Lessons from a Teacup at KOMABA Salon: Practising Courses Toward Disciplines in Harmony

Lessons from a Teacup and Voices: My Educational Transformation Toward Disciplines in Harmony

Isao Kashima
Division of Educational Transformation (EX), Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence (KOMEX), College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

A teacup and the hot water it holds—everyday objects we seldom give much thought to. But what if they contained profound insights into the essence of science, the depth of culture, and the way we think? What kind of realisations might they inspire in you?

This presentation introduces a holistic education model that fosters scientific thinking, based on a liberal arts science course that has been running for ten years at the University of Tokyo. The course integrates Object-Based Learning (OBL) and Experiential Learning, bridging knowledge with practice, transcending disciplinary boundaries, and connecting people through learning. This approach embodies the spirit of liberal arts education unique to the Komaba campus. The course has been continuously refined through an open, iterative design process that carefully incorporates the voices of both students and educators.

At the heart of this course is the essay "Lesson from a Tea Cup/Chawan-no-yu/ちゃわんのゆ/茶碗の湯" by the scientist and essayist Torahiko Terada. In this work, Terada explores scientific principles hidden in ordinary phenomena, such as convection currents in a teacup. Students not only examine these physical processes scientifically but also engage with aesthetic, historical, and ethical perspectives, developing the following competencies:

• Deepened scientific, critical, and creative thinking

• Enhanced problem-solving and interdisciplinary inquiry skills

• Broader insights into culture, history, and ethics

• Exploration and visualisation of thought using generative AI

The course provides a platform where students and instructors from universities, corporations, and research institutions interact, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration through an omnibus-style curriculum. Additionally, the course incorporates a method called the "Rubric Cube," in which students iteratively refine their thought processes using generative AI. Through essay writing and self-assessment, they visualise the evolution of their ideas and articulate Terada’s perspective in their own words, thereby deepening their engagement with scientific thinking.

How do you perceive "A Cup of Tea"? And how do you connect with it?
By exploring the intersections of science, culture, and thought embedded in everyday life, how can we refine our ways of seeing, understanding, and engaging with the world? In this presentation, I will share practical classroom experiences and discuss how this course cultivates the realisation of the present moment ("here and now") while also opening pathways for transcending disciplinary and conceptual boundaries ("beyond here").

What does this single cup of tea symbolise for you? Let me hear your voices.

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