学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

GoogleClassroom を利用したオムニバス講義の必須基礎教養科目【英語１】とその実践
コリンズ ジョン B.**日本文理大学 経営経済学部

Delivering an Omnibus-style Syllabus Online with Google Classroom:
A case study of Compulsory Foundational Education English 1 Classes
John B. COLLINS**Department of Business and Economics, Nippon Bunri University*collinsjb@nbu.ac.jp
概要：本稿は、2020 年に発生したコロナウイルスの世界的大流行の間、日本文理大学(NBU)の必須基礎教養【 英 語１】 の オム ニ バ ス シ ラ バス や 講 義 がオ ン ラ イン で 実行さ れ たこ との 紹 介で あ る 。 具体 的 に 言 う と 、GoogleClassroom をオンラインプラットフォームとして、数百人の履修生と複数の講義や教員を含む【英語１】のオムニバス形式シラバスの実践例を紹介するものである。また、オムニバス形式シラバスをオンラインで実行することにあたっての問題や解決法をも紹介する。

Abstract: The following is an account of how the syllabus of English 1, a compulsory Foundational
Education subject for year 1 undergraduate students, was conducted online at Nippon Bunri University(NBU) during the worldwide Covid19 pandemic of 2020. More specifically, it provides an example of how
an omnibus-style curriculum involving hundreds of students and multiple classes and teachers can be
conducted using Google Classroom, and also proposes solutions to problems encountered along the way.

キーワード：オムニバス形式シラバス、オンライン学習、GoogleClassroom, コロナウイルスの世界的大流行
Keywords: Omnibus-style syllabus, online teaching, Google Classroom, Covid19 pandemic

1. Introduction
The following case study took place during thespring semester of 2020 and came about as theresult of the sudden requirement to offer classes

18学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

online in response to the Covid19 pandemic. In lateOmnibus is a term used widely in Japanese

March and early April, 2020, a series of Faculty

universities and is described by the Ministry ofDevelopment (FD) sessions were organized to

Education,

assist faculty accomplish the daunting task of hastily

Technology (MEXT) as a class delivery method

shifting the delivery of their curriculum from face-whereby the content of a class (or course) is taught

to-face classroom teaching to an online teachingby multiple instructors (MEXT, 2009). The

platform. While the online delivery of a series of

introduction

classes taught by a single teacher to a single groupcurriculum was described at the March 18 NBUof students over the course of a semester is a

University Senate Meeting as follows,

Culture,ofanSports,Scienceomnibus-styleandEnglish1

comparatively straight-forward task, the same“English 1 shall be a compulsory subject forcannot be said for English 1, a 15-week compulsory

all first year students during the spring semester,Foundational Education subject typically taken by

and students will take multiple classes taught by

undergraduate students in their first semester at

all English teachers. Teachers shall use teaching

Nippon Bunri University (NBU). English 1 is taken

methods that instill a motivation to study inby approximately 700 students and taught by 5

students. By allowing students to take classes

different teachers over 25 classes per week. In

with teachers whose teaching methods interest

addition, although each class carries the name ofthem, the number of students interested in

one of the 5 teachers, i.e., “Collins Class” etc., thestudying English shall increase” (March 18

curriculum was designed in the omnibus-style,NBU University Senate Meeting, 2015, p.2).

whereby all teachers rotate through all classes in

In addition to exposing students to different

two-week cycles during an 8-week rotation period.

teachers and teaching methods, the omnibus

In other words, all English 1 students encounter all

approach also exposes students to a range of English

5 teachers throughout the course of the semester.

accents including British, North American, EasternClasses on either side of the rotation period are

European, and Australasian, which assists intaught by the “home” class teacher. Students arepreparing students for the TOEIC listening section.

initially placed in streamed classes based on the

Indeed, the conversation texts in the English 1

results of a placement test and take a final exam at

textbook, developed in-house, include standard

the end of the semester. The omnibus, or rotation

components of the TOEIC listening section.

component, takes place during the middle eight

A number of case-studies focusing on the use ofweeks of the course. The following case-study

the omnibus approach at Japanese universities havedescribes how these different stages of the course

been published. Haruta and Hiyagon (2011), citing

were arranged and delivered via Google Classroom.

