Educational Policy of Graduate School of Education (Master’s Course)
The Graduate School of Education (MA in Educational Sciences, Educational Degree Program)Educational Policy
Fundamental Educational Goals
The Master's Program in Education (Educational Degree Program) explores various sciences related to education in all areas where people live, including schools, families, communities, and workplaces. Through a deep understanding of education and related fields, the program aims to cultivate advanced educational practices that can contribute to school leadership as well as to the international and local communities. By engaging in dialogue and discussions through collaboration with fellow students, faculty, schools, and the community, the program supports the development of practitioners equipped with flexible thinking and creativity, fostering individual characters to take on leadership roles as creative and practical educators.
Exemplary Students
Pioneers in Leveraging Educational Expertise for International Impact
Based on Okayama University's "Fundamental Educational Goals" and the "Exemplary Students," the Master's Program in this Graduate School aims to cultivate individuals with a broad perspective and creative practical abilities through specialized academic knowledge in education.
In the "Educational Degree Program," the goal is to develop individuals with deep specialized knowledge in education and related fields, along with general knowledge about the GIGA School and ICT environments. These individuals will be equipped with advanced knowledge of education and practical educational skills, enabling them to critically reassess various issues present in local and international communities from a scientific perspective. They will actively propose viable solutions and take initiative in creating new value, thereby leading the way in a "Society 5.0" era.
We train people to possess the five competencies:
〇The implementation ability required to connect with the world through education, respect diverse cultures and values, and lead to problem-solving.
〇The inquiry ability required to identify problems and approach them logically, from multiple perspectives, and creatively.
〇The communication ability required to collaborate and work effectively with peers.
〇The specialized ability required to deeply explore and integrate educational sciences.
〇The ability required to creatively deepen one’s knowledge through diverse learning experiences.
Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy)
The Master's Program in Education (Educational Sciences Major, Educational Degree Program) awards the degree of 'Master of Education' to students who have studied for the prescribed period, acquired the following competences, and earned the required credits to develop exemplary educational professionals.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Specialized Ability, Liberal Arts Ability
【Implementation Ability】The implementation ability required to connect with the world through education, respect diverse cultures and values, and lead to problem-solving.
The ability to understand various issues in local and international communities, respect diverse cultures and values, and actively engage in creating new value using advanced expertise in education towards realizing "Society 5.0."
【Inquiry Ability】The inquiry ability required to identify problems and approach them logically, from multiple perspectives, and creatively.
The ability to independently identify and set challenges, engage in efforts to solve them, and appropriately address these challenges through collaboration using specialized knowledge from various academic fields. Furthermore, the ability to propose viable solutions and resolve issues.
【Communication Ability】The communication ability required to collaborate and work effectively with peers.
The ability to construct and lead projects in teams composed of students from different specialties through PBL (Project-Based Learning), building relationships that expand new possibilities in education through collaboration with various professionals.
【Specialized Ability】The specialized ability required to deeply explore and integrate educational sciences.
The ability to possess deep specialized knowledge in education and related fields and to develop advanced problem-solving skills that allow for a critical reassessment of societal issues both domestically and internationally from a scientific perspective.
The ability to possess deep specialized knowledge related to the GIGA School and ICT environments, contributing to the enhancement of ICT education quality through the development of digital materials, the individualization of learning content, and the facilitation of collaborative learning among students.
【Liberal Arts Ability】The ability required to creatively deepen one’s knowledge through diverse learning experiences.
The ability to connect one’s own growth through the study and practice of educational sciences.
Policy for Curriculum Planning and Implementation (Curriculum Policy)
In order to develop individuals who have mastered the abilities set out in the Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy), the Master's Program in Education (Educational Sciences Major, Educational Degree Program) organizes and implements its curriculum based on the following policy and principles.
Education Implementation Policy
To provide education that fosters the ability of students to continue to learn independently toward the practice of sustainable societies.
Education Principles
The following educational content is provided, from the perspective of proactive and interactive deep learning, with emphasis on what students have become able to do, rather than what has been taught.
【General Education】
The curriculum provides students with practical activities that foster flexible thinking and creativity as practitioners by engaging in collaborative learning through dialogue and discussion with fellow students, faculty, schools, and the community, promoting a culture of growing and creating together.
In addition, the curriculum equips students with the skills to deeply understand and systematically integrate various phenomena faced by individuals, local communities, and international society, to solve the challenges identified, and to output these results widely to society, while fostering the ability to create new value through flexible thinking.
