University of Maryland’s Japanese Professor Dedicates Her Life to Spread Koto Music and Strengthening the U.S.-Japan Relationship.

In 1912, Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki donated more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees as a gift of friendship to the people of the United States. Since then, when cherry blossoms bloom each year between the end of March and the beginning of April, people celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festivals around Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. This is also when traditional Japanese music like koto comes into play in celebrating the spring’s blossoms.

Koto is recognized as the most unique, ancient Japanese musical instrument in Japan. It is a six-foot long zither made of paulownia wood with movable bridges supporting thirteen strings. These strings are plucked with three ivory picks worn on the right hand, while the left hand presses or pulls the strings to create more varied sounds.

Kyoko Okamoto is the only koto professor teaching the University of Maryland School of Music’s Japanese Koto Ensemble. She has been teaching MUSC129K/629K, a one-credit music course that is comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students, since 1973.

She is also the president and founder of the Washington TohoKoto Society, which is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural organization created in 1971. She is known for her pioneering efforts in introducing and spreading koto music to music-loving Americans in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and the Mid-Atlantic region.

Each spring during the cherry blossom seasons, both groups are invited to perform at various national venue and local community events, as well as on UMD’s Maryland Day. Some of their memorable past performances include Presidential Inaugurations for former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. They also perform for the Japanese Embassy events for the Crown Prince and Princess Akihito and former Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Professor Okamoto Appreciates Traditional Japanese Music Because of Personal Preference

Okamoto has a strong affection on koto. “I like the sound of koto, which is a very simple, clear sound,” she said. “Although the koto is ancient, we add to it with our lives when we play and teach. We contribute the dimension of the present to the past traditions of music.”

In order to preserve the finest quality of koto music, she sets high expectations for her students to play well.

Okamoto emphasizes that playing koto requires one to pay full attention and coordinate with others. “Hitting note is not playing music,” she said. “If one person does not concentrate on the music, he or she destroys the whole group.”

Another Japanese custom that is associated with koto is to wear traditional Japanese clothing, kimono, while playing the music on one’s knees. Okamoto said this allows players to become more immerse in the culture.  

Professor Okamoto’s 44 Years of Music Dedication Promotes Friendship between Americans and Japanese People by Teaching Koto

Okamoto believes that music has no national boundaries and is an effective channel to foster mutual understanding between two cultures. “Some American students like to play the music, and there is a cultural exchange when American people and Japanese people are doing things together,” she said.

In October 2003, the Washington Toho Koto Society received a Special Award from the Foreign Minister of Japan, Yoriko Kawaguchi, for their relentless contribution in spreading Japanese koto music in the United States.

Additionally, in 2014, the Japan-America Society of Washington D.C. awarded the WTKS the Marshall Green Award to recognize the group’s efforts in strengthening the U.S.-Japan relations. The Citation reads:

“For your significant and sustained contribution to strengthening the relationship between the United States and Japan for more than 40 years by bringing Americans and Japanese closer through hundreds of performances of traditional Japanese music. The Society pays special tribute to you for your active involvement in educational, cultural, and people-to-people understanding between our two countries.” 

Furthermore, Okamoto said teaching koto is both her first and last job because she plans to teach the music for the rest of her life. “I always sacrifice myself for others,” she said. “I don’t think about myself.”

She said she has decided to donate her house to WTKS because the non-profit organization needs an ideal place to store all music equipment (including 30 boxes of kimono), as well as a temporary accommodation and practice area.  

Koto Music Teaches Students Life Lessons and Beautifies Their Lives 

Learning a musical instrument is not easy. It requires an individual’s constant persistency, time commitment and passion in order to play well.

Frederique Thompson, a junior student at UMD, said the learning outcome depends on how much effort one puts into practicing the instrument.

listen to ‘Frederique Shares Her Opinion About Learning Koto’ on audioBoom

Kaleb Bordner, also a junior from the koto class, said he practices at least ten hours a week so he can follow the ensemble. Besides learning about Japanese history and notations, he has also learned to be a hardworking individual.

listen to ‘Kaleb Shares How Learning Koto Has Taught Him To Be Deligent’ on audioBoom

Though it is a challenge for him, he said he still enjoys doing it and feels rewarded for it.

Melanie Brose, a member of the WTKS for 15 years, said the ethereal sound that Koto carries and the fact that she can play with other members to create a harmony are two main factors that keep her coming back. She said that learning koto means a lot to her as an American.

listen to ‘Melanie Talks About How Learning Koto Makes Her Proud’ on audioBoom

Lombar Martinez, who is also a member of the WTKS for more than 20 years, said koto enriches his life culturally, linguistically and intellectually. He shares how koto music brings him joys and why it is so special to him.

listen to ‘Lombar Shares How Learning Koto Enriches His Life’ on audioBoom

The UMD Japanese Koto Ensemble will perform six songs on Maryland Day, April 25, 2015, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Dekelboum Concert Hall at 10 a.m. The group will also join the WTKS in presenting the 43rd Annual Spring Koto Recital at the Center’s Concert Hall on May 2, 2015. They are both free admission and open to the public. For more information about upcoming performances, visit http://www.kotosociety.org

Some Professors Deem Benefits of Online Exams Outweigh Technology-Aided Cheating Concerns

Cheating is not a new word to most people. With the rapid advancement of technology, college students nowadays find it easier and quicker to cheat because information can be immediately attainable through just moving one’s fingers and a click of a button.

