Friends Across the Sea uses several internet media to connect University of Tennessee students with university students in different countries. The pilot project included students from three renowned Japanese universities: Kobe University, Kansai Gaidai University, and Gakushuin University. Japanese students met in a virtual “class” every weekday for 6 weeks to learn communication techniques such as introducing themselves, agreeing and disagreeing, talking about contrasts and comparisons. Additionally, they met in two cohorts every week to socialize and create projects together with American undergraduate students from the University of Tennessee. In special sessions, they also heard about business and job connections between Japan and Tennessee and about college life at the University of Tennessee.

 

Friends Across the Sea (Spring 2022)

Friends Across the Sea is a custom-designed online 6-week program connecting students from three Japanese universities with University of Tennessee students. 

International students practice English communication proficiency with their American peers through such means as:

• Communications skills
• Friendship
• Virtual shared campus videos made by international student teams—”Where do you study?” What is your favorite place on campus?” “What does the gym look like?”
• Project-based learning (PBL) design
• Conversation about friends, family, food, traditions, and ambitions for the future

Throughout the program, students use remote tools such as Google Drive, FlipGrid (TM), and Gather.Town.

This program can be delivered for university students around the world. What makes it different? The aim is to coach non-native-English speaking students in friendly and relaxed communication while creating “Friends Across the Sea.”  Contact us at eli@utk.edu to find out more.