【Specialized Education】
The curriculum provides opportunities to explore various sciences related to education in all areas where people live.
In addition to deepening systematic knowledge and skills in their specialized fields, students are equipped with the ability to identify and set individual challenges from their unique perspectives and to acquire knowledge and skills by integrating knowledge and skills from related fields. Furthermore, the curriculum enables students to discover, analyze, and solve the underlying fundamental issues at the core of various problems.
【Language Education】
The curriculum provides education to enhance the English language skills necessary for school leadership and contribution to both international and local communities in a global society.
It encourages opportunities for presentations and discussions not only in Japanese but also in various languages, particularly in research and PBL (Project-Based Learning) activities, anticipating research activities and practical experiences in multilingual environments such as corporations and local governments.
Educational Methods
The aforementioned educational content is provided in the following ways.
(1) Educational methods are used to help students proactively expand their potential.
The curriculum aims to enhance the qualities and abilities to pioneeringly and broadly approach educational phenomena from the perspectives of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as educational sciences. It also seeks to empirically and systematically research various phenomena faced by individuals and society, to solve the challenges identified, and to effectively output the results to educational settings and society at large.
(2) The curriculum offers an educational system that leverages the strengths of diverse specialties.
Through dialogue and discussion facilitated by collaboration among students, faculty members from various specialized fields, schools, and the community, it aims to enhance the qualities and abilities of students as practitioners equipped with flexible thinking and creativity.
(3) We will provide practical educational programs that meet the needs of students as they grow.
The curriculum is structured around two main pillars: Project-Based Learning (PBL), where students collaborate to solve problems during their first year, and master's thesis research, where students deeply explore their individual areas of specialization over the two-year study period. Classes and seminars clearly integrate approaches such as active learning and small group discussions into the curriculum, enabling students to progressively develop practical perspectives and the ability to take effective action.
Additionally, students engage in comprehensive study of the latest trends in ICT education, including the development and establishment of digital educational environments and the creation of ICT learning support tools. Through this, they acquire the ability to provide valuable insights into various challenges related to education.
Academic Performance Evaluation Policy
The academic performance of each student is strictly evaluated.
Summative assessments are primarily emphasized in lecture courses, while formative assessments are prioritized in seminar courses. Grades are assigned using a scale of A+, A, B, C, and F, with C representing the benchmark for achieving the course objectives. The evaluation methods for each course are communicated to students through the syllabus and other materials.
In PBL, students are assessed formatively based on their progress throughout the learning process, and summatively evaluated through interim presentations and final presentations to measure their achievement.
For the master's thesis, the first step involves presenting the research progress at the Educational Sciences Concept Presentation (interim presentation) held in the second year, where guidance and evaluation of the research progress are provided. The final summative evaluation of the deepening of specialized knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and comprehensive practical skills is conducted through the thesis review and final presentation (final examination).
Extracurricular Education Policy
Students are provided with extracurricular opportunities to help them realize their personal growth beyond classroom learning, such as through volunteering, overseas study programs, and conference presentations.
Policy for Acceptance of Students (Admission Policy)
Educational Policy of Graduate School of Education (Master’s Course)The Graduate School of Education (MA in Educational Sciences, Educational Data Science Degree Program)Educational Policy
Fundamental Educational Goals
The Master's Program in Education (Educational Sciences Major, Educational Data Science Degree Program) will explore various sciences related to education in all areas where people live, including schools, families, communities, and workplaces. Through a deep understanding of education, data science, and related fields, the program aims to cultivate advanced problem-solving skills by combining ICT and data science expertise. Additionally, the program fosters the ability to proactively address societal challenges by accurately analyzing and utilizing big data to derive valuable insights. This education is designed to develop the next generation of experts who will lead in an era where digital technology is expected to drive significant transformations.
Exemplary Students
Pioneers in Harnessing Educational Data Science for Leadership in the Digital Society
Based on Okayama University's "Fundamental Educational Goals" and the "Exemplary Students," the Master's Program in this Graduate School aims to cultivate individuals with a broad perspective and creative practical abilities through specialized academic knowledge in education.
In the "Educational Data Science Degree Program," the goal is to develop individuals with deep specialized knowledge in education, data science, and related fields. Equipped with advanced problem-solving abilities and transferable skills, these individuals will critically reassess various challenges in local and international communities from a scientific perspective. By leveraging data science to generate optimal solutions and create new value, they will actively lead the way in the "Society 5.0" era.
