REPORT Artmile International Collaborative Learning 2023
Country/Region [ Saudi Arabia ]School ［ International Programs School ] Teacher [ Saira Muhammad ] Grade ( 10 ) Member ( 30 )JP School [ Toyojoshi High School ] Teacher [ Yuki Murayama ]# Subjects, Activities and Hours of the lessons
SubjectConception of the lesson

Hours

JAM ClubIntroductory Meeting about Japan Art Mile Project

50 min

JAM ClubStudent introductions

50 min

JAM ClubIntroduction to the Forum and Japanese Partners

50 min

JAM ClubResearch discussions

50 min

JAM ClubStudent group work in five different research topics: Carbon footprint,
Plastic Pollution, Tourism and Small Businesses, Biodiversity andDeforestation

50 min

JAM ClubStudent Group Presentations

100 min

JAM ClubVideo Conference with Toyojoshi High School

60 min

JAM Club

Sharing Japanese Student research and discussion

50 min

JAM Club

Mural Design Ideas

50 min

JAM Club

Mural Design drawing and discussion

50 min

JAM Club

Mural Sketching

300 min

JAM Club

Mural Painting

500 min

JAM Club

Mural Appreciation Ceremony Preparation

50 min

JAM Club

Mural Research presentation rehearsals

50 min

JAM Club

Mural symbols description and message of the mural rehearsals

50 min

JAM ClubReflection Videos

100 min

JAM ClubAppreciation Ceremony full program rehearsal

180 min

JAM ClubMural Appreciation Ceremony

90 min23.8 hours# Theme and Message of the mural
Sustainable World;
We will work collaboratively to find new ways to find sustainable solutions to live in theirforeseeable future. We will incorporate SDG # 12.
We will raise awareness about economic consumption and use of eco-friendly
Themeproducts and renewable materials. And how we can educate our youth to upcycle
and renovate their old clothes. We are also open to work on other SDGs which ourpartners would be interested in.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. That is the meaningful message of our majestical mural. As
environmentally aware human beings, we hope to spread the message of environmental
sustainability through this mural. We worked in 5 research teams to find solutions. The
main message of our mural is based on three R’s
Through our research on SDG goals 15 and 17 we found some ways to reduce plastic
Pollution which is harming the environment, animals, ecosystem, and even humans. Stop
using plastic straws and instead just drink from the cup like a woke person. We suggested
recycle bins, inhibiting straw use and using reusable plastic products.

Message
United thoughts toshare with the world

Biodiversity research suggested to cut down on energy use, conserving ourenvironments by planting trees and spreading awareness to local communities
Through Carbon footprint research our aim is to reduce carbon emissions, which plague
our earth.
Deforestation research has encouraged us to reuse and recycle paper. Furthermore,
we are also encouraging communities to go green and keep electronic data instead ofprinting on papers.

# Effects and Problems
Effects your students have gained
The Japan Art Mile project has been an invaluable
journey for our students, providing them with aplatform to cultivate a diverse range of skills essential
for their personal and academic growth. Through thisinitiative, students have honed their critical thinking
abilities by delving deep into the intricate nuances ofJapanese art and culture, analyzing artworks with adiscerning eye and drawing connections to broader
historical and societal contexts. Additionally, theproject has fostered strong research skills as students
embarked on immersive investigations into various
aspects of Japanese art, uncovering hidden gems andgaining a deeper appreciation for the rich cultural
tapestry of Japan. Effective communication has been
another key takeaway, as students have collaborated
with peers, experts, and community members,
articulating their ideas and findings with clarity andconfidence. Moreover, engaging with Japanese art hasenhanced students' cultural competence, fostering a
deep understanding and respect for diverse
perspectives and traditions. The Japan Art Mile
project has truly empowered our students to become
well-rounded individuals equipped with the skills andknowledge to thrive in an increasingly interconnectedworld.

