Hajime MOCHIZUKI

In late May 2025, over a five-day period, through the Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education's “Try-YARU Week” program, Company A, a community-based business, hosted two second-year middle school students for workplace experience internships. Additionally, the author and Company A collaborated to conduct two special career education classes focused on “thinking about the future.” In the special classes, the author explained the “Basic Competencies for Working Adults” proposed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2006, as well as the “Three Principles of the Omi Merchants” related to Company A's management philosophy, in a dialogue-based format. Finally, the two participants conducted industry research on the publishing and bookstore industry, which they were interested in. Through this career education program, both participants saw an improvement in their self-assessment of their basic competencies for working adults compared to before the program.

In June 2022, the “Basic Principles for Promoting Internships” (Agreement between Three Ministries) was revised based on an agreement between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. As a result, only programs lasting five days or more (Type 3: General Skills and Specialized Application Type) can now be implemented as “internships.” The International Studies Department of the International Faculty at Osaka Sangyo University has been offering an “Internship” course since the 2022 academic year. However, starting from the 2025 academic year, the department is proceeding with curriculum revisions to align with the recent amendments to the Three-Ministry Agreement, including renaming the course to “Career Design 3” and revising the syllabus content. This report details these practical measures.

Since April 2016, the author has been involved in the preparatory work for the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies at Osaka Sangyo University, including the selection of destinations for long-term study abroad programs and short-term overseas training programs in English-speaking countries, as well as the conclusion of agreements with overseas educational institutions. Since the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies in April 2017, the author has been involved in the development and overall operation of long-term study abroad programs and short-term overseas training programs in English-speaking countries, with the cooperation of travel agencies. This paper reports on the development and operation of “long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries” and “short-term overseas training programs in English” aimed at achieving “safe and secure study abroad” in the post-COVID-19 era. It covers the development of new partner institutions in Australia, the first overseas dispatch program after the pandemic (a three-week English overseas training program in Australia in the spring of 2022), and long-term study abroad programs in 2023 (six months in the United States and six months in Australia). Finally, I explain the three types of travel contracts defined by the Travel Agency Act: “package tours,” “customized tours,” and “arranged tours.” I discuss how the scope of responsibility for the travel agency that undertakes the contract varies depending on the type of contract, using specific examples to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Osaka Sangyo University's Faculty of International Studies was established in April 2017 and is now in its eighth year. Since April 2016, the presenter has been involved in preparatory work for the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies, including selecting destinations for long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English, as well as concluding agreements with overseas educational institutions. Since the establishment of the International Studies Department in April 2017, the presenter has been involved in the development and overall operation of programs for long-term study abroad in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English, with the support of travel agencies. From 2020, the presenter experienced the cancellation of overseas programs and the shift to online training due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resumption of overseas study abroad and training programs post-pandemic. In universities, long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English require the development and operation of programs that prioritize the safety and health of participating students while being as affordable and comprehensive as possible. In this paper, I will report on the development and operation of English-speaking country dispatch study abroad and overseas training programs aimed at providing safe, secure, and one-stop student support, focusing on the 2022 spring English overseas training program (three weeks in Australia), which was the first overseas dispatch after the pandemic and involved the development of new partner institutions in Australia.

This report details the collaborative efforts between career center staff and faculty members in the International Studies Department of a newly established four-year university in 2017 to implement career education and support programs. During the first half of the 2020 academic year, when the first cohort of students graduated, the job placement rate was low. Additionally, the 2021 and 2022 academic years were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, the collaborative efforts between faculty and staff in providing detailed career education and support proved successful, resulting in an employment offer rate (relative to job seekers) of 96.4% for the 2020 academic year (first cohort), 98.4% for the 2021 academic year, and 98.8% for the 2022 academic year.

The eight first-enrolled students (fourth-year students in the 2020 academic year) of the Mochizuki Seminar, Department of International Studies, Faculty of International Studies, Osaka Sangyo University, and the second cohort (fourth-year students in the 2021 academic year) consisting of 8 members, over the two-year period from their third to fourth year, as part of the university's community engagement activities, conducted research on recommended spots in Daito City—where Osaka Sangyo University is located and with which it has concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement—from the perspective of current university students, and worked on the creation of tourist guides (A4 double-sided color versions) in both Japanese and English. Additionally, in the 2019 academic year, they collaborated with the Koka City Tourism and Urban Development Association (Shiga Prefecture), and in the 2020 academic year, with the Setouchi City Tourism Association (Okayama Prefecture), to create English translations of each region's tourist guide maps. Through these project activities, each student was able to enhance their foundational skills for the workplace.

