Overview
Oishii!! is a Japanese language minicourse that tours different elements of contemporary Japanese cuisine. From daily meals to fine dining, this course explores the why behind its washoku traditions and adaptations.
We then explore contemporary food establishments from combini to izakaya to kaiseki while building Japanese vocabulary. Finally, we uncover basic ingredients found in homes for daily cooking in teishoku and bento.
Language learning around food
Oishii!! seeks to broaden your language palette and knowledge around Japanese food and applied language. We begin with Japanese food history and washoku (traditional food) philosophy. We then progress to different dining establishments, identifying different dishes served, ambiance, and clientele. We then practice dialogue around ordering from a menu and asking questions. Finally, we explore language around dining rituals and meal preparation, pantry ingredients, and cooking. We then follow with simple introductory dialogue around meals. Students can opt to cook a washoku meal, prepare teishoku or bento, or perform a dialogue with partner as the final project.
This course covers:
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Brief overview of Japan's food history
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Typical morning to night food options in urban areas.
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Dining rituals and etiquette
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Japanese food philosophy
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Different food establishments
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Dialogue:
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introductions and greetings
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food etiquette around beginning, middle, and end of meal
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ordering food at a different eating establishments and markets
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buying ingredients
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the everyday Japanese pantry
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cooking a meal
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Knowledge Gap
Traditional Japanese courses and textbooks, like Genki and Tobira build around situational, functional Japanese methodically covering dialogue, vocabulary, and grammar points. This course seeks to switch from from grammar-focus to building dialogue around food and food scenarios: from dining as guests at homes and food establishments to inquiring about ingredients and communicating appreciation.
This minicourse segment touches upon the knowledge gap in Japanese food philosophy and the surprising foreign origins of what constitutes contemporary Japanese cuisine. We also cover the diversity of dining establishments under the umbrella of "Japanese food." Furthermore, we close the knowledge gap in basic language used to navigate food in Japan and at Japanese restaurants. The minicourse will familiarize the student with Japanese concepts around cooking and composition. It further seeks to help students navigate the dining landscape and etiquette while introducing foundational vocabulary.
Target
Audience/
Learner Profile
Demographics
My target audience are 16 and over, Japanese language students, tourists, and food enthusiasts. This course is for both the casual learner preparing for a trip to Japan to the serious beginning Japanese language learner seeking to expand their cultural knowledge and food palette.
This course is inclusive in its target, all genders, educational and ethnic backgrounds.
Background knowledge/Disposition/Skills
The audience is familiar with Japanese food and seeks to expand their appreciation and knowledge through language acquisition. Or the audience is a beginning Japanese language learner who loves food and seeks to review and supplement their learning around dining, eating, and cooking.
Course Type
Combination of food culture survey and language learning course
This course is a hybrid between language survival and food culture guide. It seeks to introduce the curious student to the whys behind its cuisine. While exploring the dining landscape, the student will learn to identify different food establishments in Japan and types of Japanese cuisine. The course will further identify food origins and the integration of other cultural influences into the domestic sphere and public establishments.
The course prepares the student to navigate the dining landscape:
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introducing common kanji-kana words
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providing common key phrases for communicating when dining anywhere in Japan.
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introducing vocabulary identifying food categories and items found on menus and on display at food establishments
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differentiating between different establishments along the continuum of casual to formal and the type of clientele it attracts
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introducing apps that help decipher the environment on the fly
Audience analysis
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Tourists seeking to explore their dining options at Japanese restaurants
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Beginning language students seeking a language learning supplement that focuses on food culture
Course Modality
Asynchronous online
This course emphasizes a self-paced structure encouraging curiosity and exploration around the topic of Japanese food from its native washoku cuisine to multicultural influences in the Japanese contemporary palette. It is thus asynchronous, beginning with a generalized overview of some history and cultural contexts for the cuisine. It then addresses common basic sentence structure and (survival phrases) and explores the philosophy and approach of washoku. From there, we explore the dining landscape of Japanese food and its dishes, menus, and atmosphere.
