As a school selected for the FY 2018 Inter-University Exchange Project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) is implementing a Program to Develop Collaborative Social Innovators that uses Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

As a part of this program, OMU conducts an intensive program called “SIGLOC” (Socially Innovative Global Classroom).

Since the spring of 2020, OMU implements an entirely online program entitled “Socially Innovative Global Classroom: Online” (SIGLOC-online) to provide international education unaffected by COVID-19.

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We are pleased to announce that the 14th SIGLOC-online has successfully completed its three-week period from March 6 to March 24, 2023.

Leaflet

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Welcome Session

In the Welcome Session, following the introduction of program activities, the participating students introduced themselves to get to know each other by using a slide they had prepared in advance.

Welcome Session on March 6, 2023

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SIGLOC-online Program Flow

The theme of this program is “SDGs: Social Innovation in your Local Community toward Solving Global Issues”.

All participants involved in this program were given four-stage tasks to carry out.

Firstly, they think about sustainable development from an economic perspective.

Secondly, they analyze the problem and make a tentative proposal to improve the sustainability of a local community.

Afterwards, they make a concrete and practical proposal to solve the problem, which will develop the sustainability of the local community.

Finally, they organize their social innovation proposals individually.

Participants will learn from each session and create a “Picture Book” (a series of slides summarizing their research and thoughts using photographs and diagrams) about the social issues they focus on. Analysis and consideration are advanced while exchanging opinions with other participants, and presentations are made at the final session.

Cultural Activities

Cultural activities were aimed at encouraging positive interaction between participants. The students participated as a group and created their own group name – MZPC Solution, Eco Planeteers, Glocal Gladiators, and Modern Thinker Zone – and experienced interacting on Slack or commenting on their ideas.

Group logos

Each group held group meetings using a variety of communication tools to discuss plans for cultural programs.

The students organized cultural events such as Truth or Dare game, Pictionary game, etc. and enjoyed socializing with each other across borders and time zones.

As cross-group activities, the students also enjoyed interacting with each other by introducing photos on Slack.

Photo Session

Quiz Session

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Research, Data Analysis, and Discussion

An overview of each session’s approach is as follows: 

The objective of Session 1 is to discuss sustainability from an economic perspective.

The students read literature and describe a constructive opinion from their own standpoint, and then they proceed with the debate by refuting their opponents who have the exact opposite opinion.

In Sessions 2, 3 and 4, the students worked in a group. Participants carefully and multilaterally analyze the social issues they are working on in their local communities, and repeatedly exchange opinions with group members from a variety of perspectives. They ultimately find unique and practical suggestions for social issues, with the idea that community sustainability leads to global sustainability.

The students compiled a “Picture Book” of ideas to propose solutions to social issues and sustainability in their own country/region and refined their own ideas by giving comments to each other among the group members.

Eventually, they created a Reflection Report of what they have learned and discovered throughout the SIGLOC sessions.

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Summaries & Reports: Presentation Session

In the Final Presentation and Closing Session, the participants presented their “Picture Books” and expressed their proposals and solutions. 

Our instructors were also genuinely willing to provide feedback to our participants on their performances.

The covers of the Picture Books created by the 25 students

Presentation Session on March 22, 2023

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Closing Session

At the closing session, followed by the instruction of pre-course tasks, the participating students shared their experiences with each other.

Closing Session on March 24, 2023

After the end of the entire SIGLOC period, 25 students who had completed all the assignments received a Certificate of Completion.

Summary of Feedback Results and Pre & Post Self-Evaluation Results

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

NPS is an index that gauges the likelihood (rating 1-100) to recommend this activity/program to a friend or colleague.

The 14th SIGLOC-online： NPS 56.0

We conducted a questionnaire with the students who participated in this SIGLOC-online.

Please see the summary of the questionnaire results below.

The 14th SIGLOC-online Feedback Questionnaire Result

The 14th SIGLOC-online Pre&Post Self-Evaluation Results

Mobility has been restored and SIGLOC-JP, which is conducted in Osaka, resumed from  summer 2022. However, SIGLOC-online can be joined from home and offers an engaging learning experience that on-site training cannot provide.

We, the COIL Promotion Office of Osaka Metropolitan University, will continue to pursue the learning that only online can offer and work towards developing even better educational programs.