Course report on JAP4320 - Modern Japanese Literature, Culture and Society, Autumn 2012
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Did the course run according to plan?
Yes.
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Statistics
6 students signed up; 5 took the exam. The grade results were overall good (average or above
average).
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Proposed changes
We used most of our time on lectures/seminars and discussions, and little time on translation of
Japanese texts. This was partly because the course was open to interested students in East Asian
Studies who do not know Japanese, which has an advantage of reaching a broader spectrum of
master students. The obvious disadvantage was that it was difficult to have a thorough examination
of Japanese texts. Next time I wish to spend more time on translation and analysis of Japanese texts.
Those without the knowledge of Japanese will be given take-home assignments to compensate for
this component of the coursework.
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Student evaluations
According to the student evaluations (3 written evaluations and 3 electronic), they seem to be
generally quite satisfied with the course. 2 who filled out the electronic questionnaire gave a 5 to the
course as a whole, the “lectures,” the “seminars” and the reading list; 1 gave a 6 to the course as a
whole and a 5 to the rest of the components.
Many commented that they have learned new things about contemporary Japanese culture and
literature, and especially enjoyed the discussions. Students had various cultural backgrounds (1
American, 1 Chinese, 1 Japanese, and 3 Norwegians), something that contributed to creating
interesting dynamics in discussions about culture and literature.
Reiko Abe Auestad
January 2013