Education ICT is taking off! "Educassion" Report

This report covers the "Education Session" held between October and December 2014.
On October 17, 2014, the fifth Educassion session was held, the first in about three years. We had extensive discussions with teachers from public and private schools about "The Current State of Education and ICT." On December 5, ten English education professionals attended. Then, on December 26, approximately 40 participants—including teachers, Ed Tech (education-focused venture) representatives, and high school students—engaged in heated discussions.
What unexpected insights emerged as stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and perspectives deepened their discussions? We report on the full picture of the present and future of educational ICT.

The key to success in educational ICT is "gradually building a community without forcing it."

On October 17th, four teachers participated in the Educassion session: three from private schools and one from a public school. I, Sekijima, moderated the session alongside Hiroyuki Tame of Future Institute, which provides educational ICT consulting services. We didn't set specific themes, instead freely posing questions like: "What kind of environment are you currently using tablets in?" and "What do you think would encourage teachers to utilize ICT more?"

For private schools, it was noted that "once the top leadership decides to introduce something, the project moves forward rapidly." Some schools distribute iPads or iPad minis to students, which also highlighted the problem that "this is precisely why disparities between schools tend to widen." On the other hand, for public schools, it was reported that "many teachers purchase tablets or Apple TVs themselves, using their own money, as personal items." Regarding applications, they were making do with free options. It's difficult to tackle this as a whole-school initiative, and it's hard to get other teachers on board. They expressed frustration: "We want to actively incorporate it, but we don't know how to get others involved."

When asked for tips on spreading educational ICT, a private school teacher advised, "Gently build your circle without forcing it." They explained, "It's tempting to want everyone to use it once introduced, but insisting 'You must use it' creates teachers who will absolutely refuse." "Instead of forcing it, I make a point to praise teachers whenever they use it even a little in class," they shared. Gradually, the usage rate of the projectors on the lending shelf increased. Then, seeing the empty shelf, some teachers started thinking, "Everyone else is using it, so I should try it too." Currently, a very positive "chain reaction of utilization" is reportedly taking place.

Can introducing educational ICT change a school's culture!?

A teacher at a private school in Kansai shared, "I proposed introducing tablet devices myself because I wanted to use them." Convincing fellow teachers was reportedly very difficult, but they held numerous discussions to persuade them. Regarding applications, they attended seminars at advanced schools successfully implementing educational ICT, obtained lists of software in use, and selected from there.

The biggest reaction came when one teacher stated, "We created an environment where teachers can observe each other's classes." Apparently, there was an unspoken rule among teachers that "you shouldn't just go observe others' classes willy-nilly." By fostering an atmosphere of "Let's actively observe each other's classes, learn ICT usage methods, and collectively improve teaching quality!", communication among teachers became more active, and the school culture itself changed, they shared.
There were also plenty of other fascinating topics, like how to set up Wi-Fi environments and how to utilize data. Since it was the first Educasion in three years, I was nervous before it started (laughs), but thanks to everyone, it ended as a huge success.

On December 5th, we held another Educassion session themed around "English Education," inviting six teachers, one cram school instructor, and two venture companies. The two venture companies pointed out problems in Japanese English education and presented ways to solve various challenges using IT. Here too, opinions emerged such as "There is a uniquely Japanese culture of trying to translate English into Japanese rather than understanding it as English" and "Couldn't this culture be leading to the 'Galapagosization of educational ICT'?" I am confident we had a meaningful discussion.

Taking a step forward together in a new framework toward 2020

On December 26th, we held "Educassion Special ~School for 2020~." Changing the format from the previous two sessions, this event adopted a style where participants from diverse backgrounds deepened their learning and insights through group discussions. Approximately 40 participants attended, including school teachers, local government officials, EdTech (education-focused venture) representatives, current high school students, and parents. They discussed how education should evolve and be designed as infrastructure rapidly develops ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Facilitating the event was Yohei Kawabe, Representative Director of "Children's Philosophy, Adults' Philosophy, Ada Koda." Participants formed groups of 7-8 people and deepened discussions using the "mutual questioning method," where members repeatedly asked each other questions. Once discussions reached a certain depth, an "exchange program" was implemented. One "exchange student" was selected from each group to travel to another group. These traveling students, acting as innovators bringing fresh perspectives, would inject new ideas into their host groups.

One group proposed that "education should be designed by working backward from the future society we should have." Another group highlighted a seemingly simple yet profound question: "Why don't teachers have email addresses?" Other noteworthy opinions included: "ICT should be leveraged to focus on uniquely human education," "An evaluation system for educational ICT must be established," and "Close collaboration with the private sector is essential." Most memorable was the statement: "Using new technology makes lessons more enjoyable and fosters student respect for teachers." This phrase felt like it encapsulated the very future of education.

What Education aims for is "taking one step forward together." We believe that now, at this turning point in education, stakeholders must join forces to create new frameworks. So that children can live with hope... We intend to continue creating forums for discussion, first mapping out the path, and then setting out to walk it.