Learners can go at their own pace, get assessed for knowledge retention, and post their first-hand experiences with recommendations. Synchronous may also be possible in the future once I have a series of offerings with audience interest in having live sessions online. Synchronous breakout rooms would enable students to practice their dialogue in real time.
Asynchronous with video presentation allows the learner to watch and get language training at their convenience. Infographics (animated?) will identify different components of a dish or items within a restaurant or table setting. Alt text will provide background information for visual scanners. Much of the information will be available as text for English as a second language learners and the hearing impaired.
The course seeks to foster community through student participation on food dialogue scenarios and sharing images of meals they enjoyed and recommending eating establishments. This seeks to promote diversity and hybrid influences that enrich the learning experience based on the audience participating at the time. Discussion presents opportunities to learn from each other and present cultural insights from various traditions.
Technical requirements & supplies
Enough bandwidth to stream video. This can be done from a smartphone as well as a laptop or desktop. Access to a camera (or webcam) will enable the learner to dialogue with another partner for synchronous interactions.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)
Terminal learning objectives
By the end of this course, students should be familiar with:
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5 key principles of washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) and imports incorporated into domestic cuisine. (Aligns with WLO2)
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Food philosophy behind diet, nutrition, cooking, presentation, and dining rituals. (Aligns with WLO3)
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Basic food composition and ingredients for daily meals, such as bento and teishoku
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Dining etiquette and key phrases to ordering or sharing a meal:
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Japanese vocabulary: menu mainstays and key ingredients in washoku (Aligns with WLO1)
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Dining scene in Japan: different types of food establishments for various budgets and occasions, from low to high end. (Aligns with WLO4)
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Key nouns, adjectives, and verbs used for dining and eating and identifying foods
Course Outline
Module 1: Japanese food culture & history: an overview
Oishii!! opens with an introduction to Japanese food through an overview of its history and contemporary food landscape. Japanese food has three categories: washoku (native), youshoku (Western), and chuuka ryouri (Chinese) plus more recently, esunikku (Ethnic cuisine), to account for native and adaptations from foreign influences. We look at food philosophy and cultural significance of food: overview
Objectives: Japanese philosophy and historical influences around its adaptive food palette and gain basic food vocabulary
Cultural Insight:
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History of Japanese food (the washoku, youshoku, and Chinese food tripod) and how the contemporary food scene evolved to its present day
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Origins of some iconic dishes: sushi, gyoza, ramen, curry, tempura, etc
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Japanese daily dining habits: breakfast, lunch, and dinner options in the urban centers.
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Washoku philosophy and its five key principles: 5 colors, 5 flavors, 5 ways, 5 senses, and 5 outlooks (Zen Buddhism: rules for partaking food)
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Basic etiquette – importance of respect and politeness (from 5 verses)
Vocabulary
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Basic vocabulary: 和食 (washoku, meaning "harmony of food" Japanese food)、洋食 (yoshoku, Western food)、食べ物 (tabemono, food) and synonyms, like ご飯 (rice)、飲み物 (nomimono, drink); breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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Five+ colors:
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一期一会 (Ichi go ichi e, mindfulness principle)
Key phrases
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Etiquette: 頂きます(itadakimasu) and ごちそうさまでした(gochisousama deshita)
Grammar focus
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Basic sentence structure ((subject+) object + verb)
Example: すしが好きです。((I) + particle ga + sushi + like)
Activities
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Role play dining scenarios at home and dining out + etiquette
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Discussion: Japanese dining customs vs. student's countries; student's experiences with washoku dining if any
Module 2: Dining out – from daily dining hall to high-end special occasion.
We tour dining options in Japan at urban centers: daily habits to special occasion destinations as well as basic etiquette.
