Re: [tlug] Corona and schools in Japan

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On 29/4/2020 8:31 am, Christian Horn wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 07:25:00PM +0800, Raymond Wan wrote:
> > I don't know much about Japan (sorry!) but I think everyone has been caught
> > off guard with the sudden pressure to teach online.
> I guess so.  People working in westernish companies, with colleagues
> spread over the world, have adapted to this over time.  Here in
> Japan, there was no real need, and it was disencouraged in many places.


Yes.  True international companies had been having meetings 
on-line already, well before this pandemic.  Perhaps some 
Japanese companies had to, but most probably just issue 
directives to their overseas offices and don't need to have 
weekly meetings.


> > PS:  I'm actually studying Japanese here.  When they switched to online
> > teaching, I dropped the course :-) .  I don't think I would be getting
> > anything from it.  Online teaching also has issues like homework and exams
> That's interesting.  I consider you rather tech affine, but you did not
> even give this a try?


Hmmmm, in terms of technology, I don't think it was very 
high-tech.  It's just seeing the slides and then the names 
of your teacher and the 15-20 classmates.  He asks a 
question and unmutes the student and s/he answers.  Then 
repeat.  At 3 hours a class, I think it would be difficult 
to not open another window and do something else.

Perhaps I've seen enough computers during the day to choose 
to enroll in a Japanese course to not have to see them.  :-)

My commute to class is like 45 minutes one-way.  So, there's 
no doubt this method of learning saves a lot of time.  But I 
don't know if it's worth the time (I already paid the 
tuition and can't get a refund).

Perhaps not anyone can teach in front of dozens of eyes.  If 
that's true, then not anyone can teach through a web cam as 
well.  And whoever can do one may not be able to do the 
other?  Maybe it was the teacher...

(I gave it a try for less than 5 minutes; haven't logged in 
since.  I think the midterm is coming up...  Oh!  That's 
another issue; the assessment.  It's now a series of "take 
home" exams and, not surprisingly, everyone's score is high. 
 An open book Japanese exam...  :-) )


> My mum in Germany started to learn English.  With corona, they started
> to offer online, which they also upfront refused - despite knowing that
> for me it's actually working nicely: I have weekly 1:1 skype sessions
> with one professional teacher, and tandem partners.


Hmmmmm, indeed, I don't intend to dismiss the technology. 
It's just a tool.  Whoever uses it to teach has to know how 
to use the tool well.

I don't blame my school or its teachers.  They weren't hired 
to teach on-line.  And they were thrown into it suddenly 
with no proper training.  I won't hold it against them.  But 
3 hours of that once a week...ugh...

If this is some sort of consulting business, then besides 
the technology, training on how to use the tools better 
would be helpful, I guess?

Ray