This document summarizes a presentation given by Syuhei Kimura about the Project-based English Program (PEP) at Ritsumeikan University in Japan. PEP is an ICT-driven English course that uses students' personal devices and online tools like Google Apps, YouTube, and a custom website. Students complete project-based work over four semesters, developing skills like oral presentations, essays, debates and research papers. The program aims to enhance English education through the relevant use of technology both in and out of the classroom by students and teachers.

1. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
How our ICT-driven English course is made possible
Syuhei KIMURA
Ritsumeikan University (BKC), Japan
kimuras@fc.ritsumei.ac.jp
Twitter: @syuhei
Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar @Ritsumeikan Univ. BKC

2. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
About me
• Syuhei KIMURA
• Associate professor of College of Life Sciences
• Born and live in Kyoto
• Study field: Application of ICT to higher English education
• Graduate of Michigan State University (B.A. in Sociology)
• IT otaku (nerd) since 15 years old
• Facebook: kimura.syuhei
• Instagram: ksyuhei
• Twitter: @syuhei
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3. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
About Ritsumeikan University
• One of the biggest private universities in Japan
• Established in 1869
• Three campuses:
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Kyoto (KIC)
Osaka (OIC)
Shiga (BKC)

4. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
About PEP
• Project-based English Program = PEP
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Comprehensive
Psychology
2008 2010 2016
Life Sci. / Pharmaceutical Sci.
Sport and Health Sci.

5. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
How PEP goes
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P1
(Freshman, Spring)
・Self Appeal
・Oral Presentation
P2
(Freshman, Fall)
・Research Method
・5 Paragraph Essay
・Oral Presentation
P3
(Sophomore, Spring)
・Debate
・Panel Discussion
・Term Paper
P4
(Sophomore, Fall)
・Advanced Research
・Oral Presentation
・Term Paper
• PEP Courses (Freshman – Sophomore)

6. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
Why we call PEP ICT-driven
• In PEP, English and ICT are defined as intellectual tools
for students to build up, advance, and report their own
project.
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is highly encouraged to
both students and teachers.
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7. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
Tools we use in PEP
• English Education and BYOD
• Relevant use of ICT in and out of classroom for students and
teachers
• Doing project-based research on the Web
• Making documents, slides, images, movies etc. with own devices
• Checking grammar, pronunciation, idioms etc. individually
• Sharing files, knowledge and information with classmates
• Submitting assignments to LMS
• Monitoring around relatively small number of students
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8. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
Online channels of PEP
• PEP-RG.JP (VPS)
• http://pep-rg.jp/
• Facebook
• https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBasedEnglishProgram
• YouTube
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY_ucB3dfPEFqY2nKjFAYDg/
• Google Apps for Business
• Google Drive (the storage for recorded presentation clips)
• Google Site (alternative for the current textbooks)
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9. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
How to make BYOD happen
• Problems and Solutions
• Power Supply
• Distributing power strips to each classroom
• Network Speed and Stability
• Setting up a LAN in the building (experimental)
• Cables and Converters
• Preparing extra cables and converters in the storage
• Choice of Laptop
• Providing a guide brochure on which laptop to buy
and things to do with a new device
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10. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
The questionnaire results
• The online questionnaire was conducted to investigate
how our students use digital devices on campus.
• Period: 17-31/Jul/2015
• Respondents: 410 undergrad students of Ritsumeikan University
(206 males & 204 females)
• Colleges:
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Life Sciences 101 (24.6%)
Pharmaceutical Sciences 53 (12.9%)
Sport and Health Science 112 (27.3%)
Law 113 (32.4%)
Others 11 (2.7%)

11. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
In the following digital devices, which one
do you own?
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Smartphone 391 (95.4%)
Laptop computer 321 (78.3%)
Mobile music player 193 (47.1%)
Tablet device 49 (12%)
Handheld game console 127 (31%)
Feature phone 19 (4.6%)
E-book reader 17 (4.1%)
None of the above 0 (0%)

12. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
In the following digital devices, which one do you use to
do schoolwork in class on campus?
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Smartphone 292 (71.2%)
Laptop computer 266 (64.9%)
Mobile music player 9 (2.2%)
Tablet device 22 (5.4%)
Handheld game console 0 (0%)
Feature phone 2 (0.5%)
E-book reader 3 (0.7%)
None of the above 30 (7.3%)

13. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
In what kind of class, do you mainly use digital
devices?
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Foundation course 173 (54.6%)
Specialized subject 129 (40.7%)
Practicum / Experiment 67 (21.1%)
Language 218 (68.8%)
Teacher’s training course 12 (3.8%)
Others 2 (0.6%)

14. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
Findings through 8-year practice of PEP
• Smartphones and tablet devices are often not powerful
enough for students to accomplish all the necessary tasks
in PEP.
• The term “digital native” does not necessarily mean “being
fluent in ICT”.
• As well as students, teachers should also be encouraged
to utilize ICT in their tasks (teaching, research, and other
daily pursuits).
• Teachers should have a co-working space either offline or
online to exchange and share ideas, as students have a
co-learning space.
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15. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
Workshop: Quizlet
• Free online learning tool
• Focuses on memorization
• Generate several kinds of quiz based on flashcards
• Text-to-speech ready
• Accessible from both PC and smart devices
• Good for pattern practice
• Let’s make a quiz set
• Antonym quiz
• Synonym quiz
• Present and share your quiz sets!
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16. Rits x DLUT Joint Seminar (2/Feb/16)
“If we teach today’s students as we taught
yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”
John Dewey
(1859-1952)
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Maxim