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や ya store: Different types of cuisine establishments, ambiance, and clientele (combini, yakiniku, ramen/udon, family restaurants, izakaya, kaiseki/ryokan, specialty restaurants serving only one type of food such as teppanyaki (okonomiyaki, yaki udon), takoyaki stand tonkatsu
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(Info graphic) Image of a dining establishment and vocabulary of elements in establishment
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Menu vocabulary (example): appetizer, entree, dessert
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Basic phrases for ordering a meal and inquiring about menu items (referring to near to distant items: kore, sore, are, dore)
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Food related expressions and idioms, part one
Dialogue
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Ordering scenario: 何名様ですか。Nan mei sama desuka? How many people are there?
Key phrases
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Would you like a drink (humble, what server may say)
飲み物は、いかがですか。_____ -
I would like ____.
____をお願いします。____ o onegaishimasu
or ____を下さい ____ o kudasai -
あの。。。Ano... (excuse me: getting attention of waitstaff
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What is this?これは、何ですか?Kore wa nan desuka?
Vocabulary
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Counting & counters (link)
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Allergy, lactose-free, vegetarian
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Descriptions: hot, warm, cold, spicy,
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Cooking method and taste descriptions (next module)
Grammar focus
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Basic phrases for ordering a meal and inquiring about menu items (referring to near to distant items: kore, sore, are, dore)
Module 3: Dining in – etiquette and food ways
We explore washoku principles in action in the home cooked teishoku and high-end kaiseki style meal and conversational expressions
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Ingredients: Sourcing and seasonality – bounty of sea and mountain
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Common ingredients: miso, shoyu, gohan (rice, kome, rice grain), yasai, sakana, niku
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5 ways (cooking): 煮る(niru, boil), 焼く(yaku, grill), 揚げる(ageru, fry), 蒸す(musu, steam)
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一汁三菜(Ichi juu san sai): なますNamasu (raw in vinegar), にものnimono (boiling or stewing), and yakimono (flame broiled)
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Most common washoku food composition: proportions of teishoku, onigiri + miso shiru (versatile) – professional housewife paradigm 奥さん (full-time labor of cooking vs. grab-and-go lifestyle)
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Regional specialties
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Nutrition + cooking education in Japan: Government funded NHK programs
The module covers key expressions to communicate food related issues
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おなかがすいた (I'm hungry, or my stomach is empty)
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お腹いっぱい (I'm full, or my stomach is full)
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Food related expressions and idioms, part two
Further studies: Regional specialized cuisines within Japan
Learning Objectives
(Weekly learning outcome, WLO)
Module 1: Introduction to Washoku and Five Principles
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
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Explain Japanese nutritional philosophy and how it's applied in food composition, choice of ingredients, food preparation, and consumption rituals. (Aligns to CLO1)
- Evaluate 5 principles of washoku for their own daily culinary and dining practices. (Aligns to CLO1)
- Outline contemporary Japanese cuisine drawn from historical influences: the Chinese-Western-Japanese tripod.
- Communicate using basic food food and dining vocabulary.
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Apply the ichi juu san structure in meal planning a breakfast or lunch, employing namasu, nimono, and yakimono. (Aligns to CLO2)
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Employ washoku techniques in sourcing color diverse local ingredients and composing a nutritionally and visually balanced meal. (Aligns to CLO4)
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Identify and source 5 or more accessible washoku ingredients. (Aligns with CLO3)
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Plan 3-5 ways bento to maximize umami factor for a washoku-inspired breakfast or lunch. (Aligns to CLO3) NOTE: These probably belong to Module 3, Dining in: Etiquette & food ways
Works cited, Week 7
Learning
Activities
&
Assessment
Strategies
Module 1: Introduction to Washoku and Five Principles – Sequenced activity & assessments
Sequential learning activity and corresponding assessment
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PRE-ASSESSMENT
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Self-assessment survey: demographic info (data collection), background with Japanese food and language, whether for eating or cooking, reason for taking course (collected as multiple choice) – starting point
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ACTIVITY: Narrated slide show (presentation) – WLO1
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An overview of Japanese food history and philosophy behind washoku
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – WLO1
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Discussion topic: Self-reflection prompt on prior experience of and impressions of Japanese cuisine and their own reasons for learning about it.
