Miyazaki International University Moodle

Explore the definitions, organizational structures, and operational processes of tour operators and travel agencies. Learn about tour product development, itinerary planning, negotiation strategies with service providers, tour costing, and the essentials of tour planning for seamless execution.

Explore the intersection of tourism and sustainable development goals (SDGs) in this course. Gain insights into the fundamentals of tourism and sustainable tourism practices, alongside an in-depth examination of the background and interdependence of the 17 SDGs. Discover how tourism serves as a pivotal driver in achieving these global goals, analyzing its impact across the tourism value chain. Engage with case studies showcasing how tourism-related businesses integrate SDGs into their operations, fostering sustainability and responsible tourism practices.

This is the moodle for Academic English 2-2 with Ellen Head. Please use this site to access the reading passages and other links for the course. 

This course presents an introduction to the basic conceptual and theoretical tools for research and analysis in the field of politics. To understand the core concepts used by political scientists and political theorists, we will be addressing a broad range of issues that cover the nature of politics and the structures of authority and power within political systems. During this course, the students will also explore issues related with the rights and responsibilities in contemporary representative democracies, as well as the diversity of different contemporary political systems and ideas in a regional and global context.

The ultimate objective of CE courses is to prepare students for upper division courses at MIC. Students must achieve minimum scores on standardized exams from outside bodies in order to proceed to their junior year. This typically requires successfully taking three CE courses. By the end of each course, students will have mastered the knowledge and skills specified in the prescribed textbook as well as any supplemental materials provided by individual professors.

Philosophy is an ancient subject and an important one. The great philosophers have shaped the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. Philosophers ask fundamental questions, and while in everyday life, we take their ‘obvious’ answers for granted, in philosophy, we stop to think about them and to carefully analyse answers. This course provides an introduction to philosophy and to the kinds of questions it asks and answers. Students will examine and reflect upon some of the most central questions in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology, and ethics, such as: What is space? What is time? What is consciousness? Can computers think? What is knowledge? Can we be certain of anything? What makes an action right or wrong? Can we get morally lucky?

The aim of this course is for students (1) to gain basic knowledge of some of the most central ideas and core problems in philosophy, (2) to develop analytic and critical thinking skills through gaining familiarity with philosophical method, and (3) to be able to utilise basic philosophical terms and concepts.

This is the moodle for LAS 105. You can find resources and upload assignments here.

This is the moodle for CE 3-3. You will find some assignments here and some extra resources for things that we do in class. Please ask if you have any questions.

Hello everyone! 

My name is Rebecca Schmidt and I will be your Academic English instructor.  Let's have a good time reading and writing, learning vocabulary, and discussing interesting stories. My goal is to help you learn to love reading and writing and see it as an endless adventure of knowledge and imagination.  Another goal is to help you develop good learning strategies and study skills that will further help you study English on your own for a lifetime. 

I look forward to getting to know all of you better. 

Please get used to using an English-English dictionary. Please avoid translators for learning new words. I recommend using Longman's Learner's Dictionary https://www.ldoceonline.com/

You may email me anytime at rschmidt@miu.ac.jp.  My office is room 1-401. My office hours are Mondays 2:00- 5:00.  If you want to meet at another time, please email me. It is very important that you read your emails!!

Although I try to answer emails as soon as I can, I cannot promise to respond immediately to emails sent after 5:15 and before 8:30 or on the weekends.  You may send them, but please be patient if the reply takes time.  

I am looking forward to getting to know you even better.

Let's make learning fun!

The course introduces students to basic features of the English language (listening, pronunciation, spoken fluency, vocabulary, grammar, discourse competence, politeness) and evaluates how different study methods can be used to make improvements in these areas.

Continues proficiency development in written and spoken English. Strengthens oral proficiency through various speaking exercises. Develops reading skills through intensive and extensive reading practice. Strengthens written proficiency through practice in organized multi-paragraph essays. Further develops structural accuracy and fluency using more complex forms.

The course develops fluency in basic oral expression through various active learning methods such as pair-work, brainstorming, group discussions, games and activities, role-plays, presentations and active listening. Students are expected to record conversations focusing on a main functional objective with minimal planning and notes while utilizing conversation strategies.

This first semester course focuses on developing reading skills through the use of in-class timed readings and comprehension questions, intensive readings with comprehension and vocabulary building activities, and extensive reading conducted mostly outside of class time. Homework will consist of reading for meaning, for pleasure, and for the purpose of vocabulary building. The overall goals of the course are to increase reading fluency, to improve understanding of grammatical forms and vocabulary encountered in simplified written texts, and to gain skills and strategies necessary for further development of reading comprehension. It is hoped that students will also develop an increased interest in EFL reading.

In this students will learn about Japanese culture and social norms through discussions and activities. Theoretical knowledge will be increased and opportunities for practical application will be provided (see syllabus).

Students are also required to write reflections of course content and experiences (250 words per-class, 500 words per-week).

This is the moodle for the advanced speaking course with Ellen, which will cover discussion, debate and presentation skills for second year TC students.

Surveys the masterpieces of Japanese Art from pre-history to the present, emphasizing the interplay between Japanese and Chinese cultural traditions.

Through comparing and contrasting Japanese and international/ traditional and contemporary art, JAC 204 encourages students to develop a critical awareness of the roots and evolution of some of the greatest works of Japanese art.

Students read texts that are related to the cultures of English-speaking countries around the world, especially the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The learning goals include increased reading comprehension of academic English texts, habitual use of a number of reading strategies, mastery of certain grammatical and lexical forms, increased reading fluency and the acquisition of dictionary skills.

How do you bring theories and models of international trade to life? Students pair them with real-life stories, so most of the lectures include a story, either told directly or taken from a media report. Examples include the tumult at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, tariffs used by US presidents including and before President Trump, etc. In each case, the story is meant to draw the students into the theme of the lecture by using a current or historical event. But it is not just these stories that will engage the students: our course is unique in that it integrates empirical applications throughout the lectures. Students are asked to think critically about the theory and how it holds up by applying it to historical and current examples.  

Discover the essence of the tourism industry in this comprehensive course. Explore its definition, scope, and various types of tourism resources. Analyze the dynamics of tourism supply and demand, investigate definitions, significance, characteristic and concepts/theories of tourist motivations and experiences, and delve into effective destination management strategies.

The primary focus of this course is to trace world history from 1789 to 1945. We will trace the broad transformation that occurred in this period from a world of empires to a world of nation-states. By the end of the course students will have made significant improvements in their understanding of how to study and write history. Students will be able to think critically about the development of post-1789 world history. Students will also see their ability to use and manipulate academic English significantly improved. 

This course will introduce students to the history of the world from the Mongol Conquests until the Opium Wars (ca. 1250–1860). We will focus particularly on the ways in which the world became inter-connected in the nearly seven centuries under review. We will emphasize the major political, religious, and cultural transformations of the time, focusing especially on the history of empires. We will also pay particularly close attention to the role of religion in impacting and shaping people’s lives and the early modern world more broadly. Specific topics will include the Mongol invasions, China and India’s economic power, global labor systems and trade networks, the Columbian exchange, European imperialism and resistance to it, imperial power in Eurasia, the Atlantic Revolutions, and the Great Divergence debate.