プログラム: FFP

We held the “Pre-FFP” at Ito International Research Center (Hongo Campus) for the fifth time on Friday, September 27.

Since we heard voices that said, “It is too big a challenge to join the UTokyo FFP throughout a semester without preparation,” we gave a brief explanation of the UTokyo FFP and enabled the participants to learn some of the material including active learning through experience in the two-hour event.

 

There were 17 participants in total. We first gave a lecture on the changes in higher education and the social background of implementing active learning with the following goals: “To understand the significance and changes of education at university and think of them as your own matters.”

 

The lecture was followed by two trial sessions as shown below:

(1) Active Learning Strategies

Taking “Think Pair Share” as an example, the participants experienced the strategy and organized the points such as “Clarify the instructions,” and “Don’t let the means become an end.”

(2) Motivation

The instructor presented the model of motivation such as “expectancy” and “value” and let the participants think of a class design that motivates students through a discussion on “cases of failure in conducting classes.”

 

Here are some of the feedback we received from the participants.

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“I felt that the form of education is evolving rather than just changing.” (Graduate student in the doctoral course, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics)

“I had no idea of adopting a style different from what I experienced in the past as a student, so it was very interesting.” (Graduate student in the doctoral course, Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences)

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We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the participants who spared their precious time for joining our Pre-FFP.

 

Lastly, we would like to announce that the application form is now available for the UTokyo FFP to be conducted in the next A Term. (Application deadline: Sunday, September 29th.) https://dev2.utokyofd.com/en/ffp/apply/

Regardless of your participation in the Pre-FFP, we look forward to your applications!

 

We held the “Pre-FFP” at Library Plaza, B1, General Library Annex for the fourth time on Thursday, April 11.

Since we heard voices that said, “It is too big a challenge to join the UTokyo FFP throughout a semester without preparation,” we gave a brief explanation of the UTokyo FFP and enabled the participants to learn some of the material including active learning through experience in the two-hour event.

 

There were many visitors on the day, and we welcomed record-high 52 participants in total. We first gave a lecture on the changes in higher education and the social background of implementing active learning with the following goals: “To understand the significance and changes of education at university and think of them as your own matters.”

The lecture was followed by two trial sessions as shown below:

(1) Active Learning Strategies

Taking “Think Pair Share” as an example, the participants experienced the strategy and organized the points such as “Clarify the instructions,” and “Don’t let the means become an end.”

(2) Motivation

The instructor presented the model of motivation such as “expectancy” and “value” and let the participants think of a class design that motivates students through a discussion on “cases of failure in conducting classes.”

 

Here are some of the feedback we received from the participants.

—

“I am now more interested in active learning by experiencing it by myself. I would like to learn more about AL through regular FFP.” (Graduate student in the doctoral course, School of Science)

“What impressed me the most was the importance of inspiring students. I had an experience as a TA, but I think I wasn’t able to inspire students then, so now I know what points I should improve.” (Graduate student in the master’s course, Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences)

“Rubric, portfolio… There were so many techniques that I first met that I’m now excited to take the regular program.” (Graduate student in the doctoral course, Graduate School of Medicine)

—

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the participants who spared their precious time for joining our Pre-FFP.

Lastly, we would like to announce that the application form is now available for the UTokyo FFP to be conducted in the next S Term. (Application deadline: Sunday, April 14th.) https://dev2.utokyofd.com/en/ffp/apply/

Regardless of your participation in the Pre-FFP, we look forward to your applications!

DAY 8 “Envisioning Your Career Path: Structured Academic Portfolio (SAP) Chart
・Goals and Objectives
・Structured Academic Portfolio (SAP)
・The SAP Chart
・How to create a SAP chart
・Reflection

 

The UTokyo FFP finally reached DAY 8. This time, participants reflected on and organized their past activities, visualized their educational views and the significance of their research, and specified their courses of action and career paths through the creation of SAP charts.

Academic Portfolio (AP) is a tool to organize teaching, research, and service (i.e., administrative management of the institution and activities for social contribution), which are faculty duties, and evaluate the information regarding one’s achievements. Structured Academic Portfolio is a kind of portfolio whose description is structured and the procedure and points are clear. SAP is a document of 13–20 pages, and it requires a three-day workshop to create. SAP chart is a preparatory document for creating a SAP that visualizes the whole picture of SAP on an A3 sheet. This time, participants created SAP charts in three hours.

Participants identified the philosophy that underlies their activities by creating a SAP chart. Putting their philosophy into words and sharing it in pairs gave them a lot of insight. They found the core as a faculty member by thinking of the relationships between teaching, research, and service, and integrating them, and based on that, they examined their future objectives, courses of action, and career paths.
We received the following feedback from the participants: “I realized what underlies my sense of value,” “I feel impatient now because now I clearly know what I should do next,” and “I realized what I really would like to do.” They seemed to have gained a lot of insight from the activity of creating a SAP chart.

Facing your philosophy and sharing it with someone else is something that you cannot do unless you are in a safe and secure learning environment. The excellent course/class design of UTokyo FFP and a safe and secure learning environment created by the instructor and participants. Including DAY 8, I frequently encountered the moment when the interaction of these two elements led to wonderful learning. It made me think that I myself would like to create a safe and secure learning environment with my students, too. Come and join the UTokyo FFP for an authentic learning experience in a safe and secure learning environment.