Jordao Manuel

Jun 25, 2025

Integrating Technology in Teaching Methods

Name: Jordao Manuel (joined The University of Electro-Communications in 2024)
Nationality: Republic of Angola
Research Interest: Development of a system using AI for facilitating Chemistry teaching

 

 

 

Choosing Japan for both Master and PhD

I came to Japan as a government-funded student to pursue my master’s degree at Naruto University of Education. I was exposed to a developed country’s governance systems, technological advancements, and productivity. Overall, I liked it so much that I decided to choose Japan again for my PhD studies.

Choosing the JDPSR program

My master’s education program introduced me to sustainability science. I developed a great interest in it and wanted to take my understanding to a higher level by pursuing a PhD. In addition, my supervisors encouraged me to pursue a PhD. I found the JDPSR program very attractive due to its unique feature: It is run jointly by three universities. I thought that JDPSR was the right choice, with the availability of the necessary resources to gain advanced knowledge. That is why I chose the JDPSR program for my PhD.

Research Focus

I am basically aiming to develop a system leveraging artificial intelligence and LLMs to facilitate chemistry teaching in higher schools. My research is closely related to SDG number 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

At the JDPSR conference for the academic year 2024-25, he won the Best Poster Award,
achieving the highest scores in this category.

The JDPSR Advantage

JDPSR program offers us the opportunity to learn a highly interdisciplinary understanding of fields such as agriculture, economics, etc. In my opinion, scientists in the current era need not only to be aware of their focused research area but also have ideas about closely related fields.

Life in Japan

At first, when you come to Japan, you can see cultural differences, and you might feel overwhelmed by many things. Every place in the world has its own rules and regulations. The same is the case in Japan. You must follow the rules, and you will not face any problems if you follow the rules. I would also say that everyone who comes to Japan should try to get used to Japanese food. It is tasty. But sometimes, our tastebuds demand authentic taste from our homeland. In that case, the ingredients are available, and we can cook ourselves.

Challenges and solutions

Life in Japan is very fast, and I needed to cope with many things including the JDPSR classes. I sometimes found the JDPSR classes very long, as they encompass a wide range of topics in the context of sustainability science. So, it was sometimes a little challenging for me to maintain focus in classes dealing with some completely new topics. I believe that reading the reference materials provided by professors is important to understand the lectures of JDPSR completely.

Advice for future students

My advice to newcomers is to start learning Japanese when you plan to come to Japan. If one can speak even a little bit of Japanese, it will be convenient for daily life.