2023 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Breadth courses
Advanced Course of Traditional Technology and Intercultural Co-learning
- Academic unit or major
- Breadth courses
- Instructor(s)
- Rie Murakami / Eri Ota / Takashi Watanabe / Equo Kobayashi / Yuri Matsuzaki / Kenshu Kamura / Yakup Bektas
- Class Format
- Lecture/Experiment (Blended)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-8 Wed
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAW.X440
- Number of credits
- 101
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 1-2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Through lectures, on-line self-learning by Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs), analysis of appropriate information and data, collaboration among Japanese and international students working and practical training in groups, students will
1. Develop their knowledge of a traditional technology: Tatara iron making, and
2. Learn the methods of product design and marketing, and propose new idea
This course will be held on Wednesdays, but several classes will be held on weekends. Please make sure course schedule.
Course description and aims
1. Understanding traditional iron making technology, related industries, historical / cultural / social background of traditional iron in other countries (including students' home countries), students will find something that the country can proud of.
2. Developing multicultural understanding through multicultural group work, and learning skills for intercultural co-learning.
3. Learning how to create market value and planning product idea
4. Taking Japanese Tatara iron making method as a specific example, developing proposals to revive or develop a traditional technology of their home countries.
Keywords
Traditional technology, Tatara Iron Making, Intercultural co-learning, Product design
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
- Intercultural skills, Practical and problem-solving skills
Class flow
1. Lectures, on-line self learning (SPOCs)
2. Gaining information about traditional iron making technology, related industries, historical/cultural/social background and becoming knowledgeable about traditional iron manufacturing in other countries (including students’ home countries)
3. Sharing knowledge about information collection in multicultural group work
4. Lecture and workshop for product design and marketing
5. Practical training in steelworks tour, charcoal cutting, Tatara Iron Making, sword smith experience (paper knife making), and Japanese sword appreciation
6. On/off class groupwork and group proposal presentation on revival and development of traditional iron technology
7. Making individual proposal report about focused specific and detailed parts based on group proposal
8. Creating individual PR products (Poster, Video, Website) for individual proposal "7."
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 5/10 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 ＠Oookayama S2-202 (S223) ＜Introduction＞ Announcement of group members, and Lectures | ＜Individual Assignments＞ ①On-line video lectures by quiz in T2 SCHOLA. ②Prepare 10 minutes presentations about a country's traditional iron manufacturing technology 【Due date 5/17 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 2 | 5/17 (Wed.) 5-8th periods @Oookayama S2-202 (S223) 13:45-15:00 ＜Group work＞ Information sharing with group members 15:15-17:20 ＜Lecture＞ Brainstorming for flashing ideas | ＜Group Assignments＞ ① Discuss proposal ideas and proceed groupwork 【Check on 5/31 Wed. 9:00am】 ＜Individual Assignments＞ ①Investigating details about traditional iron manufacturing and finding challenges/difficulties for the continuance (Basic information will be provided) ②Making report (English 800 words) about①. 【Due date 5/31 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 3 | 5/24 (Wed.) 12:50-18:00 @Kawasaki city ＜Practical Training＞ Steelworks tour (Meet/dismiss at Kawasaki station) | ＜Indivisual Assignment＞ Report (English 800 words) 【Due date 5/31 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 4 | 5/31 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 @ Suzukakedai G1-109(G115) 13:45-14:30 ＜Lecture＞ Imaging blacksmithing through video of swordsmith 14:30-17:20 ＜Practical Training＞ Charcoal cutting (for Tatara Iron Making and blacksmithing) | ＜Group Assignments＞ ① Discuss collaborative proposal ideas and proceed groupwork 【Check on 6/7 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 5 | 6/10 (Sat.) 08:50-17:00 @Suzukakedai G1-109(G115) ＜Practical Training＞ ・Simplified Tatara iron making ・Blacksmithing (Paper knife making) *Supplemental day: 6/17 (Sat.) | ＜Group Assignments＞ ① Discuss collaborative proposal ideas and proceed groupwork ② Summarize selected three candidate proposal ideas and the background and submit in share folder 【Check on and Due to 6/14 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 6 | 6/11 (Sun.) 10:00-13:00 ＠Oookayama S4-202 (S422) ＜Lecture and Groupwork＞ Design thinking workshop (joint lecture with ToTAL) | To be announced at the class |
| Class 7 | 6/14 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 @Oookayama S2-202(S223) ＜Lecture and Groupwork＞ Marketing and product design workshop | ＜Group Assignments＞ ① Proceed groupwork ② Interium presentation slide 【Check on 6/21 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 8 | 6/21 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 ＠Oookayama S2-202 (S223) 13:45-15:00 ＜Lecture＞ Tatara project- "Tatara village" revitalization and marketing Q and A 15:15-17:20 ＜Presentation and group work＞ Interium presentaion and comments from invited lecturer | ＜Group Assignments＞ ①Proceed groupwork 【Check on 6/28 Wed. 9:00am】 ＜Individual Assignment＞ ①Make report for impressions about the lecturel （English 500 words) 【Due date 6/28 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 9 | 6/24 (Sat.) 10:00-17:00 @Chiba city ＜Lecture and Practical Training＞ Lecture and Japanese sword appreciation | ＜Group Assignments＞ ①Proceed groupwork ② Fixing specific proposal topic and contents keeping in mind all your experiences from this course and submit in share folder 【Check on Due to 6/28 Wed. 9:00am】 |
| Class 10 | 6/28 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 ＠Oookayama S2-202 (S223) ＜Groupwork＞ Group work | ＜Group Assignments＞ ① Proceed groupwork ② Submit group proposal presentation slide 【Check on and Due to 7/3 Mon. 9:00am】 |
| Class 11 | 7/1 (Sat.) 10:00-13:00 @Oookayama S4-202 (S422) ＜Lecture and Groupwork＞ Design thinking workshop (joint lecture with ToTAL) | To be announced at the class |
| Class 12 | 7/5 (Wed.) 5-8th periods 13:45-17:20 @Oookayama S2-202 (S223) ＜Presentation＞ Final Group proposal presentation | ＜Individual Assignments＞ ①Comments to each group presentation (100 words/group) 【Due to 7/7 Fri. 9:00am】 ② Proposal report (English 2000 words) ③Personal essay (English 450 words ) ④Create one PR product (website, poster, or video) for developing and expanding "②." (in English). 【Due to 7/19 Wed. 9:00am】 |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
SPOCs contents, other materials will be provided in due course.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
N/A
Evaluation methods and criteria
Participation on lecture：10％
Research on traditional technology of home country：20％
Participation on practical training：10％
Contribution to group work：30％
Group proposal presentation (group evaluation)：10％
Personal essay, Individual proposal report and PR product: 20％
Related courses
- LAW.X353 ： Traditional Techonlogy and Intercultural Co-learning
Prerequisites
1.Students who wish to enroll in this course should have English proficiency (equivarent to TOEIC score 750 or above, TOEFL-iBT score 80 or above), so that they will be able to understand lectures and actively participate in discussions.
2.Students should have interest in Japanese traditional technology (Tatara Iron Making) and its products (Japanese traditional iron).
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
GSEC office: ghrd.info[at]jim.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
N/A.
Contact by E-mail to GSEC office.
Other
Priority will be given to students enrolling in Global Scientists and Engineers Course and to international students．
Due to the limitation on the number of participants, if the registration have reached more than the maximum limit, the selection may be made based on the credits received for the completion of GSEC course.
For the preparation of group work and practical training, students should complete course registration in the registration period for 1Q-2Q.