SGH Activity Report 2017
15.01.2019 Update
SGH Activity Report 2017
Project Study (Compulsory Subjects)
Global Geography (geography and history subjects for first-year students)
In May, the students conducted fieldwork in Suwa (Nagano). They analyzed the area’s natural features and industrial composition, as well as its international connections, and attempted to identify the social issues affecting the area.
After the fieldwork, the student contributed articles to a local paper describing the findings of their fieldwork, including what they saw, what they heard from the local people, and what they felt about the fieldwork.
In SGH Workshop I, we held a research project class about how maps can help solve problems.
For their summer project, the students participated in the Chuo University’s 17th Ecology Essay Contest for High School Students. They won the School Prize.
The students participated in the poster session for high school students of the Autumn Academic Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers 2017.
The students participated in the “27th Exhibition of Maps Showing the Surrounding Environment” organized by the Society for Environmental Map Information. The students won prizes: the Prize of the Director of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Prize for Excellence, and Prize for Effort.
University instructors and specialists delivered special classes.
Titles of lectures/classes:
- Special Class: Suwa fieldwork
Lecture by: Naoko Hasegawa, (Associate Professor of Geography [Letters and Education], Ochanomizu University) - Population problems and gender in developing countries
Lecture by: Tomoko Fukuda (Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning) - Restoring hope in disaster-stricken areas
Lecture by: Shigeki Uno (Professor of Institute of Social Science, the University of Tokyo) - Social research methods
Lecture by: Isamu Sugino (Professor of Human Science [Letters and Education], Ochanomizu University)
Sustainability Studies I ( The Period for Integrated Studies for second-year students)
The second-year students formed 33 teams and conducted fieldwork. The teams arranged the fieldwork themselves, including deciding the theme, where to conduct the fieldwork, and acquiring consent of the relevant parties in the proposed site.
This year, Sustainability Studies consisted of three categories, each of which consisted of two courses. In each category, the students conducted course-specific research projects and presented their end-of-term and interim reports. In this way, the students shared their findings and improved their communication skills. The students also attended a symposium to share each other’s work results.
The students also presented their work at a cultural festival.
Category 1: Life and the Environment
Economic Development and the Environment
Specialists from the business world and other sectors delivered special lectures or led special classes.
Titles of lectures/classes:
- How waribashi (disposable chopsticks) can save local communities and the Earth
Lecture/class by: Takayuki Kasumi (Juon Network) - Environmental problems and science communication
Lecture/class by: Akane Iwasaki (Science Communicator, National Institute for Environmental Studies); Michiko Enokido (Research Fellow, Science and Education Center, Ochanomizu University)
The students from this course attended Chuo University’s 17th Ecology Essay Contest for High School Students, and they won prizes, including the top prize and merit awards.
A team from the course participated in the 20th Website Competition for Junior and Senior High School Students, in which contestants conduct research and design a website. The team won the Platinum Prize of the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.
The students composed essays summing up their year’s work in individual and had group presentations.
Examples of essay titles:
- Making eel farming sustainable
- Reducing redeliveries
Life, Health and Medical Care
The students participated in a school excursion to the JICA Global Plaza.
There were also excursions to the following: National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Meguro Parasitological Museum, Institute of Medical Science (University of Tokyo), Modern Medical Science Memorial Hall (University of Tokyo).
University instructors and specialists delivered special classes.
- Pre-birth diagnosis and genetic counseling
Lecture/class by: Junko Yotsumoto (Research Instructor, Human Developmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University) - Global infectious diseases and how to prevent them
Lecture/class by: Yoko Nukui (Tokyo Medical and Dental University)
The students participated in the 19th Short Essay Competition for High School Students. One student won the Encouragement Prize.
To present their work for the year, the students designed and distributed educational brochures. They also created and published videos.
They presented their year’s work in individual and group presentations.
Examples of essay titles:
- Barriers to applying cutting-edge medicine
- Why informed consent is important
Category 2: Economy and Human Rights
International Cooperation and Gender Issues
In September, the Tokyo Stock Exchange introduced the Start-up Experience Program. The students participated in this. They formed into four teams, and each team presented a proposal for a social business that would address one or more of the problems described in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
University instructors delivered lectures and held discussion classes.
Titles of lectures/classes:
- Gender in representational culture
Lecture/class by: Yoko Totani (Professor, Human Developmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University) - Friendly Islamic society
Lecture/class by: Toru Miura (Professor, Human Developmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University) - Children and their relationship with the state: Insights from Mother’s Day and Father’s Day
Lecture/class by: Ryoko Kodama (Professor, Human Developmental Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University)
Two student teams presented at a special event under the Start-up Experience Program, and one of the teams won the top prize.
