The learning method that tends to center on memorization must be reformed to promote a switch to a type of teaching under which students find study topics on their own and learn about them on their own initiative.
The next set of proposed curriculum guidelines for high school has been unveiled. The guidelines will take effect for new high school students to be enrolled beginning in fiscal 2022. The main pillar of the revision, the first in nine years, is the introduction of "active learning" for all subjects, incorporating debate and presentation activities.
It has been pointed out that less progress has been made in high schools than in elementary and junior high schools in the improvement of lessons taught unilaterally by teachers. This trend is said to be strong at schools with a focus on university entrance exams.
It is understandable that the next set of guidelines puts forth the idea of attaching importance to developing students' abilities to think, make judgments and express themselves.
Symbolic in this regard is the emergence of new subjects named "koten tankyu" (exploration for Japanese classics) and "Nihonshi tankyu" (exploration for Japanese history). The subject named "risu tankyu" (exploration for science and mathematics) calls for conducting experiments and making reports in collaboration with universities. It is hoped that the new subjects will play a role in deepening the interest of students.
"Rekishi sogo" (comprehensive history) will be introduced as a required subject. The subject is designed to integrate Japanese and world history in the modern era, which has tended to be less dealt with. Students will be able to deepen their understanding of various contemporary social issues by systematically developing a grasp of Japan's advancement in the world.
With the voting age having been lowered to 18, a required subject called "kokyo" (public studies) will be adopted. Students will learn real social issues such as political participation and national security.
Reform entrance exams, too
The new guidelines stipulate that it is imperative to accurately teach that Takeshima, the Senkaku Islands and the northern territories off Hokkaido are "inherent part of the territories of Japan" in such subjects as "chiri sogo" (comprehensive geography) as well as in kokyo. It is essential for students to acquire correct knowledge of the Japanese territories.
In the subject called "joho" (information), computer programming will be taught as a required subject in response to social changes. The number of English words to be learned through the end of high school will increase in the wake of English being taught at elementary school. Practical ability in English will be further called for.
Teachers' burdens will not be small. It is hoped that the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry and boards of education will make arrangements at schools for responding to the new subjects and teaching methods.
The revision proposal calls for narrowing down a list of biological terms to be used selectively in school textbooks. This is in response to the recommendation of the Science Council of Japan, which is concerned about students' burdens in entrance examinations. The education ministry has clarified its position of breaking with the teaching method of making students memorize as many terms as possible.
Also in the subject of history, careful selection of terms to be used in textbooks and entrance exams is a matter to be studied.
An important thing is to reform the guidelines in integration with reform of university entrance tests. As long as exams require minute knowledge, teaching at high schools will not change.
A new unified test, which will be adopted in fiscal 2020 to replace the National Center Test for University Admissions, will introduce essay questions, among other things. In entrance exams held by individual universities, it is indispensable to revise them based on what is intended by the new teaching guidelines, too.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 16, 2018)
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
