Abstract
For the purposes of a contemporary Japanese affairs course, everyday questions brought up by the students regarding Japan were used as learning topics. A Project Based Learning approach was used to help students 1) formulate theories regarding a given proposition, 2) promote research and learning using the Internet 3) foster discussion amongst peers, 4) practice writing short reports and making presentations. Using these steps, the students often reported changing their original point of view after being exposed to data and participating in discussions, thus further deepening their understanding of contemporary Japanese affairs. Finally, the student answers to the course questionnaire show that student satisfaction was high and that the course structure was perceived positively.