Usami (1999), identify two major issues that can

It also proposes solutions to problems encounteredresult from using an omnibus approach. Firstly, aalong the way.

dilution of the overall purpose and logicalframework of lectures, and secondly, although a

1.1 Omnibus and the NBU English 1
curriculum

common issue with large classes in general, atendency for lectures to become passive and a

19

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

resulting difficulty in promoting deeper learning

During the 8-week omnibus period, each teacher

and(1999)

delivers their two units to students in the four othersummarizes observations and sentiments fromteachers’ classes while rotating on a two-week basis.

students, who stated that following the conclusion

During the rotation period, therefore, the textbookof lectures, it was difficult to ask questions orunits are not taught in the same order as they are

deepen their understanding of lecture content.

presented in the textbook, and since each unit ofFurthermore, since teachers may change from week

work is begun and completed in one class, an overall

to week, and because lecture materials areprogression and development of topics is difficult to

distributed in class, if a student misses a particularachieve. This potential paucity of cohesion between

lecture it is difficult to know what the lecture wasclasses and the course of study itself reflects theabout. Suzuki et al. (2012) stated that in omnibus

observations made in the omnibus case studies

situations where different invited speakers conduct

described above. The major distinction here,each individual lecture, it is difficult to holdhowever, is the focus on active student participation

meetings in advance or to observe each other’sand communication, meaning that the potential for

lectures. As a result, although the content of eachpassive student engagement is to some extent

class may be interesting for students, an overall

mitigated. Prior to the Covid19 pandemic, classes

cohesion between lectures and the course of study

were taught in-person by teachers using theitself may be lacking. In their case-study of atextbook,

contemporary

blackboard and CD players, and supplementary

understanding.

Wakitaenterprise

and

et

al.

profitcourseclassroom
Classesequipment

typically

includingconsistedofadelivered through an omnibus approach, Iwata andmaterials.

theSato (2014) described the positive feedback

following three stages, 1) an introduction to newreceived from students and instructors. Students

vocabulary and expressions including pronunciation

stated that the omnibus allowed them to see adrilling, 2) a series of listening activities following

different side of their teachers and to learn fromthe unit conversation, and 3) a communicative taskdifferent perspectives.

whereby students work in pairs or small groups to

A major difference between the case studies

create, practice and perform their own conversation.

described here and the situation at NBU is that

Attendance was taken using written attendance

English teachers use a shared textbook, have a clear

cards that teachers would distribute to, and collectview of the overall framework of the course, and,from, students at the end of each class. Each student

prior to the Covid19 pandemic, met frequently on

was also given a participation score for that class,campus to share information and ideas. The English

based on teachers’ classroom observations, which

1 (Yoshikawa, et al. 2000) textbook was developed

were tallied up at the end of the semester to provide

in-house by NBU English teachers and is made upeach student with an overall participation score.

of twelve conversation-based units. Units 1 and 2The

are taught by all teachers while the remaining ten

subsequent shift to online teaching required theseunits are divided up among all five English teachersclassroom methods and procedures to be urgently– each teacher being responsible for two units.

reconsidered and adapted. The following section

arrivalof

the

Covid19

pandemic

and20

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

describes the delivery framework that resulted fromduring the on-campus orientation. The decision wasthese reconsiderations and adaptations.

made to conduct the placement test online via a
Google Form, and a QR code linked to the test was

2. Shifting to an online framework

printed in the orientation documents. Based on the

While a number of options, including Skype andresults of the test, students were placed into one of

Microsoft 365, were initially considered, Google

five class levels consisting of three “standard” andClassroom was adopted as the primary delivery

two “basic” classes. In order to ensure that students

platform by the coordinating faculty of the English

understood what was expected of them under the

program. The University subsequently created andnew online system, a second orientation was

distributed Google account to all students. The

conducted online which all students joined. The

primary reason for this selection was the ability fororientation session was conducted via Google Meetteachers and students to access and use the various

in a Google Classroom into which all registeredapplications available through one username andstudents were invited via email. Upon joining the

password in the GSuite including Google Classroom,

Google Classroom, students were met by an

Google Forms, and Google Meet, and importantly

instructional

the file-sharing capability of Google Drive. Utilizing

download the Meet application onto smartphones,

these applications, the ultimate goal was to re-

and where to find the link to a Meet session.

