Digitalization drive proving tough for Japanese school teachers

They'll get it in time. Just fax them the instructions.

I guess it’s hard for the teachers to run the apps on their twenty year old computers running Windoze XP.

Many of those schools employed retiree, which will having difficulty in adapting with new technology. What are previous employer of those retiree? It's not that hard to make a guess.

https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/5tdlw8/converting_drivers_licenses_only_had_it_for_2/?rdt=33079

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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236781860_Amakudari_The_Hidden_Fabric_of_Japan's_Economy_review

"Many teachers still prioritize the use of notebooks, pencils and other analog writing materials in their classes, arguing that tablets are "less likely to leave a lasting impression"

Can somebody, anyone provide and information to prove these teachers wrong?

Here is a link to a report on a study from Todai that indicates that those teachers are correct: https://neurosciencenews.com/hand-writing-brain-activity-18069/

Problem is, the software that is being used for programs for studying math and kanji is absolutely crap. It amounts to nothing more than a paper worksheet on a computer, which is even worse than a regular paper worksheet because the kids need to use their finger or a graphic pen to write, and the system is full of glitches. So teachers are probably thinking what's the point. Personally, I can't. see it.

If you want to use digital resources, use better ones - not the useless crap designed by friends of the monkasho.

In the West tablets in classrooms have become normal.

Use pencils and paper and give the kids a link to the Kahn Academy Demo Japanese site and carry on.

Kahn: https://ja.khanacademy.org/

There are many, studies that indicate the brain activity and knowledge retention are better when using a pencil and paper.

This article shocked me as I assumed that computer science and the use of technology would be common practice in Japan, just as it is taught in western European countries. But I guess in a country that still uses fax machines and floppy disks both items being obsolete and never seen anywhere for well over 15 years.

My eldest granddaughter have started college last September at the age of 16 was required to have a laptop computer to complete her work and carry out assignments at home.

One of the main reasons being that school teachers are supposed to attend training sessions in their own time and on their own coin.

In the West tablets in classrooms have become normal.

So? This is Japan, and it's rather obvious that you seem to be oblivious about the "image" of Japan and Japanese education, and reality!

Problem is, the software that is being used for programs for studying math and kanji is absolutely crap. It amounts to nothing more than a paper worksheet on a computer, which is even worse than a regular paper worksheet because the kids need to use their finger or a graphic pen to write, and the system is full of glitches. So teachers are probably thinking what's the point. Personally, I can't. see it.

Not sure what school your kid goes to but mine uses an ipad which is supplied by the central government under the GIGA school program..

Computers have only been ubiquitous for what, 30 years?

The kids can teach the teachers.

Just give up. The ojiichans and old boys don't want it and as long as one teacher rejects it the school won't take to it. Once they have gone then there's a chance but this stubborn generation is causing all the problems and living the longest.

Computers have only been ubiquitous for what, 30 years?

I remember at the start of covid when all our college students were forced to study online, only about 20% had a computer in their house, and nearly all of those students lived with their parents.

This is Japan, and it's rather obvious that you seem to be oblivious about the "image" of Japan and Japanese education, and reality!

and here is the reality....

Japanese students ranked third, their highest level ever, in reading literacy in a global academic achievement survey for 2022, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in a report released on Tuesday.

They also ranked second in science literacy and fifth in mathematic literacy, improving on their previous high rankings in those two categories.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20231205-153879/

I am always amazed to see small children carrying those very heavy leather bags. Randoseru (ランドセル). Very expensive. Would not be required if they used tablets.

Easy solution to this one.

Get the kids to teach the teachers on how to utilize and use technology, that's of course if they want to learn! A big IF in the J education stratosphere.

Private schools use tablets as a way to supplement their lessons.

I am the age of those teachers mentioned, but by aging, I slowly find it “a pain” to adapt to some new technologies. Not because of the difficulty. Just a pain to change. Unless the software is crappy, nothing is tough for those teachers, they just know the best way for education is the old way.

Nothing is better than an old book and pen to memorize and learn.

During the Covid, the school children remained at home doing their lessons online.

Digital can be a very useful addition for those with learning difficulties or disabilities, but for the rest, it isn't a magic bullet. It is less resilient, costs more, uses more energy, creates an additional ability/access divide, and turns skilled, inspirational teachers into droids telling kids to point and click their way though life.

If I was a teacher, between the culture wars, distance learning during the pandemic, hungry, disillusioned kids as the economy slides and wars break out, and the depressing push to digital, I think I would have quit the profession and switched to doing just about anything else. It was never an easy job, but I don't envy anyone being a teacher nowadays. And the way things are going, the kids they teach will eventually be conscripted by the government and sent off to die in a trench.

Nothing is better than an old book and pen to memorize and learn.

I completely agree. Technology makes the learning more memorable and accessible, but at the end of the day, it is not a substitute for learning. Which is contrary to how these gadgets are marketed.

