Koki Sawai: The Ideal Seminar

"When you become a university faculty member, what kind of seminar would you like to create?"

I remember answering, "I want to make it a seminar that students are glad they joined even after graduation!" when asked during my Doctoral Programs entrance interview. Having an ideal is fine, but the problem is how to create such a seminar. While smiling wryly at my past self, how would I answer that same question now, nearly 10 years into my career as a university faculty member? I tried to think about it while reflecting on my own seminar management.

After getting a job, I first pondered the nature of a leader. My mentor, Professor Yukiharu Kurokawa, once spoke about the qualities necessary for a business manager, and I believe those apply to university faculty as well. Namely: "ability," "character," and "personality." This would mean striving for excellence in one's specialized field, possessing a sense of morality that does not deviate from social norms, and being mild-mannered. However, reality is not so sweet that students will follow you just by polishing yourself.

When standing at the podium, the state of the students is clearly visible. The "free-riding" students, the students who have stopped thinking—their condition is conveyed surprisingly well. "Please do your work properly" or "Feel free to ask questions"—such calls have little effect, and I often felt frustrated. However, it is selfish to want to be respected by students without making an effort to understand them. Reaching that realization, I decided to take measures to close the distance with my students. However, even when I held drinking parties, the conversations were only superficial. After worrying for a while, I suddenly decided to try changing how I addressed the students. Feeling a sense of distance in using the honorific "-san," I asked them to self-report their preferred names, and many students requested their first names. Changing the way I addressed them was highly effective in closing the distance, making it easier to provide encouragement and feedback to each individual. Perhaps humans become more motivated when they feel they are being watched closely; their proactiveness improved. In an effort to respond to such students, I put more energy into my own research, and I came to truly experience "learning while teaching, teaching while learning."

I believe the important consequence brought about by the minor measure of changing names is the relationship of trust born between the students and the faculty member. Therefore, "a seminar where faculty and students are bound by a relationship of trust" is my answer at this point in time. As I get older, my methods will inevitably have to change, but I want to realize my ideal through trial and error. That said, ideals can change. Let's check the answer again in 10 years.