According to “Learning to E-Cheat: A Criminological Test ofInternet Facilitated Academic Cheating,” authored by John M. Stogner, Bryan Lee Miller & Catherine D. Marcum, the 2012 study shows that “approximately 40% of [American] college students have engaged in some form of E-cheating.”

In her recent article, “How Students Use Technology to Cheat and What Faculty Can Do About It,” Lisa Z. Bain acknowledges some in-class and out of class E-cheating methods including:

“ · Use of electronic device to access unauthorized information

   · Use of text messaging (including IMenabled calculators)

   · Use of programmable calculator

   · Use of cameras

   · Use of MP3 players

   · Copy information from the Internet and electronic media

   · Purchase papers/documents, solution/instructor manuals, test banks from the Internet
     or by email

   · Use of Cheating Web Sites

   · Use of Amazon’s Search Inside the Book

   · Use of Social Media to share information”

Students Cheat to Cope with Social Stress

Society and most education systems constantly place a huge emphasis on good results. Faced with the strong pressure to pursue a high GPA in college, Student A admitted that she utilizes online resources to search for answers during her take-home tests.

listen to ‘Student A Cheats on Online Assessments’ on audioBoom

“The answer came up and I was able to get it right without having to go to my textbook to look it up,” Student A continued.

Besides the accessibility provided by the Internet, Student A agreed that in-class online cheating has become more prevalent because some professors allow their students to use laptops in class and have their cellphones out during lectures.

In addition, Student B shared how he has cheated in almost one–third of his web-based quizzes in a class.

listen to ‘Student B Cheats on Online Quizzes’ on audioBoom

When asked if he thought technology can facilitate E-cheating, Student B nodded his head and replied, “It has gotten so bad that it comes to the point where students are asked to submit their paper through a program to detect if there is any plagiarism,” he said. “It’s really sad. “

However, some students hold the opposite opinion. “People who used to cheat before will continue to cheat using technology, whereas people who do not cheat before probably are not going to cheat using technology,” said Student C. “It’s just depends on whether you are the type of person who cheat or not.”

On the other hand, some students like Student D cheat to help others instead of cheating for his or her own sake.

Student D remembered that a physics exam was split into two back-to-back sessions and the cheating involved more than 15 students.

listen to ‘Student D Helps Other to Cheat’ on audioBoom

She said she helped her friends to cheat throughout all their midterms and finals. "There was one time that my teacher realized I was helping my friends to cheat but luckily no action was taken against us."

Professor Says Online Exams Offer Time Flexibility, Locational Convenience and Grading Efficiency

 

Michael Evans, an Associate Professor from the University of Maryland Department of Geology, shared the reasons why he still chooses to distribute web-based exams even though he is aware of the issue.

He said that students in his class are allowed to use any resources available to them but no help from a human being is permitted during the two-hour, multiple choice online final exam.

“I believe that the exams are actually not that hard so it’s not worth the effort of copying or sharing information if [the students] have been to class,” he said. “If [the students] have been awake, [the students] should do just fine.”

In order to prevent students from engaging in academic dishonesty, he has developed several strategies to secure and maintain the quality of his tests.

Another strategy that he implements is to randomize the exam questions. “I am building up a bank of questions so it’s possible that I may ask students a subset of the total possible questions that are randomly selected so not everyone will have the exact same test,” said Professor Evans.

Expert Says Using Testbanks to Study Old Lecture Notes and Past Exams is Academically Acceptable Only If Professors Approve

As information sharing over the Internet has become more extensive, testbank websites such as Koofers offer a new way to help students access to old class notes, past quizzes and old exams.

This becomes a question when many students are confused if studying these materials is considered violating the code of academic integrity. James E. Bond, an Associate Director from the UMD Office of Student Conduct, provided his understanding on the issue.

Bond also said students often get into trouble because they don’t carefully read on the Academic Dishonesty or the Honor Pledge sections listed in the syllabus.

In terms of punishment students will receive if they are caught cheating, Bond said it varies depending on the severity of the offense.

All in all, professors are encouraged to update their syllabi regularly and communicate clearly so that students understand what resources they are allowed to use during in-class quizzes or take-home exams.

The Office of Student Conduct also encourages students not to cheat in order to avoid any harmful consequences.

Not All UMD Students Will Get Tanned After Spring Break

Spring break is considered one of the few school holidays that most college students look forward to during the year. During that week, campuses will be closed and a lot of students will be traveling away to escape the cold or to visit their loved ones.

