Instructor: Professor Gen Miyahata
How many students were enrolled?
There were 65 students enrolled in "Qualitative Research Methods" and 45 in "Network Society Theory." While a certain number of students typically withdraw from the courses each year, this year almost all students participated until the very end.
What was the class format?
Both "Qualitative Research Methods" (first half of the semester, live) and "Network Society Theory" (second half of the semester, live) were conducted as two consecutive class periods, primarily online (using Webex and Zoom).
Feedback from Students
"We use Slack as a secondary channel. It's utilized when there are issues with Zoom or as a platform for group work."
In addition to using Zoom for class delivery, providing a Slack workspace for students was highly praised. Did you plan the classes with this in mind from the beginning?
In both classes, we have conducted intensive group work every year to carry out various research practices and formulate research plans. When transitioning to an online format, I considered how to design this component and decided to try using a combination of Slack and breakout rooms in tools like Zoom. In addition to the main channel for everyone, I assigned one channel to each group to serve as their platform for group work discussions and record-keeping. I believe there were various advantages to this approach, such as visualizing the group work process, enabling work and discussions outside of class time, facilitating easy and frequent two-way communication for questions and comments, and allowing groups to check on the progress of others at any time.
In conducting your first online classes, were there any other creative measures you took? Please tell us about them.
I didn't do anything special in terms of tools or techniques. One thing I was conscious of was that since both classes were long three-hour sessions, I tried to avoid a continuously tense atmosphere by appropriately combining lectures, individual assignments, and group work (including breaks), so the class wouldn't feel like a "show" that students just watch and listen to. With the help of TAs/SAs, I created as many opportunities as possible for students to respond and interact, which is fundamentally no different from a regular class. However, especially in the case of group work, it became easier to participate in or observe discussions through Slack and breakout rooms. I feel this was a breakthrough for things that were physically difficult to do in a classroom setting.