create online the three stages of a pre-Covid19

Approximately 140 students were invited to eachEnglish 1 class while maintaining the omnibus

orientation session and considering that this system

syllabus and gathering participation and attendance

had not been trialed by faculty with such large

information. A total of 25 English 1 Google

numbers of students, many of whom had never used

Classrooms were created (each teacher taught fivethis technology before, it was a great relief not onlyclasses per week) and teachers were registered asthat students responded to the invitation email, but“Teachers” in each classroom to ensure that theyalso that they successfully arrived in the Meet

could post materials during the rotation period.

session. During the orientation, the basic flow ofPowerPoint

explaining

how

to

online classes was explained and all teachers gave a
2.1 Orientation and getting students into theself-introduction. Students were also given an

correct classes

explanation of the omnibus system and werePrior to class registration, and in the final days

informed that teachers would rotate on a two-weekleading up to the switch to online classes, allbasis between weeks 8 and 12 (Figure 2). At thestudents came to campus and attended an

conclusion of the orientation, students were invitedorientation session that provided them with theto their individual Google Classroom by their classnecessary information and documents for classteacher (based on the results of the placement test)

registration, class placement tests, and otherand the orientation Google Classroom was archived.

administrative procedures. Students registering forEnglish 1 were placed in classes based on the resultsof placement test which they were informed of

2.2 Stages of an online English1 class
For each lesson, materials were posted under21

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

the Lessons tab and class instructions were written

compose and submit a conversation script based onin both English and Japanese (Figure 1, which

the model conversation in the textbook. The third

displays the typical lesson material and instruction

and final stage of the lesson was a Meet session

layout). As described above, prior to Covid19,

which students joined with their teacher as a whole

English 1 classes typically consisted of three stages

group. During this stage teachers reviewed the(introduction of new words and expressions,content of the PowerPoint video and invited

listening activities, and conversation practice andstudents to present the conversation they had

presentation). Online, the introduction stage wasprepared before the Meet session. This wasdelivered via a narrated PowerPoint video which notconducted either one-on-one with the teacher, or

only covered the new words, expressions andbetween students themselves. At the conclusion ofpronunciation, but also included the conversation

the Meet session, an additional Google Form link

listening audio and comprehension questions. By

was posted in the Meet chat feed which served asincluding the audio materials in the PowerPoint,

the attendance card for that lesson. Students werestudents were able to complete the listening

to open, complete, and submit the form before

component at their own pace. After students hadleaving. Participation points were awarded on an

viewed the PowerPoint, they were instructed toall-or-nothing basis based on whether the student

complete the listening exercises in their textbook

had submitted their Google Form worksheet by theand submit a Google Form worksheet which

deadline. The issue of attendance and participation,

covered the content of that unit. This worksheet

and the way that points were awarded, subsequently

consisted of a series of vocabulary questions,became the focus of debate among the English 1

sentence unscrambling tasks, and statement-teachers (see section 3).

response questions. Students were also required to22

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

Figure 1. Display of lesson materials and instructions in Google Classroom
2.3 Moving to the omnibus stage

having shared access to all attendance data, teachers

Following the conclusion of the first two lessons,would be able to keep track of their students’

the eight-week omnibus rotation began. Figure 2

attendance before, during and after the omnibus(see below) displays the five Tuesday first-period

rotation period. Within the attendance form,

English 1 classes taught by Teachers A-E. By

students were required to enter not only their namefollowing the greyed-out “Teacher A” lessons, theand student ID number, but also the day and period

reader can visualize how each teacher rotatedof their class and their original class teacher’s name.

