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Building the Virtual Japan Experience: Enhancing Knowledge about Japan

Tokaido, Origami, Temples and Shrines (TOTS) Japan Project 2025 

This project (TOTS) created a new, visually rich “Virtual Japan Experience” curriculum series developed by a cohort of K-12 and community college educators for dissemination in schools across diverse subject areas, grade levels, and socio-economic populations. The project complements The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center (EASC)’s successful “Take and Go” lesson plans by preparing and enabling a cohort of teachers to create their own visual sources, a digital archive, and other curricular resources that can be incorporated into the classroom. This cohort of educators serves as a conduit, both to enhance understanding of Japan to their students, and to impact other K-12 and community college teachers through the material they develop and EASC and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA) shares broadly.

Curriculum and resources developed by the TOTS Japan Project Team on the TOTS Website. 

TOTS Workshops in Fall 2025:

TOTS Project includes:

  • 12 educators from K-12 schools & community colleges in OH, IN, IL, PA, MI
  • Instructors who teach a variety of subject areas and grade levels, at public and private schools with diverse socio-economic populations
  • 3 groups focusing on creating curriculum / digital archive about the Tokaido Road, Origami, and Temples & Shrines
  • In June 2025, spent 10 days gathering visual resources in Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyoto, Hakone, and Tokyo

Cohort:

  1. Nicole Amole, St. Edmund's Academy (PA)
  2. Alicia Booker, Lakota West High School (OH)
  3. Joseph Daniels, WestTown School (PA)
  4. Ann Marie Davis, The Ohio State University (OH): Lead Instructor
  5. Emma Doerfler, Carnegie Elementary
  6. Melissa Fisher-Rogers, McCord Middle School (OH)
  7. Sandra Gianella, Lincoln Elementary School (PA)
  8. Matthew Guion, Rise Up Performing Arts (OH)
  9. Anne Hooghart, Mott Community College (MI)
  10. Megan Kuns, Hull Prairie Intermediate School (OH)
  11. Shaun Marsh, Lorain County Community College (OH)
  12. Angie Miesle Stokes, Wayne Trace Jr/Sr High School (OH): Curriculum Connection
  13. Mandy Perret, Dutchtown High (LA)
  14. Janet Smith, The Ohio State University (OH): Project Coordinator
  15. Jennifer Smith, Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School (IL)
  16. Ciminy St. Clair, Norwin Middle School (PA)

TOTS (Tokaido/Origami/Temples & Shrines)というプロジェクトは、K-12および短期大学の教員グループが視覚的に豊かな新しい「バーチャル・ジャパン・エクスペリエンス」のカリキュラム・シリーズの開発を目的としています。本プロジェクトは、多様な教科・学年・社会経済的背景を持つ教育現場で活用されることを目指しており、日本に関する教育の質と広がりの向上に貢献します。本カリキュラムは、EASC（East Asian Studies Center）による実績ある「Take and Go」授業計画を補完するもので、教員が独自に使用可能な視覚教材、デジタルアーカイブ、その他教育リソースの開発・利用を支援します。TOTSプロジェクトに参加する教員は、生徒や学生の日本理解を深めるだけでなく、EASC/NCTAを通じて他の教員とも教材を共有し、より広範な教育制度への波及効果を期待しています。

TOTSプロジェクトには以下が含まれます。 

  • オハイオ州、インディアナ州、イリノイ州、ペンシルバニア州、ミシガン州のK-12（小・中・高）学校および短期大学の教育者12名 • 多様な社会経済的背景を持つ公立・私立学校で、様々な教科や学年を教える講師
  • 東海道、折り紙、寺社に関するカリキュラム／デジタル・アーカイブの作成に重点を置く3つのグループ
  • 2025年6月に大阪、広島、宮島、京都、箱根、東京に巡り10日間の映像資料収集

Sponsors: University of Pittsburgh national coordinating site for the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia
(NCTA) Asian Studies Center, University Center for International Studies and a U.S. Department of Education Title
VI grant to the East Asian Studies Center at The Ohio State University.

This project is coordinated by the East Asian Studies Center at The Ohio State University.