Office of International Programs
Japan Study Abroad photo

Schooling in Japan

K12 School and University Visits in Tokyo
 

Comparative Education, Catholic Social Teaching, and Intercultural Competence: a unique study abroad experience built around firsthand visits to Tokyo schools.

The purpose of the study abroad trip is to provide students with firsthand experience visiting K-12 schooling in Japan. The itinerary includes a private elementary school, a public middle school, a public high school, and a private university. During the school visits, students observe and participate in classroom instruction. They play at recess with the elementary school students; they do warm-up drills with the middle school's badminton team; they are given student-led tours of the high school; and attend a meet-and-greet event at the university. The school visits are organized by volunteer liaison colleagues in Japan. Among those colleagues, the generous work of Dr. Tatsuya Isono (Professor of English Linguistics, Seijo University) is central. In addition to school visits, the study abroad students take part in cultural and historical excursions around the Tokyo area. They take a morning bus tour of Tokyo, stopping at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, and the Asakusa neighborhood. They visit Hamarikyu Gardens, a Japanese garden park dating back to the 1700s. They take a river taxi up the Sumida River to visit Tokyo Sky Tree Tower, currently the tallest structure in the country. On another day, the group visits the Edo-Tokyo History Museum and the TeamLabs Digital Museum. Some in the group also attend Catholic Mass, which was celebrated in Japanese. Outside of the school visits, a definite highlight of the travel portion is the evening visit to Tokyo Disneyland. Throughout the trip, the students are encouraged to identify relationships between the educational system in Japan and wider Japanese society. On a regular basis, students post their observations in real-time on social media. For their final course assignment, students write brief academic papers recounting what the study abroad experience have taught them about (a) comparative education studies, (b) Catholic Social Teaching, and (c) intercultural competence.

Program-Specific Information

Term: Spring Semester (May Travel)

Program Dates: May 21 to May 29, 2022

Country: Japan

Program Itinerary: Click here to explore the program!

Course: EDST 3900: Engaging the World - Comparative Education Studies through Travel Abroad (syllabus)
This course is cross listed as CORE 3882.

Program Fee: $2,312

Housing Accommodations: Hotels

Air Travel: Round-trip air travel is not included as part of the program fee.

DSS Info: Students at Seton Hall University who have a physical, medical, learning or psychiatric disability, either temporary or permanent, may be eligible for reasonable accommodations during their study abroad program. In order to receive such accommodations, students must identify themselves at the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS), provide appropriate documentation and collaborate in the development of an accommodation plan. Students seeking accommodations on a study abroad program, are encouraged to begin the process with the DSS office at least 6 months in advance of the program start date. Click here to learn more.

Faculty Leader

Bryan MeadowsLeader: Dr. Bryan Meadows bring decades of experience in the field of education at the primary/secondary and post-secondary levels. Furthermore, he has two years of experience teaching in public elementary and middle schools in Japan. Dr. Meadows have been leading comparative education study abroad trips to Japan since 2014 and has developed an extensive interpersonal network within the Tokyo area.

Email: [email protected]