Within the framework of an educational partnership agreement between Osaka Sangyo University and ANA Business Solutions Co., Ltd., which operates the ANA Airline School, two first-year career education programs were implemented for first-year international studies students as part of their regular classes, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs were: (1) an on-demand video lecture series titled “Customer Service & Etiquette” (May–July 2020), taught by the author, and (2) Donation Lecture “Hospitality Required in a Global Environment” on May 19, 2021, Instructor: Current Cabin Attendant Instructor) were examined from the perspectives of first-year education and career education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity for first-year university students to participate in practical lectures conducted by current cabin attendants within regular classes is unprecedented and is considered a highly valuable educational practice from the perspectives of first-year education and career education.

The Mochizuki Seminar (first-enrolled students: 8 third-year students) in the Department of International Studies, Faculty of International Studies, Osaka Sangyo University, under the framework of the comprehensive partnership agreement between Osaka Sangyo University and Daito City, undertook a project in the 2019 academic year to create Japanese and English versions of tourist guides (A4 double-sided color prints) featuring recommended spots in Daito City, as seen through the eyes of current university students. This time, the focus was on Swan Café & Bakery Daito Store, where students not only interviewed about freshly baked bread and delicious coffee but also about the workplace where people with and without disabilities can work together. Through this process, the creation of the tourist guide contributed to enhancing the students' foundational skills for entering the workforce. In this project, the students not only utilized their knowledge and skills in English education to translate the tourist guide into English, but also conducted their own research, created the Japanese version of the tourist guide, and translated it into English. This project-based learning (PBL) approach to active learning allowed the students to contribute to society, which seemed to give them a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, through this project, students interacted with various professionals, such as city hall employees and shop owners, which helped them improve their basic workplace skills, including greetings and etiquette, as well as the “basic workplace skills” advocated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry—the foundational abilities necessary for working with diverse people in the workplace and local community.

Osaka Sangyo University entered into an educational partnership with ANA Business Solutions Co., Ltd., which operates ANA Airline School, in September 2016, ahead of the establishment of the International Studies Department in the Faculty of International Studies in April 2017. At ANA Airline School, current cabin attendants serve as instructors and offer double-schooling courses on topics such as basic skills for working adults and customer service. This article reports on the social demand for global talent development underlying the recent surge in the establishment of international studies departments, a survey of trends at neighboring universities, and the process leading up to the signing of the educational collaboration agreement. Furthermore, it reports on how this educational collaboration has opened the door for all students across all departments and programs aiming to work in the aviation industry to enroll in ANA Airline School at a discounted rate. It also highlights an example of educational collaboration focused on first-year career education, specifically a donation-based course conducted by current ANA cabin attendants at ANA Airline School for all first-year students in the International Studies Department.

Since 2017, we have been conducting a three-year consecutive project at Osaka Sangyo University to address student dropout rates. As part of this initiative, we reported on educational practices related to English interviews with foreign tourists at Osaka Castle Park during “Workshop 1,” which was held as part of the introductory seminar for first-year students in the International Studies Department at Osaka Sangyo University. Furthermore, the report examined the correlation between student absences from OEV events and dropout rates one year later. In the 2018 academic year, the overall dropout rate improved significantly compared to the 2017 academic year, and the absence rate from this program (OEV) among students who dropped out within one year also improved significantly. These results are believed to be due to the success of the first-year education program, which was carried out with the cooperation of faculty members from the International Studies Department, led by the instructor in charge of Introductory Seminar 1. Going forward, we aim to compare the dropout rates of students who missed OEV events at the end of their first year and strive to narrow the gap between the two groups as much as possible through post-event guidance.

This report presents three educational practices and their outcomes related to interdisciplinary collaboration between the “Introductory Seminar 1” and “Workshop 1” courses for first-year students in the International Studies Department of our university's International Studies Faculty, which is in its second year of operation. These practices focus on the interplay between theory and practice, practical intercultural understanding and communication education, and English education, all with an emphasis on first-year career education: (1) A new student orientation event titled “American Culture Experience at OSAKA ENGLISH VILLAGE” (as part of the “Introduction Seminar 1” course), (2) Implementation of a donation-based lecture titled “Customer Service & Etiquette Lecture” featuring a current cabin attendant from a major Japanese airline as a guest lecturer (as part of the “Workshop 1” course), (3) Learning about cross-cultural understanding and communication in “Workshop 1” with a focus on the interplay between theory and practice (Week 1: Theoretical learning through various activities such as group work in the classroom; Week 2: Conducting English interviews with foreign tourists at Osaka Castle Park).