Points for further improvement
Creativity Enhancement: Introduce more
opportunities for students to engage in hands-on
art activities where they can explore theircreativity and experiment with different artistic
techniques inspired by Japanese art forms. This
could involve workshops on traditional Japanesepainting styles like Sumi-e or Ikebana, fostering a
deeper appreciation for artistic expression.
Digital Literacy: Incorporate activities that leveragetechnology to enhance learning, such as virtual
reality experiences or digital storytelling platforms.
By integrating digital tools, students can develop
skills in navigating digital resources, creating
multimedia presentations, and effectively
communicating their understanding of Japanese art
and culture in innovative ways.
Cross-Cultural Communication: Facilitate
interactive sessions or cultural exchanges withstudents from Japan or Japanese cultural experts.
Engaging in conversations with individuals fromdifferent cultural backgrounds can broaden
students' perspectives, deepen their understandingof global interconnectedness, and strengthen theirability to communicate and collaborate acrosscultures.
Project Management: Provide opportunities forstudents to take on leadership roles in organizing
aspects of the Japan Art Mile project, such as
coordinating events, managing timelines, anddelegating tasks. This hands-on experience inproject management will equip students withvaluable skills in planning, organization, andteamwork, which are essential for success in futureendeavors.
Adaptability and Resilience: Encourage students toembrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities
for growth. Incorporate activities that require
students to navigate ambiguity, problem-solve, andadapt to changing circumstances, fosteringresilience and adaptability—the ability to thrive indiverse and dynamic environments.
By focusing on these areas of improvement,
students can cultivate a diverse range of new skills
that will not only enrich their experience with theJapan Art Mile project but also equip them withvaluable competencies for their academic andpersonal development.

# How has your impression toward your partner’s country/region and the world changed?
Changes in the students
Changes in the teachers
Students underestimated their English-speaking I have learned how to respect individual differences,abilities however, when they saw the research work and appreciate the beauty of unique gestures andof Japanese students, they changed their perspective expressions.
and realized that speaking English language does notdefine intellect, however, the intelligence and criticalthinking of the students is visible when they can think,speak and produce research in their own language.

# Flow of the Activity
ContentMonth•

RESEARCH
the theme

Sep.
Oct.

••

SHAREwith thepartner

Oct.
Nov.

••
•
•

•

UNITE
the thoughts•
Dec.

What you did
Research the themeand summarize it.
Found challenges(issues) through theresearch.

Your students’ attitude/reflection
Students were extremely motivated anddetermined to gather information. They
conducted surveys by designing thequestions and asking their community
members about the research topic they
were dealing with.

Share the research andthe challenges you havefound with each othervia Forum and videoconference.
Discovered differences
and similarities between
you and consider thelocal issues globally.
Exchanged opinions on
the discussion points.
Video Conference withStudents.

Students practiced their researchpresentations before presenting them infront of their Japanese counter parts.
They were excited and nervous at thesame time.

We discussed how tosolve challenges andwhat you can do.
We had conversations
from a critical andmultiple perspective.
We worked tosynthesize solutions,envision a desired
future, strategize
actions to realize it, andcraft a unified message
encapsulating theseideas.

We discussed all these points in JAM
meetings. Students developed todeepen their research and to debatewith their original ideas to find a solution
for the problems they were discussing.

When they conducted the research on
Japan, they realized that each country
has their own set of problems they aredealing with.

Students also felt frustrated and tired
when they realized that everything is
not that simple. In order to findsolutions, the governments have towork together as so many policies andglobal laws are holding all the countries
together.

SubjectJAM
ClubJAMClubJAMClub••

CREATEthe muralJan.
Feb.

••

•

APPRECIATE
the wholelearningApr.

••

We completed the otherhalf of the mural.
We posted the progressof drawing on theForum.
We displayed andappreciated thecompleted mural in aceremony.
We sent it back to ourpartner school in Japan.

The students learned how to trust theirstrokes on the mural. They were scare
dof ruining it by making mistakes in theirdrawings. They also found ways totransfer the images on to the mural.
They learned new skills how to handle
different paints and how to mix theshades, how to preserve the paints.
They also learn how to look at the muraland consider the partner’s design andkeep the proportions right. Even thenthey ended up making small objects ascompared to their partners.

We displayed andappreciated thecompleted mural in aceremony.
We reflected the wholecollaborative learning.
Evaluate oneself howeach one has changed
and grown through theproject.

Reflection from Students
More reflections from students

JAM
ClubJAMClub# Effect and evaluation gained through the collaborative learning
Evaluation: Rank 5 to 1 (5: very effective / 4: effective / 3: so- so / 2: not so effective / 1: not effective at all)

Expected effectCross-cultural
understanding

Active learning

Critical thinking

Collaborating withdifferent people

Expressing in words,
in shape

Evaluation

Scenes and reasons that teachers felt the effects4

The video conference and other videos shared on the forum werehighly effective.

4455

Students worked on the research projects and conducted their own
surveys. This has given them a practical skill that they can use in
their transdisciplinary learning.
Students questioned the problems and worked towards finding thesolutions.
The collaboration was at its core of this project. It served as a backbone. All the students collaborated with each other through out theproject at different levels. Especially during research and appreciation
ceremony.
It was an excellent technique for students to learn how to express
their words in a different way. It honed their digital art skills.

Appreciation Ceremony