Intercultural training in a blended learning environment in Japanese higher education

Abstract

As the number of people with various cultural and national backgrounds working and living internationally grows, Japan is gradually building a multicultural society. However, Japan's long history of mono-cultural society causes difficulties for its young people in learning about cultural diversity. In order to support students' learning, the researchers developed an original e-learning programme for intercultural training. It aimed to function as an effective tool for promoting students' awareness of different cultures. From 2012 to 2014, the programme was implemented, in a blended learning style, with Japanese university students. To clarify the advantages and disadvantages of the programme, the researchers distributed a questionnaire to the participants. The findings in 2012 and 2013 showed that the programme was effective for improving students' intercultural awareness and understanding, while it also suggested that teachers need to motivate students' online learning more.