MLO2: Culture
2.1 Students develop a comprehensive understanding, appreciation and knowledge of Japanese culture: perspectives (ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, philosophies), practices (patterns of social interactions) and products (both tangible and intangible, for example, art, history, literature, music).
2.2 Students develop analytical and critical thinking in areas such as how Japan’s cultural background influences modern Japanese life, how to compare their own culture with the Japanese culture, or how Japanese culture relates to other world cultures in an age of global inter-relatedness.
Japanese 402: Japanese Literature
This course aims to develop advanced proficiency through introducing various aspects of modern Japanese literature, including short stories and significant works by authors of the modern period. Taught in Japanese. (Credit/No Credit Available)
Units:4
How this class reached the MLO requirements: DOC
2.1: I definitely came to appreciate and became very knowledgeable in Japanese culture in this class. Professor Ogaki showed a wide range of Japanese culture through Haiku. She conveyed many famous poetic authors to us that showed different and similar values, attitudes, and ideas. Some Haikus spoke deeply about nature, history in Japan, Japanese society, family life, and life in general. The value of Haiku symbolized art and life appreciation. Professor showed us Japanese Haikus and also American Haikus. People write Haikus for a variety of reasons. Many form Haikus as a depression reliever, a hobby, historical and cultural awareness, or about sadness and destruction. Haikus can be sad and happy. The class and I, together, translated different Japanese Haikus to answer questions and make discussions. With Haikus, I realized that words are not always literal and words can have a completely different meaning. To me, some Japanese Haiku artists were more difficult to understand than others. Understanding the depth of poetry is not my strong suite so I’m glad that Professor Ogaki planned this course to be visual and group oriented. Not only did she assist me with comprehending Haikus, she gave the class and I the necessary tools to research ways of grasping Haikus independently.
2.2: The Japanese Literature course included critical and analytical thinking. Analyzing professional Haikus helped me with creating my own Haikus. Many Haikus, Professor Ogaki showed me, was about Japanese modern society and how history made Japanese society today. Therefore, my Haikus were about the tragedies and the downs of society such as crime and gang activity. Between the American Haikus and Japanese Haikus, I was able to discover the differences and celebrities between Japanese society and American society. Japan and America fought so many battles but results of how society overcomes these obstacles are different. I was able to determine this through Japanese poetry because the authors were extremely creative. Of course, I am not as creative as the famous Haiku authors such as Matsuo Bashoo and Masao Fujimara but, I was able to show the class my Haikus about American culture. Another way Professor Ogaki taught us of Japanese culture by having the class read Japanese literature out loud to say the pronunciations and speech rhythm correctly. Repetition helped me really understand what was being said in the literature. Japanese culture influences modern Japanese life. I read old Japanese literature and new Japanese literature. The present literature had some similar ideas as the older literature.
Haiku Assignment: PDF
Japanese 302: History of Japan
This course further develops advanced Japanese proficiency through an understanding of Japanese history as a dynamic, interrelated system and employs a variety of processes to identify, analyze and evaluate cultural themes, values and ideas. Students will demonstrate ability to accurately comprehend ideas across a range of historical content. Taught in Japanese. (Credit/No Credit Available)
Units:4 to 6
MLO requirements: DOC
2.2 Students develop analytical and critical thinking in areas such as how Japan’s cultural background influences modern Japanese life, how to compare their own culture with the Japanese culture, or how Japanese culture relates to other world cultures in an age of global inter-relatedness.
Japanese 402: Japanese Literature
This course aims to develop advanced proficiency through introducing various aspects of modern Japanese literature, including short stories and significant works by authors of the modern period. Taught in Japanese. (Credit/No Credit Available)
Units:4
How this class reached the MLO requirements: DOC
2.1: I definitely came to appreciate and became very knowledgeable in Japanese culture in this class. Professor Ogaki showed a wide range of Japanese culture through Haiku. She conveyed many famous poetic authors to us that showed different and similar values, attitudes, and ideas. Some Haikus spoke deeply about nature, history in Japan, Japanese society, family life, and life in general. The value of Haiku symbolized art and life appreciation. Professor showed us Japanese Haikus and also American Haikus. People write Haikus for a variety of reasons. Many form Haikus as a depression reliever, a hobby, historical and cultural awareness, or about sadness and destruction. Haikus can be sad and happy. The class and I, together, translated different Japanese Haikus to answer questions and make discussions. With Haikus, I realized that words are not always literal and words can have a completely different meaning. To me, some Japanese Haiku artists were more difficult to understand than others. Understanding the depth of poetry is not my strong suite so I’m glad that Professor Ogaki planned this course to be visual and group oriented. Not only did she assist me with comprehending Haikus, she gave the class and I the necessary tools to research ways of grasping Haikus independently.
