During spring quarter, 16 Rose-Hulman students spent 10 days studying abroad as part of the Japanese Society course. As part of this anthropology class, which is offered through the college’s Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts (HSSA) curriculum, students explored the sights, sounds and foods of Japan. In addition to the cultural studies, Rose students gained insights into themselves and made new connections to engineering — all because they were learning in a global classroom.
“We discussed engineering from an anthropological point of view when we covered the Fukushima disaster (the nuclear power plant),” said Aiden Walter, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering. He took the Japanese Society class because he had an interest in historical Japan and had independently studied the Japanese language for a few years. Walter wanted an opportunity to apply what he learned.
“We talked about how [taking short cuts] can affect the quality of engineering projects, even when trained professionals work on a project. We also covered the different types of safety in a Japanese context: anzen vs. anshin (effectively scientifically safe vs. emotionally safe). Both aspects are important to consider when working as an engineer on projects.”
Kiana Martin, who was a senior mechanical engineering student when she took the class, gained similar insight into engineering while visiting Japan.
“We talked about the nuclear bombs … and how being an engineer holds great responsibility,” said Martin. “Even if we are capable of doing something, we should ask if we really should. We have to make the ethical decisions because if not, there can be grave consequences.”
These types of insights happen when students can connect what they learn in the classroom to tangible, real world situations. The Japanese Society course is taught by Paul Christensen, associate professor of anthropology. He, along with Tim Grose, associate professor of China studies, accompanied the students to Japan. Grose sees these immersive experiences as essential to learning, especially for STEM students.
“Study abroad experiences teach them how to be critically thinking global citizens and realize there are not always hard and fast answers,” said Grose. “The world we live in is complex and algorithms and equations cannot solve the world’s problems. These are essential tools to have in a critical thinker’s toolkit.”
The Japanese Society class starts with a historical focus. Students then spend about four weeks learning modern history. They learn about the country before World War II, the war era, the aftermath, and the continuity through those periods. Before students went overseas, they examined contemporary issues and how history feeds into those situations. For their study abroad and research experience, students were tasked with identifying a subject of interest and were given time in Japan to explore and conduct research. Students chose topics such as pop culture, how religion is practiced in Japan, expression of religious identity, food and many other areas.
After returning to the United States, the class focused on contemporary issues — what the country is like today and the issues and concerns facing Japanese citizens. Students identified what broader factors influenced their areas of interest and their final papers reflected their research and discovery.
Walter found the classroom experience to be a perfect complement to the study abroad trip.
“My favorite part of the lecture portion of the class was the semi-weekly discussions,” said Walter. “They promoted socialization among the class, building bonds before and after the trip, along with the synthesis of information via the sharing and listening to of other opinions.”
Several students woke early the following day to visit Miyajima, a small island less than an hour outside Hiroshima. The island is commonly known as “shrine island” and famous for its giant torri gate that is built over water. Its key shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, is built over the water. The group then traveled via train to Osaka and spent two days in the city. The last day in Japan was a free day in which students could stay in Osaka or travel to Kyoto; many students did both.
Martin believes that not only did the study abroad experience help her learn so much about Japan, but also about appreciating every moment she had in a different culture and country.
“I learned so much more about Japan!” she said. “I tried different foods and went to new shops and even on a bullet train that felt so smooth.”
As anthropologists, Christensen and Grose share the same outlook on immersive learning experiences, which ultimately drove the direction of the study abroad experience in Japan. Both believe there’s a certain amount of time for directed learning and guided conversations. But for students to get the most out of the trip, they need to be free to fully engage and “self-teach” — to have an immersive experience on their own that’s not mediated by professors.
“It forces them to struggle and be uncomfortable,” said Christensen. “Too often, students are made to be comfortable, and with that, can come complacency. There’s no room for that when you’re somewhere where you can’t communicate how you’re used to, where you’re partially illiterate because things are not written in English. This helps them find new ways to solve simple and complex problems. That’s something they don’t always have in their worlds.”
Christensen’s feelings are echoed by one of the most important lessons Walter learned from studying abroad.
“On a fundamental level, the cultures are very different and promote different values, which gives each place a completely different atmosphere,” said Walter. “And while I had read about this phenomenon beforehand, experiencing it was very cool, if not a bit alienating. I really experienced the differences between American and Japanese culture and that was very valuable.”