through each of the four other classes on a two-week

A single Google spreadsheet for each day was thenbasis before returning to their original class during

shared with all teachers, who would then extract theweek 12 (lesson 12). As can be seen below, during

attendance information they required by using

week 4 (lesson 4) Teacher A would join Teacher B’s

filters based on class period and teacher nameclassroom and deliver the first of their two lessons(Figure 3). Attendance data would then be enteredwith that group of students. Teacher A would post

into the NBU Universal Passport LMS by each

their class instructions (Figure 1) in Teacher B’steacher. It soon became apparent, however, that thisclassroom together with their narrated PowerPoint

system was problematic and changes were necessary.

video. Teacher A would also host a Meet session

The primary weakness of this system was that itwith Teacher B’s students and post the attendance

relied entirely on students entering their correctcard in the Meet chat feed. Teacher A would repeat

information in order for data to be correctly filtered

this process as they rotate through the remaining

for and extracted. Added to this was the extra

classes until week 12 (lesson 12) when they would

burdenreturn to their original class. The final four lessons

extraction process placed on teachers after eachin each class would then be taught by the original

lesson.

teacher followed by the final exam which, unlike theplacement test, was conducted separately in eachClass A
students

that

the

Class B
students

cumbersome

Class C
students

filtering

Class D
students

andClass E
students

class. This was due to the fact that the final exam forthe “basic” and “standard” groups were different.
Attendance Google Form(same link posted in each Class. Accessshared with all teachers)

3. Issues and troubleshooting
The following session describes the main issues
that were encountered by teachers relating toattendance, participation, and the completion of theGoogle Form worksheet. Due to initial time

Teacher A

Teacher B

Teacher C

Teacher D

Teacher E

Figure 3. Flow of attendance data prior to change.

constraints, only one attendance Google Form wascreated for each class day (Tuesdays, Wednesdays

In order to reduce both the burden on teachers

and Thursdays). However, it was believed that by

and mitigate the effect of students entering23

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

incorrect data, individual Google forms were

As described above, participation points hadcreated for each class, period and day. A total ofpreviously been awarded based on teachers’

approximately 200 forms were generated. Theseobservations of students during class. When classes

links were posted in a shared Google Classroom forwent online, however, participation points were toteachers, and teachers would copy and paste thebe awarded on an all-or-nothing basis based on thecorrect link in the Meet chat feed of their classes.

submission of the Google Form worksheet by the

Rather than accessing and filtering data from adeadline, in other words, before the Meet session.

single shared Google spreadsheet, each teacher

This became a point of debate among teachers,

received

only

particularly in relation to students who, in some

information about their students (Figure 4). Thiscases submitted their Google Form worksheet

continued throughout the rotation period, meaning

and/or attendance card, had their cameras or mics

that although a link would be posted by Teacher E

switched off or were otherwise unresponsive when

in

would

called on during the Meet session. Teachers

subsequently be shared by the administrator only

proposed a tiered points system that would allow

with Teacher A. As a result, attendance data issues

them to deduct points if a student was unresponsive,

were greatly reduced, although teachers continued

and it was suggested that such an approach would

to receive a number of attendance-related inquiries

require students to follow the Meet session morefrom students.

carefully and encourage greater participation (seeaspreadsheet

TeacherA’s

thatclassroom,

included

the

data

section 4).
Class A
students

Class B
students

Class C
students

Class D
students

Class E
students

Class A
Attendance
Form(Posted by
Teacher E)

Class B
Attendance
Form(Posted by
Teacher A)

Class C
Attendance
Form(Posted by
Teacher B)

Class D
Attendance
Form(Posted by
Teacher C)

Class E
Attendance
Form(Posted by
Teacher D)(form data shared with original class teacher only)
Teacher A

Teacher B

Teacher C

Teacher D

Teacher E

Figure 4. Flow of attendance data after changes.

