About Nihongo Web
Nihongo (Japanese language) Web courses are offered through The University of Alabama for both high school and college credit students. The University of Alabama began offering Japanese language via distance education back in 1989, when it was a live via satellite TV course called Japanese Close-Up. This award-winning course continued on uninterrupted all these years, eventually evolving into a web-based curriculum in 2002. Many find this the best scenario for them because Nihongo Web is an asynchronous network, meaning that students can study anytime, anywhere (that there is Internet access) and receive live instruction on demand. When we do get entire classes of students enroll who meet in a synchronous classroom situation we still tutor each student individually and privately rather than by "speaker phone." For this reason, Nihongo Web is entirely self-paced and individualized for each student. We do, however, encourage only motivated individuals to enroll since the bulk of responsibility for completing assignments in a timely manner rests squarely on the student. We do not have weekly assignment and test deadlines because high school students may enroll at any time during the year, and schools all have different schedules. The student must be good at self-organization and self-motivation.
Nihongo Web courses use a mix of learning materials: online, print textbook with accompanying workbook, and live, private tutoring sessions over your choice of instant messaging system (such as Skype, Windows Live or Yahoo Messenger). By using an instant messenger text or voice chat during our open tutoring hours, you can ask the instructor and tutors questions, practice the material, or do a graded oral quiz. The student always initiates these conversations and requests what kind of tutoring he or she wants (just practice, ask a question, or do a graded quiz). We do not limit the number of practice sessions a student can do each week -- the tutoring is not scheduled and is first come, first served. We suggest students contact us at least once a week for about 20 to 30 minutes to practice Japanese. There are only 5 to 6 mandatory oral speaking sessions for each course. These Oral Quizzes last about 10 minutes each and can easily be done during a break at school or in the evening at home. During the school year, we try and accommodate everyone's time zones and schedules by offering morning, afternoon and evening tutoring hours. This is not an immersion course, and students may ask questions about Japanese grammar and culture in English. Our tutors are all fluent in English as well as Japanese. Students rarely feel intimidated to talk freely with us!
Once you have enrolled in a course, you will be given password access to The University of Alabama's online campus-wide system. Students will access MyBama, just like any UA student, and use the Blackboard Learning System we call eLearning. You can access your grades and supplemental learning materials in eLearning, and also chat with your fellow students and interact in the Discussion Forums.
Your head instructor, Laurie Arizumi, is also a classroom instructor of Japanese at The University of Alabama. She spends half of her workday with local students and the other half working with online students tutoring, grading workbook and other assignments, collaborating with your proctor when a test is needed (your proctor emails test requests when you are ready to take a test), and maintaining the web sites. If you have any questions at all you can email Laurie-sensei. Tutors are hired from among the population of UA students. Some tutors are native Japanese speakers, and others are American students who have lived in Japan and are either majoring or minoring in Japanese. They are chosen for their patience, reliability, and ability to speak both Japanese and English fluently.
We have a variety of ways to correspond with students and proctors. Normally, students email the instructor with questions that need lengthy explanations, and text message through Skype or Wimba Pronto short questions during tutoring hours. Speaking practice is done live through these free systems with a headset or web camera (optional), workbook assignments and written tests can be snail mailed or scanned and emailed if the student is not in the continental US, and there are some Discussion Forum assignments that are typed directly in eLearning. We rarely use the telephone, but we do have one in the office!
The cost for college credit students is determined by The University of Alabama. Since tuition changes frequently, visit this link to check on current tuition prices for distance learners. JA 101-901 and JA 102-901 are both 4 credit hours each, and JA 201-901 is 3 credit hours.
Dual credit students (students in high school who wish to apply to UA to receive college credit) must meet certain criteria and go through a preliminary program through The University of Alabama's Early College. Once you are accepted, you will be in the class with other college credit students and receive the same credit.