2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Breadth courses
Tohoku Co-learning Camp
- Academic unit or major
- Breadth courses
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroshi Yamaura / Hideharu Takahashi
- Class Format
- Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAW.X364
- Number of credits
- 010
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this course, international students and Tokyo Tech local students will visit together the Tohoku region and learn its local history, characteristics and culture so that they can multiculturally think and discuss what the society would expect to science and technology fields in future. During the agricultural experiences of Kakuda city (pref. Miyagi), the students will understand more diverse aspects of Japanese society when they get to know some traditional styles of farming in the rural communities, which are different from those around the metropolitan area. The students will also visit the areas and facilities affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and observe several research projects of engineering for reconstruction related to natural disaster, disaster prevention along with energy issues.
Course description and aims
Through this course, students will be able to
1. Discover traditional culture and life issues peculiar to the rural community and know about the diversity of Japanese society, through the agricultural experience and home stay at Kakuda city.
2. Deepen the knowledge of earthquakes and disaster prevention through visit to facilities related to Fukushima nuclear power plant and to tsunami-damaged areas.
Keywords
Tohoku region, Rural society of Japan, Earthquake disaster, Disaster prevention, Multicultural co-learning
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
・There is a limit on the number of students who can take the course, so only selected students can take it. Students who wish to take the course must declare their enrollment by December 26th. Selection will take place in January through essay submissions and interviews.
・The travel itinerary, pre-study content, group divisions, etc. will be announced at the first class (guidance). The study trip is planned to last 3 nights and 4 days (2/18-2/21).
・The content of the study trip is from last year, and the content for this year will be decided in the future and published on this page.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Monday, February 17th, Morning at Lecture room in Ookayama campus Opening remark by Hiroshi Yamaura Lecture on Reconstruction after 3.11 by Hideharu Takahashi Group project "What can engineering contribute to the reconstruction after 3.11?" *Guidance (self-introductions, instruction on the manners for homestay) will be included. | Lecture on Tohoku will be given before the Tohoku tour. Each group will make a presentation on the pre-surveyed topics, such as facilities to be visited, culture and geography of Kakuda city. Each student has to clarify his/her part of the pre-survey in the presentation. Understand the itinerary and risk management, resolve unclear points about the study camp. |
| Class 2 | Tuesday, February 18th. Tohoku study camp Day1: Multicultural co-learning at Kakuda city 1 Ookayama campus → Kakuda Space Center → Welcome party at Shinken-Factory restaurant. Home stay at Kakuda City | Record the visit to the JAXA Kakuda Space Center and the first day's interaction with the host family. |
| Class 3 | Wednesday, February 19th. Tohoku study camp Day2: Multicultural co-learning at Kakuda city 2 Making soba noodle → Visiting disaster prevention pump → Strawberry picking at an organic farm. Home stay at Kakuda City | Record the experiences of agriculture, traditional craftworks and event, and the second day's interaction with the host family. |
| Class 4 | Thursday, February 20th. Tohoku study camp Day3: Visit 311 related areas and observe their reconstruction Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field （FH2R） Ukedo port and the devastated area by 311 the Great East Japan Earthquake Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum Decommissioning Archive Center Stay at Fukushima prefecture | Record the learning contents of each facility. |
| Class 5 | Friday, February 21st. Tohoku study camp Day4: Visit 311 related areas and observe their reconstructions Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (Remote control engineering) Aqua marine Fukushima (Marine ecology) Iwaki La La Mew (Fisheries science) Coming back to Ookayama campus in the evening | Record the learning contents of each facility.Each group gives presentation on what they learned in the camp. Every student is also required to submit a report paper by due day. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
None.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Instructor will distribute teaching materials as needed.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Participation in all the dates listed in the syllabus is compulsory for passing this course. The assessment will be made with 20% of pre-survey task (group presentation), 40% of final group presentation, and 40% of individual report paper.
Related courses
- LAW.X441 ： Tohoku Co-learning Camp (Leadership Course)
Prerequisites
・This course has a limited number of places, but all students who wish to enroll must register by December 26th.
・Students who register will be notified of the essay topic and submission period by email.
・The submitted essays will be used for selection, and only selected students will be allowed to enroll in this course. The enrollment of students who are not allowed to enroll will be cancelled by the faculty.
・Transportation costs will be subsidised by the university, and participation fees will be listed in the syllabus at a later date.
Other
All the students are required to join the insurance recommended by the institute.