A news release published on February 2, 2015 on Orbitz Worldwide stated that “55 percent of college students are planning to travel for Spring Break this year, with Las Vegas, Cancun and Punta Cana topping the list of the hottest destinations, according to the latest booking and survey data from CheapTickets.com.” Other famous traveling spots include Puerto Rico, San Diego, and some cities in Florida like Miami, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach etc.

Spending Spring Break Studying Abroad Broadens One’s Perspective and Worldview

Heading to the South to enjoy some breathtaking white sand beaches while having some fresh coconuts would be nice. But this is not the case for Tong Wu.

Wu, a Junior at the University of Maryland, is excited for the trip because she believes that the experience will broaden her horizon and teach her how to become a more caring and empathetic person.

Moreover, not only because of her personal interest in traveling and Japanese culture, Wu decides to join the "Terps to Tohoku" program because it helps to fulfill one of her major requirements.

Location Doesn’t Matter, But What Matters the Most is Being Able to Spend Some Quality Time with Friends 

Like Wu, Victoria Taroudaki, a doctoral candidate enrolled in the Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation PHD Program at the University of Maryland, decides to stay in the Northeast and have some fun time with her friends over the break.

“Family is good, but I’m going to see someone else that I admire who helps me throughout the process of my school,” Taroudaki added.

As a devout Orthodox Christian, another to-do list for Taroudaki is to go to the church to join the Sunday services.

“I meet other Greek people there and we socialize, it’s more like a cultural thing.” For her, it’s worth it to join the services consistently as she feels more comfortable when she can be around with people who have the same background as her.

While having some relaxing time is a reward to herself for coping with the tough schoolwork, Taroudaki never forgets about the need to focus on her studies.  After visiting Pittsburg, Taroudaki will spend the rest of the break studying at home and exploring the nearby Washington D.C.  March is an ideal time of the year to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival by the Tidal Basin, visit numerous museums and watch performances at the Kennedy Center.

Students Use Spring Break to Start Job Hunting 

However, some students might utilize the week to plan for their future.

“I need a job before I graduate in May. I don’t have money and I don’t have the time to waste,” said Wenjin Chung, an Economics student from the University of Maryland.

Besides giving herself two days off to visit the National Harbor in Baltimore, Md., Chung said she is going to spend the rest of her break searching and applying for a full-time job.

Though a week might seem short, students still get to take some breath from the stressful semester and do something that they deem is meaningful.

Smartphone Addiction is the Current College Campus Norm

It is no longer surprising to see students nowadays spending more time staring at their mobile devices, constantly tapping and scrolling on the phone screen. With the advent of wireless technology, mobile communication between two parties or even among groups of students become more accessible.

The emergence of smartphones such as iPhone greatly affects the way the younger generation accomplishes their daily duties. Students tend to be more reliance on smartphones than laptops to check emails, to social networking and to derive news and information.

The build-in social apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat etc. further provide an easier platform for instant data sharing and connecting purpose regardless of time zone and geographical location. However, some students may misuse social media to do something that can be considered unethical and indecent.

listen to ‘Student Uses Social Media to Stalk Someone’ on audioBoom

Though these social media apps bring about the decline to the use of traditional text messaging, the emotional and physical attachment to mobile devices imposed by younger generation is continually growing along with the invention of phone apps.

It is all about the all-in-one function and conveniency that makes the younger people obsess with their mobile devices, said Wenjin Chung, a senior majoring in Economics at the University of Maryland.

Now, we are invariably experiencing professors or faculty members who incorporate the use of mobile technology and social media, especially Twitter, in their teaching. Knowing the trend and culture of mobile communication and effectiveness of mobile apps are important to help facilitating a better learning outcome.

How Dependent Student is to Smartphone?

     It is no longer surprising to see students nowadays spending more time staring at their mobile devices, constantly tapping and scrolling on the phone screen. With the advent of wireless technology, mobile communication between two parties or even among groups of students become more accessible.

     The emergence of smartphones such as iPhone greatly affects the way the younger generation accomplishes their daily duties. Students tend to be more reliance on smartphones than laptops to check emails, to social networking and to derive news and information. The build-in social apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat etc. further provide an easier platform for instant data sharing and connecting purpose regardless of time zone and geographical location. Though these social media apps bring about the decline to the use of traditional text messaging, the emotional and physical attachment to mobile devices imposed by younger generation is continually growing along with the invention of phone apps.

     It is all about the all-in-one function and conveniency that makes the younger people obsess with their mobile devices, said Wenjin Chung, a senior majoring in Economics at the University of Maryland.

     Now, we are invariably experiencing professors or faculty members who incorporate the use of mobile technology and social media, especially Twitter, in their teaching. Knowing the trend and culture of mobile communication and effectiveness of mobile apps are important to help facilitating a better learning outcome.