4th Joint Fieldwork Report Meeting

On February 9, 2015, the 4th Joint Fieldwork Report Meeting was held at the Oshikawa Memorial Hall. Students from the 1st to 3rd years participated, deepening their learning from their fieldwork. This time, we will introduce some of the impressions from the 3rd-year students who completed their fieldwork and from the 1st-year students who participated for the first time.

Fieldwork A
(Visits and practical training at welfare facilities)

Fieldwork B
(Volunteering at hospitals and children's facilities)

Fieldwork C
(Study tour in Asia)

Fieldwork D
(Interaction with and support for foreigners residing in Japan)

Reflections after completing fieldwork (3rd-year students' impressions)

The reason I decided to enroll in Department of Co-existing Society Studies was because I learned that the department offered a course called fieldwork. As a high school senior at the time, the idea of going outside the school and engaging in experiential learning completely overturned my previous concept of "classes," and I immediately decided to enroll in this department. Now, that fieldwork course has come to an end. Through the practical experience so far, and through this debriefing session, I truly feel that enrolling in Department of Co-existing Society Studies was the right decision. As a high school senior back then, I only thought fieldwork sounded fun. But now, I deeply feel the importance of "coexistence." In today's world, there are all sorts of social problems, but in such societies, many people are excluded from the framework of "coexistence." This social problem is not someone else's problem; it is our own. In order for us to coexist with people of different generations and health conditions, we can and must change things depending on how we do them. I sincerely hope that in the future, a society will be built where everyone can coexist comfortably, and I will do my best to make that happen.

Impressions of first-year students who participated in the joint presentation session

• At this fieldwork report meeting, it was very helpful to hear about the experiences that our seniors had directly visited facilities and other locations, as well as their impressions and thoughts based on those experiences. At every fieldwork site, true to the spirit of the Department of Coexistence and Economics, students interacted with people from different backgrounds and learned about their current situations, which I believe allowed them to reflect on the concept of coexistence. Hearing the seniors' experiences at this fieldwork report meeting made various issues feel much closer to home. Fieldwork is by no means easy, but I felt that the rewards gained afterward are immense. (Ms. M)
• This was my first time participating in a joint fieldwork report meeting. I thought I wouldn't be too surprised, as I was somewhat familiar with the fieldwork unique to Department of Co-existing Society Studies. However, when I actually listened to the reports from my seniors, I felt that it was vastly different from the practical training I had experienced in middle and high school. Of course, it goes without saying that none of the groups participated in fieldwork with a simplistic mindset, but above all, every single person looked straight ahead and confidently presented their experiences and what they had learned. I strongly felt that if it is an activity that can yield such great results and allow for such growth, I would like to participate as well. (N)