This paper reports on three educational practices related to cross-cultural understanding education and English language education for first-year students at Osaka Sangyo University's Faculty of International Studies. 1. Educational practice in “Workshop 1,” which combines experiential theoretical learning on cross-cultural understanding and communication with off-campus fieldwork. 2. A cross-cultural understanding lecture in “Workshop 1” conducted by a current flight attendant from a major airline, with a focus on first-year career education. 3. A new student welcome event titled “American Culture Simulation Experience at OSAKA ENGLISH VILLAGE” as part of the “Introduction Seminar” course. According to post-event surveys, many students expressed positive feedback such as “my understanding of other cultures has deepened” regarding each educational practice. These educational practices are merely a part of the introductory education during the first year of the four-year university program. Going forward, we aim to develop new university education programs targeting “global talent development,” including internships in the travel and aviation industries, language proficiency improvement, and overseas training programs that provide experiences in cross-cultural understanding.

This paper aims to contribute to English communication courses offered in the first year of university, with a focus on the connection between high school and university. In Chapter 2, we overview the educational objectives of the high school course “English Expression II” and, based on a survey of textbooks, examine the extent to which debate in English is incorporated into high school education. In Chapter 3, we explore the benefits of debate in English education from the perspective of the critical thinking skills required in the International Baccalaureate's “Theory of Knowledge” and the evaluation criteria of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Chapter 4 examines the significance of this research from the perspectives of academic ability and global talent development. Chapter 5 explains the “Simple Debate” currently being researched by the authors and proposes a practical model. The author's responsibility lies in Chapter 4.

This educational practice paper, written by the author in the 2013 academic year as the homeroom teacher for the first-year class in the Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, details collaborative efforts with other homeroom teachers, subject teachers, school nurses, dormitory staff, and graduate school teaching assistants (TAs) to implement educational practices such as freshman orientation camps, academic support for English and mathematics, music recitals, English lectures by professors from U.S. universities, and first-year education using small helicopters. As a result of these educational practices, students with an attendance rate of over 90% in first-year education programs throughout the year had a very high promotion rate to the second year of 97.1%. However, improving guidance methods for students with lower attendance rates remained a challenge. The author's responsibility covers the entire paper except for the section on first-year education using small helicopters.

Based on three years of practical experience from the “Advanced Engineering Course English Camp 2009, 2010, 2011,” this academic paper compares and analyzes the learning effects (overall English proficiency, listening skills, and reading comprehension) of three learning methods—shadowing, shadowing + speed reading, and TOEIC preparation—and examines their relevance to previous theoretical and practical research. The conclusion is that while shadowing alone is effective for improving listening skills, combining shadowing with speed reading within the same time frame significantly improves not only listening skills but also overall English proficiency and reading comprehension. In other words, while shadowing only has an indirect effect on improving reading comprehension, speed reading directly contributes to its improvement.

This peer-reviewed paper examines the educational practices and effects of the “Specialized Course English Camp 2009” at Yuge Merchant Marine College. Pre- and post-tests (English Proficiency Test administered by the Japan English Proficiency Association) were conducted, and statistical analysis revealed that the five-day intensive English course significantly improved students' overall English proficiency, listening skills, and reading comprehension. The author wrote the entire paper, while other co-authors contributed to content revision and proofreading. (Contribution ratio: 90%)

This report summarizes educational practices related to shadowing lessons and their results (improvement in listening comprehension and reading comprehension), as well as plans for measurement experiments aimed at elucidating the brain's language processing mechanisms during shadowing learning using NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy).

Recently,some of the first-year students in our college arrived without adequate study or social skills.As a result,some dropped out during the first year.Therefore,the "First-Year Experience st the College of Technology(Kosen)" was implemented in order to support a smooth transition from secondary education to higher education for these new students.We designed the "Orientation Camp" project.12 teachers led 89 new students to Omishima,Ehime on April 10th and 11th,2009.We carried out the following collaborative activities:(1)cooking curry and rice outdoors,(2)orienteering in small groups.According to the post questionnaire,92.1% of the students indicated that the camp helped them nake new friends.In addition,this paper reports the following educational practices for these students:(1)short morning home room,(2)extra math lessons,(3)art and calligraphy exhibition and a music concert in the school festival,(4)lectures by guest speakers,(5)active learning through hands-on activities.The one-year joint program implemented by our teachers resulted in no students dropping out of school in the middle of 2009.