24学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

Figure 2. Schematic diagram of English 1 showing teacher movement during the rotation period

25学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集

4. Learning from this case study and conclusions

1 shows, this concern can be addressed through the

The shift to online classes has placed an

sharing of data and information via various Google

increased burden upon teachers and led to stressapplications and the creation of a shared Google

and fatigue (“Shift to online classes leaves Japan'sClassroom for teachers. Information must ideally beuniversity teachers exhausted”, The Japan Times,

shared, however, in a way that does not create an2020) and the case of English 1 was no exception.

additional administrative burden on teachers or

The task of creating narrated PowerPoint videos,coordinators. In conclusion, the current case study

keeping track of Google links to be posted, anddemonstrates that an omnibus curriculum can benavigating through large amounts of data shared via

successfully delivered online but that the way in

Google spreadsheets not doubt placed an enormous

which information is gathered and shared needs toburden on teachers. Although by no means perfect,be carefully considered by omnibus coordinators.

the case of English 1 does provide an example of
how an omnibus syllabus involving multiple

Acknowledgments

teachers and large numbers of students can be

The author wishes to express his thanks to all

successfully delivered online.

teachers involved in the delivery of English 1 during

As described above, Haruta and Hiyagon

the Covid19 pandemic of the 2020 spring semester.

(2011), citing Usami (1999), stated that omnibus
classes tend to become passive and it is difficult toReferences

promote deeper learning and understanding. These
concerns were reflected in the feedback received

Haruta, Y., & Hiyagon, H. (2011). オムニバス方式

from teachers regarding participation. It was

による技術者倫理教育―技術士による大学・高専

suggested that with the adoption of a more flexible

における技術者倫理教育の実践 [Engineer ethics

online meeting platform such as Zoom, which allows

education by omnibus method – Practices ofteachers to breakup up large classes into smaller

engineer ethics

groups, classes could become more communicative,

technical

more student-centered and more engaging. The

Proceedings from the 60th Annual Meeting of the

adoption of a tiered participation points system, asJapan Society of Mechanical Engineers Tokai

described above, could also stimulate greater

Chapter, No 113-1.

participation. One of the concerns raised by Wakita

平成 27 年 3 月 18 日大学評議会 [March 18 NBU

et al. (1999) about omnibus was the risk of students

University Senate Meeting]. (2015).

being unable to get information and materials from

Iwata, T., & Sato, K. (2014). 現代の企業・利益の各

teachers, particularly if the student was absent. In

分 野 か ら 迫 る ー オ ム ニ バ ス 講 義 の 実 践 [Anthe case of English 1, this risk was mitigated thanks

approach from each field in modern enterprise andto lesson materials remaining available online after

profit: practice of omnibus lecture]. The Journal ofa teacher had rotated out of the classroom. Suzuki

Economic Education, 33, 85-91.

et al. (2012) raised the issue of information sharing

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andamong omnibus instructors. As the case of English

Technology. (2009). 認可申請及び届出に係る書類

education in university andcollegebyprofessional

engineers].

26

学習分析学会論文『学習分析学』
第４巻「オンライン授業と学習分析学」特集の見方[understanding documents relating tolectures]. Tokyo: Toshindo Publishing.

accreditation and notification]. Retrieved from:

Wakita, R., Ochi, Y. & Yano, Y. (1999). Web を利https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/secchi/0

用したオムニバス講義の日本事情教育とその実践

8010910.htm[Practice of Japanese affairs by omnibus lectures

Shift to online classes leaves Japan's university

using WWW]. Japan Journal of Educational

teachers exhausted (2020), The Japan Times,

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retrieved

from:

Yoshikawa, T., Yonezawa, K., Evans, G. (2000). 英

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/24/

語 1 履 修 学 生 テ キ ス ト [English 1 student

national/university-teachers-japan-exhausted-

textbook]. Japan: NBU Publishing Inc.

online-classes/
Suzuki, T., Kawamoto, S., Saijo, M. (2012). 概念ネ

Bio Statement

ットワークを用いたオムニバス授業の関連性の改John B. Collins is an Associate Professor in the

善―授業アンケートからの可視化手法

Department of Business and Economics at Nippon[Improving omnibus courses by employing a

Bunri University in Oita Prefecture, Japan. His

method with conceptual networks: visualization ofresearch focuses on second language learning andstudents’ responses]. Japanese Journal of Scienceteaching, focusing on vocabulary knowledge andCommunication, 12, 3-18.

text comprehension. He welcomes inquiries from

Usami, H. (1999). 大 学 の 授 業[university

other researchers in this field.

27