Abstract:

This oral presentation (accompanied by PowerPoint) examines how a major class project was redesigned from a traditional format and transitioned into an online, e-Learning experience. The final results of the online class project became part of major online oral history ARCHIVES of Asian global immigration that is accessible to the general public. This archives is called the Wayne Maeda Oral History Archives and I am the project director of the online component.

In California, the state with the highest GDP in America, the "minority" population is now the "majority": that is, the white population (people of European descent) are now the "minorities," according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Hispanics, Asians and blacks have comprised the majority population since 2010. In California, Asian American immigrants play a prominent role in society and the economy, especially in the Silicon Valley, the information technology industry, engineering, biotechnology and healthcare, and in agriculture.

At my university course at California State University, Sacramento on Asian Global Migration (Ethnic Studies 114: Asian Americans and Globalization), students critically analyze and discuss the global migration of Asians and Asian Americans and the social, historical, political and economic context of the larger Asian global migration.

Aside from the required requisite exams and essay written assignments, students are required to conduct a major oral history project where they interview an Asian immigrant in America and document, in oral history format, their migration from their home country, immigration to America, settlement experience, race relations experience and community and identity formation in the Unites States. This paper, which will also be presented in a PowerPoint presentation, documents the evolution of how the project went from a traditional format (students interview an Asian immigrant, create a transcript, write a paper and submit a major portfolio) to one where all of this is conducted and submitted in its entirely online via SacCT (our online, eLearning system). The work that students would generally conduct in isolation were redesigned so students worked collaboratively in assigned groups (according to their relevant Asian immigrant groups that they are interviewing); would share their project development as they work towards completing their projects; and finally share their completed oral history interview projects with the entire class. To further encourage class interaction, students are required to comment and critique the work of their fellow classmates. Finally, the best works by students are selected, edited and published as part of a major online oral history project at California State University, Sacramento called the "Wayne Maeda Asian American Studies Archives."

The presentation will conclude with the presentation of the Wayne Maeda Asian American Studies Archives, which currently has the complete oral histories of Filipino, Hmong, Japanese and Korean immigrants in the Unites States.

Keywords:

e-learning Projects and Experiences, Education and Globalization, Multicultural Education.