Soka University held a two-day, one-night workshop, “Planning Classes to Enhance Active Learning,” at the Tamanagayama Information & Education Center on September 7 and 8, 2015. The workshop was attended by 16 members of the Faculty of Letters, 11 members of the Faculty of Nursing, and 2 members of the Faculty of Business Administration.

Four instructors from Ehime University were invited to lead the workshop: Naoto Kobayashi, Professor of the School of Medicine, Director of the Office for Educational Planning and Research, the Institute for Education and Student Support; Masaki Nakamichi, Director of the Instructional Design Office, the Center for Information Technology; Atsuko Nemoto, Associate Professor, the University Consortium for e-Learning, Shikoku Center; and Maya Kaji, Project Researcher of the Office for Educational Planning and Research, the Institute for Education and Student Support. Ehime University is certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as the “Center for Faculty and Staff Development in Higher Education.” To improve the quality of the courses that use active learning strategies, the participants learned hands-on techniques that can help to plan out their classes and assess their students’ learning outcomes.

The participants said: “The lecture and workshop helped me find a specific solution to the problem that I had. Now I know how to improve my teaching.” “The last presentation was truly inspiring and eye-opening. I can use those ideas in the classes that I teach.” “I learned about the potential of active learning. More specifically, I learned that the depth of learning has nothing to do with whether or not one is energetic.”