An academic paper on practical research into shadowing in English education in Japanese schools. After reviewing the changes in the environment surrounding English education in Japan today, as well as previous research on shadowing from both theoretical and practical perspectives, this paper reports on practical research into shadowing lessons for second-year junior high school students, and action research aimed at improving shadowing reproduction rates and scores on the Eiken Grade 2 listening test for first-year high school students. Furthermore, the paper examines the construction of a simplified language laboratory (LL) system aimed at effective shadowing learning in higher vocational schools without LL classrooms, as well as the practical application of shadowing and its effects (improvements in both listening comprehension and reading comprehension) among specialized course students in higher vocational schools.

Recently, some of the first-year students in our college seemed not to have enough study experience from their junior high-school years. Therefore, "first-year experience at college of technology (Kosen)" is important in order to support a smooth transition from secondary education to higher education. We designed "Orientation Camp 2009" project as a part of first-year experience with our teachers' support and cooperation. Participants in the orientation camp were 89 new students in our college. 12 staffs that consist of 11 teachers and 1 nurse led them to an accommodation for living in groups in Omishima, Ehime on April 10th and 11th, 2009. We carried out the following activities: (1) orientation for new college life, (2) outdoor curry cooking, (3) practice singing national anthem and college song, (4) orienteering in a small group, (5) home room in each class. According to the post questionnaire answered by our college's first-year students, 63.7% of the students had the positive impression towards the orientation camp. 92.1% of the students felt that the camp helped them to make new friends. However, their positive impression varied with each activity. In the future, we need to design more attractive activities that will satisfy all the new students.

A peer-reviewed paper examining the educational practices and effects of the “2008 English Camp for Specialized Courses” at Yuge Merchant Marine College. Pre- and post-tests (listening tests included in Longman TOEIC preparation materials) were conducted, and statistical analysis revealed that the five-day intensive English course significantly improved students' listening skills.

National technical colleges have a unique educational system in which they accept junior high school graduates as first-year students. This paper discusses the need for various educational support measures to help first-year students adapt to technical college education, and verifies the educational effects based on reports on specific first-year educational practices, such as project-based learning and international exchange, and analysis of questionnaire results.

Recently, some of the first-year students seemed not to have enough study experience from their junior high-school years. Therefore, "first-year experience at college" is important in order to support a smooth transition from secondary education to higher education. We designed an "active learning" project to foster a cosmopolitan outlook in our first-year students with our teachers' support and cooperation. We received 36 American high school students escorted by 5 teachers from Bear Creek High School, Colorado, U.S.A. at our college on June 16-17, 2008. We carried out the following activities: (1) Japanese students taught basic Japanese greetings to American students in a small group, (2) Japanese students taught daily conversation to American students in a small group, and vice versa, (3) Japanese students taught Japanese calligraphy and origami paper craft to American students and completed art works by cooperating with each other. According to the post questionnaire answered by our college's first-year students, 73.3% of the students had the positive impression towards the international exchange. However, their positive impression varied with each activity: (1) 33.4% < (2) 62.6% < (3) 71.4% In the future, we need to design activities that will enable both Japanese and American students to communicate more actively and cheerfully.

A shadowing exercise was conducted with first-year high school students during regular English classes, using recordings of native English speakers with short pauses between phrases and clauses. The results showed a significant improvement in shadowing playback accuracy in the third recording compared to the first recording, and a significant improvement in the correct answer rate in the post-test compared to the pre-test in the Eiken Grade 2 listening test past questions. This suggests that shadowing with pauses could serve as a bridge to regular shadowing without pauses.

Shadowing was conducted to investigate whether it is an effective learning method for junior high school students in the early stages of English language learning. The students were divided into two groups: a shadowing practice group of 39 students and a traditional audio learning group of 19 students who did not engage in shadowing practice but instead practiced pronouncing new words, listened to and repeated passages from their textbooks. Each group participated in 20-minute sessions four times a week for 50 minutes over a period of approximately one month, for a total of 13 sessions. The participants were 58 second-year students at a private middle school, and the materials used were English texts from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-approved textbooks NEW HORIZON II and III that had been studied in class. The increase in scores from the pre-test (40 questions from past exams for the Eiken Level 3, Pre-Level 2, and Level 2 tests) and post-test (same questions as the pre-test) listening tests was statistically analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA. The results showed that shadowing significantly improved middle school students' listening comprehension skills.