Educational Policy of School of Education（Bachelor's Degree Courses）
Fundamental Educational Goals
The School of Education believes that education maximizes human potential. With the foundation of learning based on the principles and significance of school education and an understanding of children, we aim to equip students with specialized knowledge and skills. Our goal is to foster the ability for students to play an active role in the “creation of knowledge” and to cultivate educational practice skills that contribute to the construction of a sustainable society.
Exemplary Students
We define “the ability for students to play an active role in the ‘creation of knowledge’”, as set forth in the Fundamental Educational Goals, as specialization and inquiry abilities; “meaningful dialogues and discussions with other students as well as the university faculty and staff” as communication abilities; “a rich sense of humanity” as liberal arts abilities; and “contributing to educational practice and the advancement of educational research as educators” as implementation abilities. We will train students as “pioneers of proactive and transformative change” who contribute to creating new values and bringing innovation to the world, in accordance with Okayama University’s Mission and Purpose.
Practitioners who continue to learn in order to maximize children’s potential through the power of education.
We will train students to develop the following five abilities:
〇 Implementation ability based on inquiry ability to develop educational activities.
〇 Inquiry ability to ask questions independently and identify issues.
〇 Communication ability to collect and disseminate information and build good human relationships.
〇 Specialization ability to contribute to society as an educator.
〇 Liberal arts ability to maintain an interest in nature and society and to continue learning.
Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy)
In order to train exemplary students, the School of Education awards degrees to students who have studied for the prescribed period of time, acquired the following competences and earned the credits required for graduation.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Specialization Ability, Liberal Arts Ability
【Implementation Ability】 Implementation ability based on the inquiry ability to develop educational activities.
The ability to act as an educator with a constant sense of inquiry in order to develop distinctive educational activities.
【Inquiry Ability】 Inquiry ability to ask questions independently and identify issues.
The ability to identify issues through learning and practice based on theory, and to continue self-improvement to enhance school education.
【Communication Ability】 Communication ability to collect and disseminate information and build good human relationships.
The ability to gather, analyze, and accurately utilize necessary information, effectively disseminate it, and build good relationships with others.
【Specialization Ability】 Specialization ability to contribute to society as an educator.
The ability to acquire a broad range of knowledge and skills related to educational sciences and to instruct creatively with high ethical standards.
【Liberal Arts Ability】Liberal arts ability to maintain an interest in nature and society and continue learning.
The ability to maintain an interest in diverse issues in nature and society, and to continue learning in order to apply logical thinking, judgment, and creativity to solve problems.
Policy for Curriculum Planning and Implementation (Curriculum Policy)
In order to train students to master the abilities set out in the Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy), the School of Education organizes and implements curricula based on the following educational policies and principles:
Education Implementation Policy
To provide education that helps students develop the ability to continue to learn independently in order to implement sustainable societies.
Education Principles
The following educational content is provided from the perspective of proactive and interactive deep learning, emphasizing what students are able to do, rather than what has been taught.
【General Education】
General education aims to develop general knowledge and skills commonly required for students aspiring to become teachers, and provides practical activities for learning with other students, while maturing and creating together.
The curriculum promotes self-awareness as an educator to develop the ability to understand children and build relationships with them. It aims to enhance students’ understanding of the educational system.
【Specialized Education】
Specialized education provides students with opportunities to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills related to various educational sciences, allowing for the development of reflective and creative educational practices through the interplay of theory and practice.
The curriculum provides students with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to form teacher competencies and equips them with the ability to design and implement proactive educational activities tailored to their specific school type or subject area.
【Language Education】
Language education is provided to develop the communication and behavioral skills necessary for living in society as an educator with a global, research-oriented mindset, as well as dignity and compassion.
The curriculum provides students with opportunities to learn English, which is necessary for developing integrated skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as subjects focused on understanding children and intercultural comprehension, to enhance language and communication skills. Additionally, it creates opportunities to understand the educational support required in school settings.
Educational Methods
The aforementioned educational content is provided in the following ways:
(1) Educational methods are used to help students proactively expand their potential.
General education, specialized education, and language education are provided in ways that enable students to expand their potential by understanding others and learning from one another.
(2) An educational system is offered that takes full advantage of the unique features of the university.
For all courses, an educational system is provided that enables students, while respecting their own specialization, to collaborate with others in different specialized fields to think, take action, and create something new, while learning from each other.
(3) Practical educational programs which are tailored to the development of the students are provided.
Students are offered study abroad programs, internships, and practicums in real-world settings connected to their region and the world.
Academic Performance Evaluation Policy
The academic performance of each student is rigorously evaluated.
The curriculum provides a comprehensive approach to evaluation, primarily focusing on summative assessment in lecture courses and formative assessment in practical and seminar courses. The acquisition of fundamental qualities and abilities as aspiring teachers is assessed using an A+, A, B, C, F grading scale, with C set as the standard for achieving the learning objectives. The evaluation methods for each course are indicated to students through the syllabus and other materials. For the graduation thesis, the criteria and methods of evaluation are clearly stated, and the final assessment and examination are conducted based on these standards.
Extracurricular Education Policy
Students are provided with extracurricular activities to enable them to understand their personal development beyond classroom learning.