1st Edition
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in Japan Beyond lesson study
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and current status of policy, research and practices of curriculum, classroom instruction and assessment in Japan. It outlines the mechanism of curriculum organization and the history of the National Courses of Study, and assesses the theories of academic ability model. It also discusses in detail the history of "Lesson Study" – a characteristic teaching practice in Japan which utilizes groups, and reviews the history of educational assessment in Japan. Case studies on the practice of portfolio assessment in the Period for Integrated Study, as well as the practice of performance tasks in subject-based education are illustrated to show various examples of teaching practices.
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in Japan explores:
• Child-centered Curriculum and Discipline-Centered Curriculum
• Theories based on Models of Academic Achievement and Competency
• Various Methods for Organizing Creative Whole-Class Teaching
• Performance Assessment in Subject Teaching
A good guideline for those who would like to use the idea of "Lesson Study" in order to improve their own teaching and management practices and a reference to all working in educational improvement, this book will be of interest to educators and policymakers concerned with curriculum practices or those with an interest in the Japanese education system.
1. Introduction
Koji Tanaka
Part 1. Curriculum
2. Historical Overview of Curriculum Development: National Control over Curriculum vs. School-Based Curriculum Development
Kanae Nishioka
3. The Long Debate between Child-centered Curriculum and Discipline-Centered Curriculum
Koji Tanaka
4. Theories of the Models of Academic Achievement and Children’s Moral Development
Terumasa Ishii
Part 2. Instruction
5. Historical Overview of Lesson Study
Terumasa Ishii
6. Practices of Leading Educators: Yoshio Toi, Kihara Saito, Kazuaki Shoji, Yasutaro Tamada
Koji Tanaka
7. Various Methods for Organizing Creative Whole-Class Teaching
Terumasa Ishii
Part 3. Assessment
8. Historical Overview of Assessment in Japan
Koji Tanaka
9. Portfolio Assessment in the Period for Integrated Study
Kanae Nishioka
10. Performance Assessment in Subject Teaching
Kanae Nishioka
11. Conclusion
Biography
Koji Tanaka is Professor at the Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, Kyoto University, Japan.
Kanae Nishioka is Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, Kyoto University, Japan.
Terumasa Ishii is Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education, Faculty of Education, Kyoto University, Japan.
'Whatever you want to know any information about the curriculum, instruction and assessment in Japan, you can find out them in this book.' - Sun-Geun Baek, President, Korean Educational Development Institute, Professor, Department of Education, Seoul National University
'"Lesson study" in Japan is not a mere step-by-step procedure, but it is a culture of schoolteachers who learn from and improve each other. This book reveals the essential bases that underpin the high academic standards in Japan.' - Hajime Kimura, Professor, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University