I am always amazed to see small children carrying those very heavy leather bags. Randoseru (ランドセル). Very expensive.

Not necessarily. "Nowadays, randoseru are usually made in Japan and constructed out of leather or synthetic leather which reduces the cost and weight of the bags."

Read all about it:

https://savvytokyo.com/buying-randoseru-japanese-elementary-school-bag-guide/

Would not be required if they used tablets.

Maybe. Japanese grandparents and families take great care and pride in equipping their first grader’s with perhaps there most prized possession; ランドセル. And there is nowhere to stash your PE kit, water bottle, pencil case and so on in a tablet bag...

NHK does a good spread on much misunderstood randoseru:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/821/

We all live in the digital era and now AI.

"The average weight of a randoseru with school supplies was 4.28 kilograms, up from 3.97 kilograms compared to the previous year. Some children carried randoseru that weighed more than 10 kilograms."

Over 90％ of Japanese Schoolchildren Say Randoseru Schoolbags are Heavy

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230207-89176/#:~:text=The%20average%20weight%20of%20a,weighed%20more%20than%2010%20kilograms.

turns skilled, inspirational teachers into droids telling kids to point and click their way though life.

I find that a bit excessive. Teachers are always looking for ways to make the learning experience more effective. I think if the technology is made accessible to them and they are allowed to experiment with it, it has a marvellous potential.

We all live in the digital era and now AI.

As the article states, insufficient percentage of elementary and junior high school students are utilizing newly provided digital devices on a daily basis, that might not necessarily be the case.

However, technology can be a distraction to learning. AI can encourage cheating.

And there is nowhere to stash your PE kit, water bottle, pencil case and so on in a tablet bag...

Who mentioned anything about a tablet bag? The randoseru could be replaced with a lightweight backpack.

The schools I have contact with don't seem to have a problem in this regard (my personal experience, of course). There are naturally teachers who are better/worse with tech, but even the older ones have now had several years of COVID/post-COVID to get up to speed.

These (public) schools all have a one-laptop-per-child policy (fully paid for by the local government), where kids can use a mobile data plan (again, fully paid for) if they have no wi-fi at home.

The main problem I've seen is that a lot of Google Chromebooks are used. I wouldn't want any child of mine being watched by Google. This link is a few years old, but the issue is still there:

https://www.eff.org/wp/school-issued-devices-and-student-privacy

proxyToday 07:35 am JST

Can somebody, anyone provide and information to prove these teachers wrong?

Very good point. Kids really benefit from tangible things like pen and paper, physical work, physical play etc. Technology is important, but it shouldn't be a substitute for this.

The schools I have contact with don't seem to have a problem in this regard (my personal experience, of course). There are naturally teachers who are better/worse with tech, but even the older ones have now had several years of COVID/post-COVID to get up to speed.

Same here. My staff talk a lot about it regarding their children. It might be just private schools though. It could also be based on what people might expect technology to do.

During the Covid, the school children remained at home doing their lessons online.

Not all students, and not all of the time There were no lockdowns as experienced in other countries. If I recall, in Japan it settled quite quickly, with staggered attendance. Half students one day and the others another day. But, I am sure a article could be pulled up that proves me wrong.

I grew up in an ever-changing world of technology and never found it a barrier to learning quite the opposite.

Japan's internet penetration rate stood at 94.0 percent of the total population at the start of 2022. 70% of households have computers.

42 percent of kids have a phone by age 10. By age 12, it's 71 percent. By 14, it's 91 percent.

"According to a survey conducted in Japan from July to September 2021, almost 90 percent of students aged nine to 12 years used computers and tablets at their primary schools in the past year. The usage rate of digital devices at school was lowest among high school students aged 16 to 18 years"

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1275250/japan-usage-rate-computers-tablets-school-by-age-group/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20survey%20conducted,aged%2016%20to%2018%20years.

All of our 1500 high school students have been provided with ipads. All classes use Epson classroom screen projectors on which teachers and students can interact with the content. Google Classroom is used for homework assignments and for classes missed by students due to illness or other reasons. Our Global Learning Program provides students an opportunity to interact with students in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Taiwan, through Zoom. Facilitating lessons in our Japanese high school has been made far easier since we've implemented our digital technologies. I'm confident other schools will catch up.

On the TV this morning, one subway line in Nagoya last September removed their printed timetables, and replaced them with signs containing only QR codes. You'll need to be digitally aware now.

But nowhere in sight are any charging facilities for Smartphones.

I grew up in an ever-changing world of technology and never found it a barrier to learning quite the opposite.

You are lucky. I didn't. The most we got was scientific calculator. Then as I left school, a computer that spent most of its time switched off in the corner.

No-one is saying technology is a "barrier" to learning. It is no substitute to it and has marvellous potential.

Who mentioned anything about a tablet bag? The randoseru could be replaced with a lightweight backpack.

Color me surprised

How many schoolkids play video games when they go home?

How many schoolkids play video games when they go home?

