Social Language Learning Spaces: Globalization Glocalized

Abstract

In this era of globalization, Japanese universities will have to accommodate an increasing number of local students wishing to learn foreign languages and they will also have to welcome more international students to their campuses. While universities will undoubtedly take steps to ensure that both groups have positive educational and intercultural experiences, we contend that it is also incumbent upon them to implement measures designed to facilitate the adaptation of international students to Japanese society. In this article, we examine the role social learning spaces can play in helping universities respond to these challenges. We argue that these facilities can make an invaluable contribution by supporting language learning and cross-cultural acclimatization for both international and Japanese students. The term social learning spaces refers to places where students can come together in an informal or quasi-formal environment in order to learn from and with each other. To illustrate our points, we draw on the data from a five-year ethnographic inquiry carried out at one such facility on the campus of a large national university. After describing the social learning space, outlining the study, and tracing the theoretical orientation guiding the interpretation of the data, we focus on the benefits social learning spaces can afford international students wishing to improve their language skills and adapt to Japanese society. To conclude, we reflect on how social learning spaces can support the process of glocalization by making local universities more globalized places.

Exploring Student Perceptions of Self-Access Learning for Active Learning: A Case Study

“…Failure to do so can result in expulsion from the SAC and the library. This even applies to group study rooms despite the well documented benefits of such social spaces for language learning, knowledge enhancement, global citizenship and glocalization (Murray & Fujishima, 2013Murray, Uzuka, & Fujishima, 2017). What is more, only full-time faculty volunteers and SAC committee members are permitted to regularly communicate with students since they have been deemed as better suited to advise and counsel on an impromptu basis.…”

Emergency Remote Support at the Self-Access Learning Center: Successes and Limitations

“…The SALC is a place for not only studying languages but also socializing with a variety of people in a friendly atmosphere. Through a variety of modes of interaction with diverse languages including translanguaging 2 (Canagarajah, 2011;García & Li, 2014), the SALC becomes a social learning space (Murray et al, 2017).…”

“…Ohara and Mizukura (2020) indicate that one of the important roles of SALCs is to empower students by offering them a variety of opportunities to share their perspectives with diverse people such as PAs, teachers, and fellow students so that each student may explore one's language learning and use as well as construct one's own identities and relationships with others. In order to fulfill this role, the SALC needs to be a social learning space (Murray et al, 2017).…”