final presentations were submitted as videos and the audience watched the videos on the final presentation day. After watching the recordings, participating team members answered questions from the audience.
One team decided its main concept as “Technology” and planned the three-day tour which tourists can go around Tokyo and Kanagawa, where the latest technology exists, and experience modern art and food.
The other team’s concept was “experience Japanese traditions”. It chose Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, and organized the three-day tour which people encounter unknow Japanese traditions and its attractions.
Each team puts detailed information into final presentations, so their plans can be used as guidebooks for the actual trip. Some student feedback was: “I have been interested in tour in Japan. It is fun to design tours, thinking of needs of visitors”, “It was a good opportunity to know Japanese entertainments which I had not noticed before this program”.
This project required students to cooperate with team members who have different backgrounds. It was expected that it would be difficult working together online across universities. In fact, some students said that there were not only enjoyments but also difficulties to conduct the international collaborative online activity. However, each team successfully finished its final presentation, while experiencing hardness. This project could become a worthy opportunity to cultivate “multiculturalism” and “conflict-resilience”.
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