Bunka Suginami Canadian International School Principal, Riyo Whitney, gives a Project-Based Learning presentation to the 21st Century Education Organization

The 21st Century Education Organization has had it's third update in 2019. Preparations for the launch of the 21st Century Education Organization 1.0 (named “21st Century Education Association”, commonly known as “21kai”) began in the autumn of 2011. By 2015 all member schools had carried out an educational reform, including programs such as Thinking Entrance Examination, PBL, C1 English, ICT, a modernization of liberal arts, which includes a philosophic way of thinking in STEAM, creation of thinking code (meta-rubric), preperation for international education, and the 21kai common education system.
In 2016 the name was changed to the current "21st Century Education Organization" and the second update took place, as an accreditation to guarantee the quality of the common education system. As a result of a complete implementation in 2017 and 2018 following a preparation period in 2016, the strengths and weaknesses of 21st century education at each member school can be found in the collected data.
Furthermore, teachers from the member schools has had occasional gatherings (so-called "Off-kai"), and a plan was set in motion to create a training course for the 21st century education teachers. Three types of training courses (“Learning Emergence Conference”, “Class Research” and “PBL Training with Emergent Scribing”) were created individually for the member schools.
In 2019 it was decided to open the 21st Century Education and Research Center, as a reaction to the request of sharing training methods across the member schools.
It was announced at the regular meeting last month, that the leaders of the center are Mr. Koura, the director of 21st educational planning department at Seigakuin, and Mr. Tanaka, the Headteacher of Kougakuin. They have practiced the prototype of the previously mentioned training methods of the 21st Century Education Organization for years. As well as they have been working together with several of the member schools to share the results.
The execution of the system updates should always happen at the same time across the member schools. If not done simultaneously, the self-transformation and improvement will stagnate. The 21st Century Education Organization 3.0 will get launched this year, and will be completed in 2021. Therefore, this update incorporates Global Education 4.0 and the 21st Century Education Organization 4.0, in order to overcome the 2025 problem and get back on track. This journey will be quite long.
"Project X Century" is the preparation for that.
Currently the private schools of the Tokyo metropolitan area varies in platforms such as the 21st Century Education Organization, Silicon Valley-type schools, IB schools, distance learning schools, etc.. By inspiring each other, private schools have created dynamism that allows each school to improve the quality of private education. However the schools are still competing for school rankings.
We welcome a new era of "quality" in education, classes, tests and evaluations. Along with this comes an environment, which bring out the talent of each student. We welcome the hope of Japan and the world.
(May 21 ,2019)
静岡聖光学院の21世紀型教育改革のダイナミクスは、4月から急激に力強くなった。PBL型授業が魂の泉となって、あらゆる教育活動で同時多発的にイノベーションが加速した。4月にイートン・カレッジと特別な関係を結ぶことができた。
イギリスでは、ラグビーを大切にしている。大会で優勝するかどうかよりも、ジェントルマンの教養としての価値をラグビーに見出している。文化庁がお墨付きをつけるほど、静岡聖光学院のラグビーをはじめとする部活動はジェントルマンマインドであふれている。
イートン・カレッジはその意味をすぐに理解した。多くの日本の私立学校と交流しているが、静岡聖光学院は、今後サマースクール以上の交流をしていくことになっている。来年は、イートンのラグビーチームが静岡聖光学院にやってくる。ラグビーを通して、国際交流を行う予定だ。
静岡聖光学院の先生方は、教科を超えて同時多発的にアイデアを出し合い、一気呵成に実行に移していく。失敗は試行錯誤の糧である。そもそも学問は仮説、実験、検証、再挑戦が基本だ。このようなが学問ベースの教育を、創設者ピエール・ロバート神父は創った。
それゆえ、PBL型授業などは、当然と言えば当然で、時代の要請に応えるというより、時代が追いついてきたといったほうがよいだろう。しかし、だからといって、これでよいと変えない理由を並べることはない。学問も時と共に変化する。今や1人で研究室にこもって論文を書いていればよいという時代ではない。
今年最後の本機構の定例会が、順天学園の理軒館で行われました。2014年に180周年を迎えた順天は、SGH、21世紀型教育など探究によって未来を創る資質・能力を養う教育を開発実施してきました。また、その探究の原点である創設者福田理軒の精神を象徴する学究的な宇宙観を彷彿とさせる理軒館も建てました。
2018年12月16日(日)、平成最後の21世紀型教育機構のカンファレンスを、千葉で開催します。
2040年を起点として2つの未来を創る教育について考えます。
この2つの教育による未来制作方法についいて学びます。
聖徳学園は「国際協力プロジェクト」という授業を高2生全員が年間を通じて行っています。グローバル教育センター長の山名和樹先生がJICA職員や大学の先生など外部の専門家と協力しながら育ててきた聖徳学園独自のPBLです。今年もその中間報告会があるというので見学してきました。 by 鈴木裕之:海外帰国生教育研究家