✨ Asynchronous Course Portal
Adagio Course Guide
- The present document describes the online Japanese courses (JPNS 101, 102, 201, and 202) available at the University of Hawaii, Kapiolani CC, as well as its corresponding course management system, Adagio.
- The course is instructed by Professor Satoru Shinagawa, who has been offering online courses since 1999, prior to the implementation of any official course management system by the university. Together with his colleague from Akita University, Japan, Professor Hiroshi Yokoyama, Professor Shinagawa initiated a project to teach Japanese online in 1998. The Adagio system was developed as a result of this project and has been continuously refined and utilized since then.
- The Adagio course is asynchronous, meaning that there are no scheduled class meetings using software like Zoom. Instead, students may access the Adagio website at their convenience to read the textbook, watch video lectures, and submit assignments before the specified due dates.
📚 Textbook Access
Cengage MindTap Setup (Textbook & SAM)
Course materials for our online classes (such as Nakama eTextbooks and Student Activity Manuals) are accessed via Cengage MindTap.
- Initial Registration: Launch MindTap directly from Lamaku (D2L Brightspace). Do not register directly on cengage.com so that your account links to your specific course section (JPNS 101, 102, 201, or 202).
- UH IDAP Program: Digital course materials are provided under UH's IDAP program. If presented with a paywall asking for payment, do not purchase access separately—relaunch from Lamaku or contact Cengage Support.
- Submission Policy: MindTap is strictly for eTextbook reading and practice exercises. Do not submit graded assignments on MindTap; they will not be evaluated. All graded work must go through the Adagio server or the course mailing list.
Sample Schedule
💡 Hover over schedule rows to highlight daily tasks.
| Date |
Day |
Video Lectures |
Webcam Assignment |
Online Assignments |
Results |
| Jan. 10 |
M |
Lecture 1 |
tb.p.123 A-1. |
Vocab Quiz 1. |
Here |
| Jan. 11 |
T |
|
tb.p.123 A-2. |
Vocab Quiz 2. |
Here |
| Jan. 12 |
W |
Lecture 2 |
tb.p.124 B-1. |
SAM p.234 I-A |
|
| Jan. 18 |
T |
|
Role Play Due |
|
|
| Jan. 19 |
W |
Oral Test |
Kanji Writing Due |
|
|
🎥 Required Tech
Assignments, Hardware, and Screen Recording
The Japanese online course is structured to include daily assignments, with a comprehensive schedule outlining each day's required tasks.
- Students complete two main types of tasks: Webcam Assignments and Online Assignments.
- Required Hardware: Smartphones and tablets (iPhones, iPads) are not suitable due to screen size limitations and inability to run screen-recording tools. Desktop or laptop computers are required.
- Zight Screen Recording: Zight is required during all vocabulary quizzes, oral tests, and exams.
- Sign up using your @hawaii.edu email address for an educational Pro account.
- Perform a 360-degree workspace check before starting any assessment.
- Keep recordings under 40–50 minutes to stay under the 1 GB file size limit.
🔑 Portal Authentication
Adagio Portal Integration & Login
Please note that there is no dedicated login page or sign-in interface for the Adagio server. System access is deeply integrated into the course portal.
- Credentials Standard:
- User ID: Your last name, a period, and your first name initial (e.g., John Doe = doe.j).
- Password: Your UH student ID number without hyphens (e.g., 12345678).
- Access Method: Your browser automatically prompts you for credentials when clicking assessment links.
- Availability Windows: Quizzes/tests open at 3:00 PM (or 8:00 AM) for strict 24 to 72-hour windows.
🚀 Proven Success Strategies
Effective Learning Strategies
💡 Hover or tap any card below for actionable tips:
⏱️ 1. Daily Dedicated Study
Reserve at least 1 hour every day. Daily practice builds long-term memory far better than weekend cramming.
✍️ 2. Active Recall & Writing
Handwrite Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji on paper rather than passively staring at slides or flashcards.
⚡ 3. Sub-1-Second Recall
Cover English translations and aim to say the meaning in under 1 second to internalize grammar structures.
🎧 4. Interactive Shadowing
Pause lecture audio after every phrase to speak aloud and predict sentences before they play.
AI Translation Workflow & Course Communication
For specialized translation and dictation exercises (e.g., Translation Helper assignments):
- Submit your Japanese drafts to the course AI tool for interactive scaffolding and corrections.
- If you cannot finish in one sitting, type "Finish" or "Report" in the chat to generate a progress summary.
- Copy the entire "Final Report for Your Instructor" code block generated by the AI and email it to the course mailing list.
Course Mailing List Policy
- The UH ListServ is the central channel of communication. Always sign your full name on every email sent to the list.
- If using UH Gmail, sent listserv messages will not appear in your inbox due to Gmail duplication policies. Review details on the UH AskUS Page or set up a secondary personal email address.
Course Rules & FAQ Support Base
Click below to toggle highlights, or click the links to open full pages in a new tab:
- Mandatory Video Verification: Screen recording (via Zight) with a 360-degree workspace check is required for all quizzes, oral tests, and exams. Missing video verification results in an "F" grade for academic dishonesty.
- Mailing List Self-Management: Unsubscribing from the class ListServ is the student's responsibility using the link in the email footer. Always sign your emails with your full name.
View Full Course Rules Page →
- Adagio Sign-In: There is no direct login button. You are automatically prompted for credentials when clicking specific quiz or test links. User ID is lastname.initial and Password is your UH Student ID without hyphens.
- No Testing Center Required: All tests and quizzes are taken at home using required screen recording tools. Campus testing centers are not used.
- ListServ Email Delivery: UH Gmail does not copy sent messages back into your inbox. To verify sent work, subscribe a secondary email address to the list.
View Full FAQ Support Page →