3.1 Students describe concepts of culture and use that understanding in their comparison of the Japanese culture with a second culture other than Japan. 3.2 Students will analyze and make connections between the perspectives, ways of thinking, behavioral practices, and cultural products of a second culture other than Japanese.
Please see above links for more evidence for the completion of this MLO.
MLO 3: Reflective Narrative
Both courses listed above dealt with cultures other than Japanese in comparison with Japanese culture. In fact, comparison of cultures was the main point of both classes. In the Intercultural Communication course we compared American, British, Canadian, and Japanese culture with each other, using Japan as a common culture all students had experience with, helping to complete MLO 3.1. I was able to gain the perspectives of many different cultures by discussing topics such as hospitality and humor in Japan and our home cultures with the teacher and other students in the course. The class was small and somewhat informal, allowing for a lot of fun and engagement while learning. For example, for my final presentation my partner and I used humor in an informal way to engage the class. In the Hawaii and Japan course, I learned a lot about native Hawaiian and Hawaiian immigrant culture, really looking at the differences and connections between the two groups, helping to complete MLO 3.2. There was a lot of emphasis placed on the effects of immigration, especially from Japan, on Hawaiian culture and looking at products, perspectives, ways of thinking, and behavioral practices of those living in Hawaii now and in the past, tying into both MLO 3.1 and 3.2. We also examined how Japan portrays Hawaiian culture and what makes it so popular, which allowed further fulfillment of MLO 3.1. For my final presentation, I researched the WW2 concentration camps in Hawaii.
I have developed my knowledge of several different cultures, through these courses and through personal study, along with the ability to compare and analyze each culture with each other. It is very interesting to learn about different peoples' and cultures' ways of thinking, behavioral practices, and so on, so I like to pursue this type of learning and enjoyed meeting this major learning outcome. In the future, I would like to continue furthering my knowledge of other cultures in a deep way. To do this, I would also like to learn more languages so that I may understand some other cultures both linguistically and culturally, as language and culture are linked.
I think finding accurate and unbiased information about various cultures can be difficult. What one person says isn't necessarily true, even if it is true in their personal experience. The world is full of literature that contains peoples opinions on cultures. This is generally fine, but it becomes important to read a wide range of literature and listen to many different people to get a full picture. Luckily, because I am so interested in topics regarding cultures, this is often fun and interesting for me. It is a challenge, but one I enjoy tackling.
Meeting this major learning outcome allowed me to expand my knowledge beyond Japanese culture. It's good to have in depth knowledge of one culture, but I think having more breadth to knowledge of cultures can allow for a more globalized perspective. While studying abroad, I met many people from many different cultures, being able to understand their background, at least a little bit, allowed me to make better friends and learn many more interesting things.