135
6.6.3 Education Changing Through ICT
Education is a new industry in the Platinum Society. Education different to what we
have known thus far is sure to be created. The way that education should be may
change dramatically due to the wave of internationalization and computerization.
Education until now has been a place to gain as much knowledge as possible.
However, even if enormous volumes of knowledge are gained, there is no hope to
compete in a society where large amounts of information easily go to and fro across
borders.
In the coming years, children will need to have the ability to create new values in
a community of a global scale which will be made up of different cultures and sense
of values. With the change from an industrial society to an information society, a
twenty-first century education model for developing abilities will be sought after.
The computerization of education is indispensable. New information devices
such as electronic blackboards and tablets, and digital education materials will soon
be the norm. The importance of using ICT in the field of education will increase as
materials made easy to understand with images and sound are developed, together
with repetitive learning using computers. Teachers and students will be connected
through the internet for teaching and learning together so that technically, no matter
where you live in the world, you can always be in an educational environment. Also,
classrooms will be freed up to the outside, making it possible for parents and local
residents to participate in conversations while classes are being held.
The importance of computerization and digitalization has already been expounded
upon at length but actually the field of education seems to be an exception, and with
no progress being made in positive discussions. Especially in Japan, the demerits of
computerization of education have been pointed out and it can be said that Japan
lags behind other nations in the computerization of education. According to the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the number of students
who use ICT both inside and outside of schools in Japan is particularly low making
them noticeably behind other countries. Looking at the situation for ICT infrastructure in schools, according to research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology (MEXT), the number of computers used for education is
limited to one computer per 6.2 students.
The Association of Digital Textbook and Teaching was established in July 2010
to resolve this situation. The purpose of the association’s activities is to promote an
environment where all elementary and junior high school students in Japan can
study using digital textbooks. Specifically, this means (1) preparing 10 million tablets for use; (2) Developing digitalized versions of all the textbooks and learning
materials; and (3) achieving a LAN penetration rate of 100% for Wi-Fi inside classrooms. The association is aiming to achieve these goals quickly, earlier than planned
by the government. For that to happen, a three-party group must be formed consisting of the users (those at the schools, the students and the parents, and so on), the
public service (the government and municipal entities); and the private sector (such
as DiTT).
6.6 New Industries Created in a Platinum Society
6.6.3 Education Changing Through ICT
Education is a new industry in the Platinum Society. Education different to what we
have known thus far is sure to be created. The way that education should be may
change dramatically due to the wave of internationalization and computerization.
Education until now has been a place to gain as much knowledge as possible.
However, even if enormous volumes of knowledge are gained, there is no hope to
compete in a society where large amounts of information easily go to and fro across
borders.
In the coming years, children will need to have the ability to create new values in
a community of a global scale which will be made up of different cultures and sense
of values. With the change from an industrial society to an information society, a
twenty-first century education model for developing abilities will be sought after.
The computerization of education is indispensable. New information devices
such as electronic blackboards and tablets, and digital education materials will soon
be the norm. The importance of using ICT in the field of education will increase as
materials made easy to understand with images and sound are developed, together
with repetitive learning using computers. Teachers and students will be connected
through the internet for teaching and learning together so that technically, no matter
where you live in the world, you can always be in an educational environment. Also,
classrooms will be freed up to the outside, making it possible for parents and local
residents to participate in conversations while classes are being held.
The importance of computerization and digitalization has already been expounded
upon at length but actually the field of education seems to be an exception, and with
no progress being made in positive discussions. Especially in Japan, the demerits of
computerization of education have been pointed out and it can be said that Japan
lags behind other nations in the computerization of education. According to the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the number of students
who use ICT both inside and outside of schools in Japan is particularly low making
them noticeably behind other countries. Looking at the situation for ICT infrastructure in schools, according to research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology (MEXT), the number of computers used for education is
limited to one computer per 6.2 students.
The Association of Digital Textbook and Teaching was established in July 2010
to resolve this situation. The purpose of the association’s activities is to promote an
environment where all elementary and junior high school students in Japan can
study using digital textbooks. Specifically, this means (1) preparing 10 million tablets for use; (2) Developing digitalized versions of all the textbooks and learning
materials; and (3) achieving a LAN penetration rate of 100% for Wi-Fi inside classrooms. The association is aiming to achieve these goals quickly, earlier than planned
by the government. For that to happen, a three-party group must be formed consisting of the users (those at the schools, the students and the parents, and so on), the
public service (the government and municipal entities); and the private sector (such
as DiTT).
6.6 New Industries Created in a Platinum Society