A Study of Multicultural Classes in Japan : A Report of Case Studies of Experimental Classes at Five Japanese Universities.

在我们的定义中，“Tabunka Kurasu”或日本大学的多元文化课程是指具有不同文化背景的学生定期见面、交流思想、意识到文化多样性并欣赏它的课程。Tabunka Kurasu最初是一门只教育外国学生的日本课程，后来逐渐向日本学生敞开大门，因为日本学生被普遍认为是单一文化群体。最近，日本大学的录取政策发生了变化，将以前被忽视的学生，如海归和打工学生带入了日本大学的课程，这使我们意识到，传统的二分法或Ryugakusei（外国学生）与Nihonjin-gakusei（日本学生）并不能解释在日本大学课程中发生的动态互动过程。在我们的研究中有两个研究领域：1。Tabunka Kurasu强调的是经验学习而不是知识…更有针对性，学生通过小组活动、辩论和讨论来获得意识，这是多边的互动，而不是单方的讲座。研究表明，通过参与这些活动，学生可以对“多元文化性”的要素有一个更具体的形象。校际活动校际活动包括：a)交换Tabunka Kurasu所从事的产品和对产品的评论；b) SCS会议；c)联合工作坊，让学生在与不同文化背景的人交流时更自在、更自信。这表明校际活动有可能提高学生的沟通能力。除了上述几点，我们发现Tabunka Kurasu的学生可以在他们居住的社区中活跃。这就是新泻大学Tabunka Kurasu学生的情况。在我们的项目中发现的另一个方面是，教师发展在组织Tabunka Kurasu中很重要。少

In our definition, 'Tabunka Kurasu' or a Multicultural Class in Japanese universities is a course where students with various cultural backgrounds meet regularly, exchange ideas, and become aware of cultural diversity and appreciate it. Tabunka Kurasu, which first started as a Nihonjijo course to educate only foreign students, gradually opened its doors to Japanese students, widely believed to be a mono-cultural population. The recent change of admission policies of Japanese universities has brought the formerly neglected students, such as returnees from overseas and working students into Nihonjijo courses, which made us realize that the traditional dichotomy or Ryugakusei (foreign students) versus Nihonjin-gakusei (Japanese students) could not explain the dynamic process of interaction that was taking place across the Nihonjijo courses.There were two research domains in our study :1. Individual Tabunka KurasuThe emphasis of Tabunka Kurasu was empirical learning rather than knowledge o … More riented, where students gain awareness though group activities, debates and discussions, which are multi-lateral interactions rather than mono-lateral lectures. The study shows that after participating in these activities, students can have a more concrete image of essential factors of 'multiculturalness'.2. Inter-university activitiesThe inter-university activities includeda) exchanging the products that each Tabunka Kurasu worked on and the comments on the products ;b) SCS meeting ;c) Joint workshop, which made the students feel more comfortable and confident about interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.This shows that inter-university activities have possibilities to improve the students' communication skills.Beside the above mentioned points, we have found that students in Tabunka Kurasu can be active in the community where they reside. Such is the case in Niigata University Tabunka Kurasu students.Another aspect found in our project is that faculty development is important in organizing a Tabunka Kurasu. Less