I have no idea. But, you do highlight the problem, even in school they are playing video games I hear. But, it does not stop hem from learning, though. Tablets are not the magic bullet to education. I ask you:

How many schoolkids watch math tutorials on YouTube when they go home?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FcpOfA4LEw

I know my neighbors do

Greeter Mckliskie

great comment about a real classroom situation.

During the Covid, the school children remained at home doing their lessons online.

Digital technology surly came to the front and center during the height of the pandemic in response to covid measures. 

great comment about a real classroom situation.

It seems you are involved in education. Have the parents not been asking about digital technology?

Young children are using digital technology in many ways. I always tell my spouse if she has a problem with her iPhone run outside and ask the nearest five-year-old.

He also noted that it would be good to have a "companion," such as a technology advisor at the school or municipal level

That is the problem with technology in schools, if there is a problem who is going to fix it. Usually the techy teacher such as poor old maths or science teacher That is one of the appeals for the likes of Google Classroom being used. There is a support service.

I always tell my spouse if she has a problem with her iPhone run outside and ask the nearest five-year-old.

For problems with iPhone, Apple support might be better option than a random infant stranger.

https://support.apple.com/ja-jp

The biggest problem with iPhone is battery drain and over-heating. I am not sure a 5 year old can help with that.

Research suggests that children learn better when reading from paper. They remember less when reading from a screen. On top of that children are using their Chromebooks to play games and watch YouTube. My own children became so obessed with YouTube and games (rather than homework) that I now lock their Chromebooks in a case with a combination lock so they don't use it too much. I think overall technology has had a negative impact on younger children. Why keep pusing more and more technology? Maybe as the tech giants can get more and more cash?

A while back a Japanese 8-year-old kid at an International school discussed with me the benefits of iPad and iPhones and digital teaching. Guess they did that in his school with a class limit of five.

Never had an iPhone problem with battery drain or overheating. My 2019 phone still has 85% battery capacity. Apple will replace it at 80%.

Many young children today are quickly using digital devices.

There is no problem with technology in school. They can hire a TA to deal with it.

How many schoolkids watch math tutorials on YouTube when they go home?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FcpOfA4LEw

I know my neighbors do

Wish I had a tablet and access to YouTube math tutorials back in uni and my school days. The closest I got was this little gem:

Engineering Mathematics: Programmes and Problems by Stroud, K. A. 3rd Edition

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Engineering-Mathematics-Programmes-Problems-Stroud/dp/0333448871

A well written book that was a supplement to Pure Mathematics modules, if I recall. 

I remember in junior high school not understanding simultaneous equations. I was scared to ask the teacher for help. So I worried and fretted and then hit on the idea to copy everything she said and wrote on the board into my jotter. I eventually worked the equations out enough to wing the test

If only I had a tablet then. Tablet lessons can act as a new era digital version to lessons as they can be recorded, things can be slowed down, repeated and rewatched. No substitute to learning though, like me copying down everything the teacher said. Just another resource that makes the educational experience richer. Like old Stroud above.

Kids will ChatGPT the answer if they have any opportunity to. Move the homework to in class work only and ban the devices except for a touch typing or digital literacy classes.

One of the issues I noticed was the sudden change into digital devices at school. Instead of training and instruction to lead into it, suddenly it was given to everyone and told to run with it.

Even now 3 years later teachers are struggling with tablets and not knowing how to use and even more importantly don’t know how to troubleshoot on them.

Part of this is not having digital devices at home daily and a general lack of modern IT knowledge. Like someone here said, laptops running windows xp and other vastly outdated things really kneecapped the attempt and will take longer than expected for people to become accustomed to the new environment

It was a mistake not to adopt English after WW2. It would have made it so much easier to contribute to technology and use American tools, build tech companies, etc.

Going back on the bus this evening it was full of school kids, Junior High, and High. Every one of them had their heads buried in their smartphones. They know how to use digital devices.

"Many teachers still prioritize the use of notebooks, pencils and other analog writing materials in their classes, arguing that tablets are "less likely to leave a lasting impression"

Can somebody, anyone provide and information to prove these teachers wrong?

It's an interesting topic. I'm in my late 60s and work on web applications for a living. I have a computer in front of me, but I always have a paper notebook and pen at my side. I generally scratch out various ideas and thoughts on paper - words, weird diagrams, etc. It may be simply because that's the way I was brought up. But I find there is much more "brain interference" if I try to make similar notes on a digital device (choose the text input then type, choose the rectangle thingy then click and size it, click the polygon thingy then click various times). With pen and paper, you can do all those things without switching attention.

albaleo

I do my note-taking and brainstorming on an iPad.

Do you use a pen on your iPad? Typing is the antithesis to brainstorming you see.

Do you use a pen on your iPad?

I use the Apple Pencil.

@James

I'm talking about this crap: https://solution.toppan.co.jp/education/service/navima.html

I pity the kids that have to use it.