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ACTIVITY: Video or narrated slide show (lecture + presentation) – WLO2
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Five principles of washoku will be presented in text and image format as well as a video or animated slide show 4-7 minute blocks
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – WLO2
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Quiz questions on Japanese food history trivia + five washoku principles.
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Discussion topic: Self-reflection – From sourcing seasonal local ingredients to mindfulness, relate 2-3 principles to your own dining and culinary practices.
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ACTIVITY: Video demo – WLO3
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Ichi juu san & food preparation montage (namasu, nimono, and yakimono, etc) will be presented prior to cooking demonstrations, also no longer than 3 mins in length
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ACTIVITY: Text and images
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History of Japanese food iconic dishes timeline (where is it from)? – WLO1
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Ingredients (Module 3) most frequently used: preview of other modules + flavor and nutritional benefits – WLO5
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dashi (soup base)
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starches: gohan (rice) – different types, (noodles) soba, somen, udon
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sauces and seasonings – shoyu, osu (rice vinegar), sake, mirin, miso, etc.
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protein: fish, tofu
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key vegetables: daikon, carrots, lotus root, etc,
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AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT – WLO4–6
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Discussion topic: Peer review (Module 3)
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Bounty of sea and mountain – Source local, seasonal ingredients (based on nutritional value, optional)
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Identify and source 5 or more accessible washoku ingredients to add to pantry.
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Game-based quiz: Plan 3-5 ways bento to maximize umami factor for a washoku-inspired breakfast or lunch.
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Process report on a bento and how it supports 2-3 washoku principles
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Future
Learning Activities &
Assessment Strategies
Activities will be comprised of lectures/presentations and dialogue around food scenarios and experiences. Discussion topics further build community and social presence around self-reflection, cooking, and dining experiences and philosophies. Flipped classroom may be a possibility for a future synchronous classroom where students collaborate on cooking strategies and dishes.
Assessments will take the form of quizzes, discussion topics, peer review, and a final video demo.
Game-based learning: Quizzes
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Quizzes on factual information of above sections, multiple choice and true/false and matching. Students progress to scenario-based questions at the end that test their knowledge in novel contexts.
Hands-on activities: Dialogue, building vocabulary, and self-reflection
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The heart of this course would be language and expansion of knowledge of Japanese food culture. Students expand on any of the content presented, focusing on a particular Japanese restaurant for etiquette or menu offerings, or even write or present their own recipe for assessment. In progress photo can serve as proof of authorship. OR Do a video tasting or narrated video presentation of their creation. They can review the results and offer what they would do differently or what made it work well.
Students write a process report and how it supports washoku principles. Scaffolding: Students will begin with basic rice preparation and onigiri (rice ball) and miso soup preparation and work their way through more complex techniques.
Discussion: Peer review example
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Peer review is intended to foster student social presence and ultimately group cohesion in building community. Through the reviews that culminate in a final group project, students gain the benefit of learning from other's discoveries and mistakes, and for inspiration.
Students first summarize washoku principles as a navigation point. The learner can first recreate the same recipe from the demo. They can then add their variation on it. For example, students can recreate onigiri from a video demo, choosing a traditional or more contemporary seasoning/flavor profile. They can provide background on the ingredient, its origins, nutritional value, and flavor profile, as well as how it achieves umami. This can then be peer reviewed by classmates creating dishes in the same category. Peers can assess according to a rubric based on inclusion of: nutritional value of 2-3 key ingredients, cooking technique chosen, and seasoning. Students can rotate on different dish categories each week.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Peer teaching –
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Final project with rubric: instructional Japanese cooking video our video tour of a Japanese restaurant. Or food dialogue acted out by partner groups. Student would then conduct a learning video demo for a final peer critique. This would foster social presence for better engagement and accommodate student’s limited time and resources.
