[Hunter College] Requesting help with research on cross-cultural experiences in Japan

Written By Events JETAANY

Dr. Maayan Barkan of Hunter College is conducting research into cross-cultural differences experienced by those who have lived in Japan. If you have a moment, we would appreciate if you could complete a short survey, as it will be used to help improve Japanese language education. Dr. Barkan and the entire Hunter College Japanese Program are ardent supporters of the JET Program, and it would be wonderful if we could have some of our alumni help with this project. Please see below for her original request.

Have you visited or lived in Japan and experienced cross-cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan? Your experience could help improve Japanese language education!

My name is Maayan Barkan, and I am the director of the Japanese Program and a Japanese language instructor at Hunter College of the City University of New York. I am conducting research on cultural differences between the United States and Japan, and I would love to hear about your experiences.

Who Should Fill This Survey Out?

Please fill out the following survey only if you are someone who:

  • Grew up in the U.S.

  • Has the experience of visiting/living in Japan

  • Had any kind of cross-cultural experience while visiting/living in Japan

Survey Link:

https://cunyhunter.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8jDw9fdvHeTnVz0

How Your Experience Helps:

Your cross-cultural experiences provide authentic, real-world examples of how Japanese and American cultural norms differ. This information will help us:

  • Identify specific situations where cultural miscommunication is likely

  • Understand which aspects of Japanese culture are most surprising to Americans

  • Develop Japanese language teaching materials that raise students' awareness of these differences and equip them to communicate effectively within Japanese sociocultural norms and expectations

  • Create a curriculum that addresses real cultural challenges, not stereotypes

What's Involved:

  • One anonymous online survey

  • Estimated completion time: 10 minutes

Share With Others:

If you know other Americans who have visited or lived in Japan, please feel free to forward this survey. The more diverse experiences we collect, the better we can support Japanese language learners.

IRB Approval:

This study has been approved by the Hunter College Institutional Review Board.

Questions?

 If you have any questions about this research, please contact me at: Maayan Barkan at mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu 

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Your insights will make a real difference in how we teach Japanese language and culture!

Best regards,

Maayan Barkan (PhD)
Japanese Program Director
Japanese Language instructor
Department of Classical and Oriental Studies
Hunter College
City University of New York

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