2.2: The Japanese Literature course included critical and analytical thinking. Analyzing professional Haikus helped me with creating my own Haikus. Many Haikus, Professor Ogaki showed me, was about Japanese modern society and how history made Japanese society today. Therefore, my Haikus were about the tragedies and the downs of society such as crime and gang activity. Between the American Haikus and Japanese Haikus, I was able to discover the differences and celebrities between Japanese society and American society. Japan and America fought so many battles but results of how society overcomes these obstacles are different. I was able to determine this through Japanese poetry because the authors were extremely creative. Of course, I am not as creative as the famous Haiku authors such as Matsuo Bashoo and Masao Fujimara but, I was able to show the class my Haikus about American culture. Another way Professor Ogaki taught us of Japanese culture by having the class read Japanese literature out loud to say the pronunciations and speech rhythm correctly. Repetition helped me really understand what was being said in the literature. Japanese culture influences modern Japanese life. I read old Japanese literature and new Japanese literature. The present literature had some similar ideas as the older literature.
Haiku Assignment: PDF
Japanese 302: History of Japan
This course further develops advanced Japanese proficiency through an understanding of Japanese history as a dynamic, interrelated system and employs a variety of processes to identify, analyze and evaluate cultural themes, values and ideas. Students will demonstrate ability to accurately comprehend ideas across a range of historical content. Taught in Japanese. (Credit/No Credit Available)
Units:4 to 6
MLO requirements: DOC
2.1: I developed a comprehensive appreciation and knowledge of Japanese culture from this class, especially through the historical stories, written by the famous Japanese leaders. The understanding of the historical eras of these leaders was part of class discussions, and the handout packets given. For each chapter, there are handouts that consisted of questions about the story, how it became about, and questioned general information about the leaders. As a class and independently, I analyzed each historical context of the Japanese leader’s ideas, attitudes, values, beliefs, role, and philosophies. I came to very much appreciate the different perspectives of Japanese culture and tradition. I really enjoyed this class because I was literally witnessing how Japan was unified, how it came to be what it is today, and how it grown so much. I’ve read how the country has grown and how the people have grown. Some traditions still lye however, people now are more westernized and less reserved than the olden days of say, the Heian period. Within each chapter reading contained not only historical information but also, literature, music and art. I learned so much. Professor Sekine required her pupils to purchase the Japanese book to self-translate to improve in proficiency. However, Professor Sekine also posted the book online. The online version was more broken down. Meaning each sentence was separated into bullets and difficult kanji, vocabulary, and grammar were highlighted so our Japanese can expand.
2.2: From the chapter readings and especially the class discussions, I was able to use my analytical and critical thinking skills. Japanese history and Japanese culture somehow influences modern Japanese life. I see the similarities and differences between the distant life times. The attitudes of the Japanese and the mindset of the Japanese still linger. For example, the Japanese are known to work harmonically; avoiding drama and argumentation. In the workforce, the Japanese are very hardworking, punctual, and sharp. The Japanese mindset of being successful and not being a disappointment to others is still one of the priorities Japanese face today. In discussions, the class talks about these topics and compare and contrast with American culture and American perspectives. From this class, I did come across the fact that Americans are much more diverse, open, and rebellious. However, a similarity is that both countries like to go to war to resolve problems. Both countries have been greedy and still are. Japanese history accomplishes that other Japanese culture relates in other world cultures in an age of global-interrelatedness.
History Presentation: PDF
2.2: From the chapter readings and especially the class discussions, I was able to use my analytical and critical thinking skills. Japanese history and Japanese culture somehow influences modern Japanese life. I see the similarities and differences between the distant life times. The attitudes of the Japanese and the mindset of the Japanese still linger. For example, the Japanese are known to work harmonically; avoiding drama and argumentation. In the workforce, the Japanese are very hardworking, punctual, and sharp. The Japanese mindset of being successful and not being a disappointment to others is still one of the priorities Japanese face today. In discussions, the class talks about these topics and compare and contrast with American culture and American perspectives. From this class, I did come across the fact that Americans are much more diverse, open, and rebellious. However, a similarity is that both countries like to go to war to resolve problems. Both countries have been greedy and still are. Japanese history accomplishes that other Japanese culture relates in other world cultures in an age of global-interrelatedness.
History Presentation: PDF