The students composed individual and group essays summing up their year’s work.
Examples of essay titles:
- What is gender? Raising women’s status in the workplace
- An attempt to reform employees’ attitudes toward childrearing
International Relations and Resolution
Professionals from the business world came to the school to deliver a lecture and lead a discussion.
Title:
- Solve problems on the world stage!
Lecture/discussion by: Aki Tsukamoto and Shino Ishikawa (IBM Japan)
The students participated in the 11th Global Classrooms International High School Model UN Conference
The students participated in the 18th Nikkei Stock League, the theme of which was investment as a solution to global social problems. One of the second-year teams won a prize.
The students composed individual and group essays summing up their year’s work.
Examples of essay titles:
- Achieving gender equality in South Africa
- How to effectively support developing countries
Category 3: Culture and Expression
Information Technology and Creativity
The students learned problem-solving tools and fostered attitudes by studying IT knowledge and skills (e.g., programming). They then applied these skills in project assignments that address a social issue.
Business professionals delivered lectures or led workshops, either at school or in the company premises.
- 3D computer graphics and mathematics
Lecture/discussion by: Hirofumi Seo (head of Sciement)
The students composed essays summing up their year’s work.
Examples of essay titles:
- Toward a secure society: Junior and senior high school students and the information society
- How IT can promote better health
Art and Expression（non-verbal communication）
For their fieldwork, the students visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and examined the museum from multiple perspectives, including the visitor-facing and behind-the-scenes aspects.
The students individually composed essays summing up their year’s work.
Examples of essay titles:
- Wheelchair-friendly stadia
- Train station accessibility for blind people
Sustainability Studies II (The Period for Integrated Studies for third-year students)
The students of each class compiled English-language newsletters describing their work in SGH programs over the last three years, including their research projects, the knowledge and findings they learned in each course, and the skills they acquired.
The students participated in a project that the Global Education Information Center organized in cooperation with the English Language Education Council and a news organization. The students submitted the newspaper they prepared in this course to the National Junior and Senior High School English Newspaper Competition, and one class earned the second prize.
Overseas Study
Twenty-four second-year students went on a Taiwan study program. They studied alongside students of Taipei First Girls’ High School, exchanging ideas on their work.
Global Courses
SGH and the Research Organization for Promotion of Global Women’s Leadership organized the sixth Road to Global Leadership event, which featured Christine Karbowiak (Executive Vice President of Bridgestone Americas).
Second-year students attended a forum with Nobel Prize winners hosted by the Yomiuri Shimbun. Nobel Prize winners Reona (Leo) Ezaki, Ryoji Noyori, and Shinya Yamanaka spoke at the event.
Asa Ito, from Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Institute for Liberal Arts, delivered a lecture titled “how blind people see the world.”
A member of Ochanomizu University’s Library and Information Division led a special class on how to use the library for research.
Other Activities
To give people a chance to see the kind of work our students do, we held our first open class in June, and we held the 2017 SGH Student Work Presentation and the 22nd Open Education and Research Meeting in March.
As members of Aeon 1% Club Foundation’s Asia Youth Leaders, the students visited Bangkok and conducted fieldwork alongside students from other Asian countries. During this program, they developed ideas on how to improve water quality in Bangkok and in Thailand’s canals.
Michiko Watanabe (Professor of Keio University [graduate school]) came to the school to deliver a special class on using statistics to solve problems. The class formed part of Liberal Arts Basics Course 1: Mathematics.
To enhance their awareness of Japanese culture, the first-year students attended a kabuki appreciation event and the second-year students attended a bunraku (Japanese traditional puppet play)appreciation event.
Participated in Summer Program
High school students participated in Ochanomizu University’s summer program, the aim of which was to encourage bonding between Japanese students and overseas students.
Participated in 3rd National SGH Student Work Presentation
Second-year students gave poster presentations at the 3rd National SGH Student Work Presentation in conjunction with the University of Tsukuba’s 6th National High School Student Symposium on ESD (Tokyo), which was held in the University of Tsukuba’s Bunkyo Branch-school.
Participated in National SGH Student Forum
Second-year students gave poster presentations at MEXT’s National SGH Student Forum.
Participated in Kyoto University’s 1st Poster Session for High School Students
Second-year students gave poster presentations at Kyoto University’s 1st Poster Session for High School Students.