Skip to main content
Unit outline_

JPNS2672: Japanese Media and Popular Culture

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit aims to explore the new Japan and its youth cultures and to guide students to understand and broaden their knowledge of changing aspects of Japanese culture and society. Topics from Japanese traditions through to contemporary popular culture will be analysed. Learning activities include reading media texts (e.g. newspaper articles), video analysis, discussion, research and video conferences. The unit also provides students with opportunities to pursue their interests and develop cultural knowledge and communication skills.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Japanese Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
JPNS1124 or JPNS2222 or JPNS2612
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
JPNS3106 or JPNS2301 or JPNS3621 or JPNS3301 or JPNS3631
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Seiko Yasumoto, seiko.yasumoto@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Record+) Type B final exam Final exam
n/a
40% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Presentation group assignment Group presentation
n/a
20% Multiple weeks 1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO6 LO4 LO3 LO2
Participation Class performance & discussions
n/a
10% Multiple weeks 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO6 LO3 LO2
Assignment Presentation report
n/a
10% Multiple weeks 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO7 LO8
Tutorial quiz Class quiz 1
n/a
5% Week 07 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Tutorial quiz Class quiz 2
n/a
5% Week 11 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Small test summary writing
n/a
10% Week 12 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO5 LO3 LO2
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type B final exam = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

This unit will be conducted in Japanese; It consists of six major modules (themes) on Japanese media and popular cultures topics over 12 weeks.

  • Class quiz 1: will be conducted on Canvas, a timed online quiz during Week 7.

The quiz will test student’s understanding of authentic reading materials towards Japanese youth culture and street culture. It will also determine student’s understanding of the influence of US and UK youth cultures since 1950s to the present time on Japanese pop culture.

  • Class quiz 2: will be conducted on Canvas, a timed online quiz during Week 11.

The quiz will test student’s understanding of Edo period, 1860s, popular culture by analysis of traditional Arts” Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku” through the medium of video clips.

  • Summary writing: will be conducted on Canvas, a timed online quiz during Week 11, test requires a critical analysis of digital social media.
  • Group presentation: is a research based group presentation; developing research and retrieval skills on Japanese and East Asian topics using ProQuest 5000, Sage, Blackwell and Synergy, Project Muse, Factiva, PAIS etc. to determine small student groups understanding of  how Japan and Asia  engage through Media. Presentations in conjoint Japanese and English language.
  • Presentation report: each student has to make an AV presentation using Zoom together with a written report of their research finding to ascertain student’s knowledge in the scope of the unit content.  
  • Class discussions: this unit from week 1 is to gauge student’s ability to engage with each other, group or pairs to exchange ideas, opinions, cultural aspects, media theory and important authors in media and popular culture areas of studies.
  • Final exam: will be conducted online during the exam period. Students will be examined on their understanding of authentic materials, newspaper articles, academic articles and media theory presented within the unit of study.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

You must make yourself aware and follow the University Guidelines in respect to assessments and procedures. Non-compliance with assessment procedures can and will adversely affect your marks. There are provisions within the University guidelines for special consideration. If you are granted a special consideration then an alternative test may be provided.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Orientation: media and cultural theory Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 02 Youth sub-culture 1 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 03 Youth sub-culture 2 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 04 The social positioning of women and men: changing values 1 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 05 The social positioning of women and men: changing values 2 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 06 Popular culture in East Asia: global flow and contra-flow Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 07 Popular culture in Japan: J-pop music; J-anime; mobile TV; J-film etc. Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 08 Representation of manga/anime Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 09 Discourse audiovisual/print texts: history manga Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 10 Traditional arts vs. new styles 1 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 11 Traditional Arts vs new styles 2 Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 12 Social media engagement: blog, Facebook, etc. Seminar (2 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All information including weekly schedule for this unit can be accessed on the Canvas_Modules- general Information site.
 
 
 

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate broadened knowledge about Japan and Japanese popular culture
  • LO2. re-think the traditional Japanese cultural values and relate them to contemporary cultural values
  • LO3. demonstrate knowledge about the social elements in the new Japan and popular culture, particularly Japanese youth culture
  • LO4. understand Japanese people, their way of thinking, the way the society functions
  • LO5. understand and analyse how language and culture are intertwined in the audio-visual and print texts
  • LO6. demonstrate developed communication skills through reading, discussions and audio-visual texts
  • LO7. demonstrate critical and analytical thinking, etc. within learning activities and assessment
  • LO8. understand media theory and know major authors in media and cultural studies.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

'No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.