Hello. This is Watanabe Ten from the α and Hakubi Super Simple World Blog. Today's theme is a rewritten article about wanting to establish an education-related NPO. It will be in the form of an interview where I answer questions.
Q: Ten-san, education is a hot topic right now.
A: Yes. This is Watanabe Ten. Until recently, education meant simply education focused on standardized test scores. Students' main role was to solve problems in textbooks and go to universities with higher test scores. Speaking from my own experience as someone who received this standardized test-based education, I would say it was a passive form of education where you listened to lectures and took notes.
A. Of course, it can be said that prestigious universities have functioned as a stepping stone to producing outstanding members of society, guaranteeing a certain level of academic ability. Having seen many cases in the field of education, I myself have felt that if students were to shift from a passive attitude to a more active learning approach, the effectiveness of education would increase.
Q: In reality, it could be said that students haven't been taking traditional classes seriously, such as taking neat notes or listening to music during lectures. What do you think should be done about this, Ms. Ten?
A. If traditional university education was not very appealing, the reason could be said to be that it consisted of self-contained, individualized lessons taught by school teachers. The reason might be that teachers took the lead in conducting lectures, preventing students from actively participating in them.
Q: You mentioned that students were not actively participating in lectures. What kind of initiatives can be taken to encourage students to participate more actively in lectures?
A. First, one approach would be to have students read the textbook. Having students independently read the lecture textbook as preparation or review is one way to encourage more active participation in lectures. Alternatively, instructors may need to assign homework such as encouraging students to read the textbook or instructing them to solve practice problems.
Q: In terms of student initiatives, various methods such as group discussions and active learning are being implemented as part of proactive learning in classes. In that regard, what kind of classes do you think are appropriate for the current learning environment?
A: I think that students need to take ownership or be proactive in participating in the lecture. Lectures should be like the old-fashioned private schools, where students open their textbooks and read aloud at the same time, creating a situation where they feel they are shaping the lecture together. If students just copy what's written on the board into their notebooks and that's it, the content of the lecture won't stick in their memory.
Q: Students themselves don't know how they should study. While they can ask teachers for help, I think it would be good to have experiential lectures that teach various learning methods as part of the coursework. What are your thoughts on this?
A: From my personal perspective, regarding the question of talent versus environment, one thing I can say is that environment is a far greater growth factor than talent. Even when it comes to learning methods, knowing or not knowing those methods can drastically change test scores. I think all high-achieving students have their own unique learning methods. It's fascinating how much a student's performance can change depending on their learning method.
Q: From what I've heard so far, one thing I can say is that simply being taught how to study can make a big difference in grades. It seems that the difference in grades among students is due to how they study at home, separate from what they learn in school lectures. Ms. Ten, how do you think we can best bridge this gap created by studying at home?
A. As mentioned earlier, I believe that the significant educational disparities among students are due to differences in environment, not differences in talent. In other words, to bridge the gap between students, it is necessary to address the environmental differences by adopting the learning methods of students who achieve higher grades. Forming groups together and having them teach each other their areas of expertise, thereby reducing the distance between students and promoting communication, would be an effective measure.
Q: There are still many things I'd like to ask, but our time is almost up. If you had to pick one key point from this discussion, what would it be?
A. Environmental factors play a significant role in differences in student performance. How about incorporating new and trendy learning methods? In fact, talent factors that contribute to differences in performance are crucial when they are built upon that foundation.
Q: Thank you very much. We will conclude the interview here for today. We hope to have another opportunity to work with you in the future.
So, actively participating in lectures can lead to improved academic performance, right? That's all. Thank you for your continued growth. This is Watanabe Ten. See you again, Alpha.