As the last entry in your journal, review your findings and the observations you made in earlier journal entries; select and list those interests which most peaked your curiosity over the course of the semester, reflect on how this course helped satisfy those interests and indicate what other interest emerged as the course progressed. Consider how you yourself might go about learning more about these particular interest areas in the future.

Next consider what you learned from the course about approacing the study of other cultures. What new principles, concepts or ideas did you devlop that can be applied to an inquiry into yet another culture? How important is a consideration of history / tradition in understanding another culture? How has your perception of American culture and civilization been influenced by this course?

Evaluate the educational worth of the entire journal exercise as well: Were the assignments worth completing? Why / why not? Were the instructions and expectations for the assignments clear? What insights into the educational experience did you gain as a result of completing the journal assignments? How have your perceptions of the subject matter covered in the course changed?

Compare your experience of writing a personal journal with that of participating in the group-based Internet Discussions available on the course web site.  Which did you prefer?  Why?  What values (if any) did each have independent of the other? ...in tandem?  In what ways would you modify future such assignments?

Has your level of interest in the subject of contemporary Japanese civilization and culture changed over the course of the semester? If so, how?