Works cited, Week 5
Subject Matter Expert(SME)/Resources
Subject matter expert will be my mother, Takako Ichikawa, a Japanese language instructor, tea ceremony and washoku practitioner. After studying the resources below and consulting my mother, I will also become a subject matter expert, writing the objectives, content, and assessments for the minicourse. I will consult the following books as stand ins for actual SMEs:
Andoh, Elizabeth. Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen. Ten Speed Press, 2005.
Cwiertka, Katarzyna J. Modern Japanese Cuisine. Reaktion Books Ltd, 2014.
Omote, Yoko. Onigiri to Misoshiru Dake [Only Onigiri and Miso Soup]. Wani Books Corporation, 1 Feb. 2023.
Otowa, Kazunori. Yasai Ga Oishii Deli no Aidea 191 [The Deli with Delicious Vegetables' 191 Ideas]. Maruyamaken, 25 Apr. 2023.
Instructional
Design Model
ADDIE/Rapid Instructional Design hybrid would be the model I choose for my minicourse. This is due to the fact that I am mostly working alone with a subject matter expert and consulting cooking manuals. I am also a newbie so I want to understand firsthand the "grammar" of instructional design models by starting with ADDIE and modifying it with Rapid, which is more of an approach than a model.
Once I get my hands on Adobe Captivate or Articulate 360, it might make sense to switch to a rapid prototyping model using the linear content that Bento Journey will be. There is a clear beginning, middle, and end to cooking and preparing for cooking. As I do see the project becoming iterative with user testing, there will need to be simultaneous stages and definitely some prototyping to present my work to my SME. But for now, I am working with my own experience as an online learner and online course writer while applying Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction.
My Bento journey has a few constraints. Cooking is linear in nature and terminology is something that needs to be presented first. It will have to be visually rich to show what the tools and ingredients look like. It will use demo videos, as that is what cooking learners are accustomed to viewing. Students should be able to pause and rewind steps.
Because it's step by step, I intend to include recipes written in order with more explanation of the why in between. So there will be video with close captions, audio, and text options for different learners. The course is hands on so my kitchen would model the learner's kitchen, where they may be cooking and viewing the video.
The timeline for production would be between 8-16 weeks (not sure how integrated its production is with the learning), which is a narrow timeframe to achieve the stages below, so blending Rapid Instructional Design with ADDIE will be a way to learn as I go.
Analyze – Knowledge gap: Assessing the needs of various target groups listed above, through designing a learner feedback mechanism in assessments. Determine scope of course, resources, and learning objective
ITERATIVE CYCLE STAGE ONE: DESIGN -> PROTOTYPE -> REVIEW
APPROVAL LEADS TO POPULATING WITH ACTUAL CONTENT
ITERATIVE CYCLE STAGE TWO: DEVELOP -> IMPLEMENTATION LEADS TO TESTING + LEARNER FEEDBACK -> REVIEW FEEDBACK LEADS TO UPDATING CONTENT
See information graphic below.
DESIGN – (1. preliminary motivating activity, 2. course presentation, 3. practice (cooking), 4. post-activity assessment, summary)
PROTOTYPE/DEVELOP – Prototype of all components (stage this rather than final for SME approval) then rinse and repeat between design/prototype/review and develop/implement/review
IMPLEMENT/TEST – Once the iterative prototype has been swapped with actual content, development cycle would kick in. In the development cycle, testing can take place in-house for review. Once implemented, learners can evaluate and provide feedback on effectiveness of learning experience. This could then be integrated into future development.
REVIEW/EVALUATE – Review indicates in-house testing and corrections; evaluate indicates learner input. Surveys can be embedded in course for formative feedback (clarity, impact, feasibility) and "smile sheets" can prompt summative feedback at the end on learner satisfaction. Both enable further developmen
Learning Theory:
Constructivism + Andragogy
A hybrid of learning theories in instructional design
Japanese bento minicourse will apply the overlapping strategies between Constructivism and Andragogy. In both, the learner is an active participant with their unique background experiences in the language, culture, and cooking. The approach is one of an informal, extracurricular class to potentially supplement an actual foundational course in formal or non-formal Japanese learning.
