The Japanese government has in recent years placed increasing emphasis on an active
model of learning, as distinct from the conventional passive paradigm, at the primary,
secondary, and tertiary level. In classrooms informed by active design, teachers are
facilitators rather than dispensers of knowledge, while students are discoverers or creators of meaning as opposed to empty vessels. The active classroom incorporates presentations, role-plays, discussions and debates and minimizes lectures. The rationale for the shift is simple: students in the active classroom acquire a sense of ownership over their learning and thus heightened levels of academic motivation. Our presentation will describe active learning projects undertaken in English language classes in the Faculty of Tourism Management at Niigata University of Management and discuss the feedback we have
received from students.
