A pilot study was designed to examine student perspectives on the first two years of the foreign language program at an east coast college. The study addresses key areas of foreign language teaching and learning in terms of goals and objectives, effectiveness of instruction and instructional approach, and student suggestions for improvement. The survey's findings indicate that the program generally meets the needs and interests of the students; however, these findings call for a clearer articulation of program goals in culture and careful review of some instructional methods. They also reveal critical differences in learning priorities and learning styles between students in commonly taught languages and those in less commonly taught languages. This article discusses plausible explanations for the survey findings and makes recommendations for program improvement.
In 2004, Japanese national universities became national university corporations (NUCs). Many scholars have discussed the NUCs as Japan's alignment with neo-liberalism in higher education. Under the new system, these NUCs have stronger autonomy in governing their institutions, while they remain under pressure to serve the country's goals as government agencies. The present study examined the mission statements of 86 NUCs to explore their visions and roles. The findings based on content analysis revealed the NUCs' strong commitment to improving education and research. A few select NUCs place stronger emphasis on research while others focus on education. These NUCs express a commitment to society and their regional communities-some more strongly than others. These NUCs recognize the importance of general and advanced specialized education. The paper discusses these findings in reference to the discourse of neo-liberalism in higher education and the unique Japanese contexts shaping these NUCs' missions.
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