Learner is central to course
As a minicourse, we will start off with a target audience and end-user in mind in providing cooking and convenience for busy people. The course would also be considered a low-bar entry point to Japanese, much like Duo Lingo, a hobby-based approach.
Autonomy with an MKO (More knowledgeable other)
The course provides a context for washoku, with of philosophy, history and practice providing a new (old) perspective on approaching culinary and dining practices. Once the framework of tools, ingredients, and techniques are laid out, the format of the class would enable autonomy. This is due to cooking and recipes being a familiar genre. Students can follow the steps whether on video or written from the MKO at their own pace
Constructing knowledge on your own terms
Bento by nature is a mix and match affair. So literally and metaphorically, the student can pick and choose the items to include in the bento among the assortment of instructions available. Where there is no instruction, they can do their own research and present to classmates.
Collaboration and Anchored Instruction
The assignment would involve some level of collaboration by choice. So the students would be able pick the degree of collaboration:
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Group critique only: Create own video demo of their variation to MKO's model with feedback.
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Collaborative: If two or more students can meet in person and collaborate, they can demo together and present to a group.
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Anchored instruction: More formally done in 6 stages – this would be the ideal scenario
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Engage students – Set the stage (contest could also motivate) with enticing examples and motivators like convenience
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Familiarize with stage objectives – Ensure all of the students are on board and capable of taking ownership of creating their own solutions.
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Expand upon objectives – Students can research their own topics of interest and share with peers. They can organize themselves as groups or pairs around similar topics
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Plan objectives – Students can transfer the recipe for demo format to this new topic
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Share experiences – Whether it's one, two, or a group, they can share their process, creating a narrative that can engage others (behind the scenes, outtakes) as well as finished video demo or audio/written recipe.
Course will be addressing general public and not assuming all students are adults in the "real world." Though tailored for 18+ year old demographic, they can be middle, high school, or college students. Projects are meant to be fun and inherently engaging. Bentos are pretty straight forward. We hope the students appreciate that the bento is about the process of creation just as much as the end product. In the process, some Japanese vocabulary can be acquired and more experientially understood, as students get to be a part of a learning community.
Open Educational
Resource #1
Elizabeth Andoh, TEDx Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPVViKV3aG8
Course Outcome:
Create and practice consumption rituals...following 5 key principles of washoku
Module 1 Learning Objective:
Evaluate 5 principles of washoku for their own daily culinary and dining experience
Digital Asset #1
Infographic: Five Principles of Washoku
Course Outcome:
Create and practice consumption rituals...following 5 key principles of washoku
Module 1 Learning Objective:
Evaluate 5 principles of washoku for their own daily culinary and dining experience
Media Document
#1
Digital Asset #2
Digital Asset #3
Module 1 Cover Image
Media Document
#2
My Bento Journey Promotional Flyer
Video
#1
Welcome video: YouTube
Copyright under YouTube terms.
Video
#2
Module 1 Screencast: YouTube – Five Principles of Washoku
Copyright under YouTube terms.
This video fulfills:
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Course Learning Outcome 1: Create and practice consumption rituals of breakfast and daily bento following 5 key principles of washoku.
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Weekly Learning Outcome 2: Evaluate 5 principles of washoku for your own daily culinary and dining practices.
Interactive
Module 2
Audio
Module 3
Storyboards
Repository of storyboards for My Bento Journey
Module 1: Introduction to Washoku & Bento
Handwritten storyboard on graph paper, cleaned up in Photoshop.
Further reading
Andoh, Elizabeth. Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen. Ten Speed Press, 2005.
Groger, Molly. Eating Awareness Training. Simon & Schuster, 1992.
Hyman, Mark, and Martha Herbert. The Ultramind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First: The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind. Scribner, 2010.
Mayer, Emeran A. The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health. Harper Wave, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2018.
Disclaimer: Please note, I write completely from a layman's perspective. I received a referral from a functional medicine office for Hyman's and Mayer's books and read Hyman's which helped me get off of anti-anxiety medication and read Groger's book as a teen. Mayer's is intended to apply to this course.