Online education is gaining a lot of attention in the field of education that is closed. However, the environment is still poor at public schools. It also conveys the movements of the private sector.

Will "Online Education" Become a Savior? April 23, 18:15

It seems that there are some first-year students who do not even know the faces of their classmates because of school closures throughout Japan. Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, the field of education is in an unprecedented situation. Under such circumstances, "online education" is attracting attention.
(Social Department reporter Soichiro Izumi, Kota Suzuki)

Visited a public advanced school

What exactly is online education? I heard that there is a public school in Fukushima Prefecture that provides advanced online education.

"Futaba Mirai Gakuen" is a prefectural junior high and high school in Hirono Town, Fukushima Prefecture. It was established to give children who have left their hometown an accident at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant once again a place to learn.

At school, we lent one tablet device to each student, ahead of the rest of the country. Even before the new coronavirus became a big problem, I have been working on classes using the Internet.

After the school was closed, he checked the health status as well as the classes that were online with the students.

For students who have difficulty meeting their friends, we have also started a unique online initiative to have lunch together.

Teacher "Is this possible?"

Already, the students are having fun interacting online. However, when I thought that the teachers weren't having a hard time, when I asked them what they were saying, the words that came back were impressive.

Teacher Kento Nitta
"When I try to use it, there are many people who say," It's surprisingly fun! " It's possible to do things that you couldn't do at school up to now, and I think it's a form of a form. ''

Japan is an “advanced country for online education”

However, it seems that the reality is that it is not easy for schools all over the country to make such efforts.

In Japan, children's academic ability is world-class, but the spread of online education is behind that of OECD member countries. As of last year, in Japan, there is no PC or other terminal in every 5 people.

Furthermore, according to the OECD survey (2018), the frequency of use of personal computers in schools was the lowest among the member countries.

In fact, after the school was closed all over the country with the new coronavirus, the country conducted a survey and found that only 5% of local governments are conducting face-to-face online instruction using terminals such as personal computers.

Regarding online education in Japan, last year Prime Minister Abe announced that he would prepare terminals such as personal computers for all elementary and junior high school students, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology also established the "GIGA (Giga) School Plan" to establish a high-speed communication network. I put it up, but it has just started to move.

Before that happened, the new coronavirus hit the Japanese school scene directly.

Online popularity soars

However, the movement of private companies is active.

Nowadays, you can see advertisements for private supplementary schools and private schools everywhere on the Internet, saying "free online teaching materials".

The number of new entrants is increasing one after another, and according to a survey by Nomura Research Institute, the market size is expected to reach 310.3 billion yen in 2023.

An official at a high school in Tokyo spoke about the actual situation in the field as follows.

"This month, there was also a sales promotion of teaching materials from a private company. I am grateful, but I have to consider long-term costs, so I am carefully considering it."

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has begun to move

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is the driving force behind this movement of private companies. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology administers elementary and junior high schools and high schools, while the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry administers private supplementary schools.

We established the Education Industry Office in 2017 and have been promoting "Education Technology", which utilizes the latest technology.

We asked the key person, Daisuke Asano, what he really meant.

Human resources that will be accepted in the future society

Daisuke Asano, Director of Education Industry Office
"As society needs more creative abilities, I thought that it would be impossible to develop human resources who can eat without changing from elementary and junior high school education. I feel that there is a strong self-regulation of `` I should not do it ''. I am given a similar learning content every year, just hitting the ball thrown will not work in the future society. Wings of

Is it possible to separate from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology?

Daisuke Asano, Director of Education and Industry Office
"Speaking of educational policy, there may be an idea of the Ministry of Education, but without" competition "and" concert ", there will be no development. I think it's my friend. ”If we don't tackle the educational reform together, it will be a rice cake that we drew in the picture, so we want to work together to realize it.”

Delayed learning-Ask a person in charge of the Ministry of Education

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Actually, from the spring, elementary schools began full-fledged active learning related to learning from this spring, based on a new course of study, and the introduction of programming education and the introduction of English into the curriculum led to major changes. It was said to be the year.

However, due to the suspension of school due to the new Corona, the concept has been delayed significantly from the start.

This month, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has made it possible to evaluate grades even through online learning. Furthermore, if the school can confirm that the content learned through home study has taken root in tests, etc., it will be dealt with, such as allowing special measures that require no treatment in class.

We interviewed Mr. Hiroki Takaya of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in charge.

Hiroki Takatani Director, Educational Information and Foreign Language Education Section
“Schools did not progress toward ICT (information and communication technology), and as a result, they were left behind by society and created differences between local governments. We are unable to proceed, and we are proceeding with budgeting with a sense of speed. ''

School closures are lengthening nationwide. The new curriculum outlines active learning, is that okay?

Hiroki Takatani Director of Educational Information and Foreign Language Education
“Online education plays a major role as a tool for active and interactive learning that active learning aims at. At elementary schools, face-to-face instruction and group life are important for the current school. It's no different to sex, but we have to make efforts to make online education a new added value so that children will not be wrinkled even if the school is closed. ''

An educational site where confusion continues in the face of an unprecedented situation. How to guarantee the right to education as specified in the constitution.
It's true that promoting online education can help a lot, but the challenges are numerous.

We will continue coverage.
Please send us your opinions and experiences.

Social Affairs Reporter
Soichiro Izumi

Social Affairs Department
Kota Suzuki

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Will "Online Education" Become a Savior?