Issues, Ideas and Opinions
- Course Description
- Learning Objectives
- Who should take this course
- Professional Training Certificate Elective Course For:
- Textbook
- Instructor
- Instructor Biography
When presented with practical, philosophical or ethical dilemmas it is not unusual to find oneself with a plethora of ideas but no clear opinion, or conversely, we may have an intuitive opinion that we cannot support with clear, cogent ideas. This class will give the participants the opportunity to examine "real world" scenarios with the aim of developing the critical thinking skills necessary for the productive, confident discussion of issues and the formation of logical, well supported opinions. By taking case studies and examples from a wide range of subjects , including Current Affairs, Philosophy, Law, Technology and Politics, this class and will explore relevant ethical and social issues from an individual rather than a global perspective.
Students will be able to:
1. articulate about the Japanese culture related to the topics presented in class.
2. engage in meaningful discussions with classmates.
3. provide an effective PowerPoint presentation in English.
4. improve English listening skills.
Those who are Interested in engaging in dynamic discussions, or who are interested in being able to articulate about the Japanese culture.
English Level: High-Intermediate and above (Intermediate level English learners eligible as well.)
Hot Topics Japan 1 (Please note this is the same textbook used for CMI101 but different content will be used.)
Yujiro Shimogori
Yujiro Shimogori has a Master's degree in Education with emphasis in Human Development & Psychology from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. degree in Education with focus in Bilingual Education from San Diego State University. He is a 20 year veteran as a primary, secondary, and higher education educator and researcher in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tokyo. Educated, lived and worked in Japan and the US, he is bilingual and bicultural, and proficient in Japanglish as well. His research interests include bicultural identity development, bilingualism, culturally relevant pedagogy, and second language acquisition. Shimogori enjoys visiting new places, taking long walks, and watching baseball, judo, and kendo.