#4315

Workshop

The Digital Divide: Empowering Japanese Freshmen with 21st-Century Skills

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This workshop addresses the critical gap in essential digital skills among Japanese university students, particularly for navigating academic and professional environments. Despite apparent familiarity with digital tools post-pandemic, many first-year students in Japan lack foundational skills such as navigating Google applications, professional email communication, and effective use of collaborative platforms (Goto Butler, 2022; OECD, 2019). Participants will explore practical approaches to integrating digital literacy training within University English courses or similar L2 learning contexts. The workshop will be based on course materials used for a freshman orientation unit, and a 3rd year CLIL course, both focusing on digital citizenship and literacy. Through hands-on activities and collaborative practice, attendees will engage directly with methods for teaching responsible internet usage, effective online communication, and multimedia content creation. The workshop will give examples of in-class activities that focus on experiential learning, critical thinking, and ethical digital citizenship. Attendees will leave with ideas for lesson plans, activities, and assessment strategies that are easily transferable to their teaching contexts, better equipping students with digital literacy skills vital for contemporary academic and professional success.

  • Michelle Jerrems

    Michelle is an English Lecturer with experience teaching in Australia and Japan in the LOTE and TESOL fields. Research interests include autonomy, self-access, communities of practice, collaboration, CALL, reflection, and paperless classrooms.