We will foster individuals to develop the following five abilities:
〇The implementation ability required to connect with the world through data science, respect diverse cultures and values, and lead to problem-solving through the analysis and utilization of big data.
〇The inquiry ability required to identify problems and approach them logically, from multiple perspectives, and creatively using transferable skills.
〇The communication ability required to collaborate and work effectively with peers.
〇The specialized ability required to deeply explore and integrate education and data science while gaining a comprehensive understanding of entire systems.
〇The ability required to creatively deepen one’s knowledge through learning diverse experiences.
Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy)
The Master's Program in Education (Educational Sciences Major, Educational Data Science Degree Program) awards the degree of 'Master of Educational Data Science' to students who have studied for the prescribed period, acquired the following competencies, and earned the required credits to develop exemplary professionals in educational data science.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Specialized Ability, Liberal Arts Ability
【Implementation ability】The implementation ability required to connect with the world through data science, respect diverse cultures and values, and lead to problem-solving through the analysis and utilization of big data.
The ability to understand various challenges in local and international communities, respect diverse cultures and values, and actively contribute to the realization of "Society 5.0" by making valuable proposals for new value creation in the DX era through advanced expertise in educational data science and the analysis and utilization of big data.
【Inquiry Ability】The inquiry ability required to identify problems and approach them logically, from multiple perspectives, and using creatively transferable skills.
The ability to proactively identify and set challenges within the educational and industrial sectors, engage in efforts to resolve them, and appropriately address these challenges through collaboration using specialized knowledge from various academic fields.
The ability to propose viable solutions using transferable skills and effectively solve challenges.
【Communication Ability】The communication ability required to collaborate and work effectively with peers.
The ability to work in teams composed of students from different specialties, collaborate with various fields, disciplines, and professions, and build relationships that expand the possibilities of educational data science.
【Specialized Ability】The specialized ability required to deeply explore and integrate education and data science while gaining a comprehensive understanding of entire systems.
The ability to possess deep specialized knowledge in education and data science, and to acquire advanced problem-solving skills and transferable abilities that allow for a critical reassessment of societal challenges both domestically and internationally from a scientific perspective.
The ability to draw out new possibilities in education by proposing optimal solutions and creating new value based on data science, and to demonstrate leadership in a data-driven society.
【Liberal Arts Ability】The ability required to creatively deepen one’s knowledge through diverse learning experiences.
The ability to connect one’s growth through diverse learning and practice in educational science and educational data science.
Policy for Curriculum Planning and Implementation (Curriculum Policy)
In order to develop individuals who have mastered the abilities set out in the Policy for Graduation Certification and Degree Awarding (Degree Policy), the Master's Program in Education (Educational Sciences Major, Educational Data Science Degree Program) organizes and implements its curriculum based on the following policies and principles.
Education Implementation Policy
To provide education that helps students develop the ability to continue learning independently in order to contribute to the implementation of sustainable societies.
Education Principles
The following educational content is provided, from the perspective of proactive and interactive deep learning, with emphasis on what students have become able to do, rather than what has been taught.
【General Education】
The curriculum provides students with practical activities that encourage collaborative learning through dialogue and discussion with fellow students, faculty, schools, and the community, fostering the development of practitioners equipped with flexible thinking and creativity, and promoting a culture of growing and creating together.
Additionally, the curriculum equips students with the skills to deeply understand and systematically integrate various phenomena faced by individuals, local communities, and international society. It also empowers students to solve the identified challenges and to widely disseminate these results to society, while fostering the ability to create new value through flexible thinking.
【Specialized Education】
The curriculum provides opportunities to explore various sciences related to education in all areas where people live.
In addition to deepening systematic knowledge, skills, and techniques in their specialized fields, students will develop the ability to identify and set individual challenges from their unique perspectives, and to acquire knowledge and skills by integrating knowledge from related fields. Moreover, the curriculum equips students with advanced problem-solving abilities and transferable skills by combining specialized knowledge in educational science with ICT and data science technologies.
【Language Education】
The curriculum provides education to enhance the English language skills necessary for school leadership and contributions to both international and local communities in a global society.
It encourages opportunities for presentations and discussions not only in Japanese but also in various languages, anticipating research activities and practical experiences in multilingual environments such as corporations and local governments.
Educational Methods
The aforementioned educational content is provided in the following ways.
(1) Educational methods are used to help students proactively expand their potential.
The curriculum aims to enhance the qualities and abilities to pioneeringly and broadly approach educational phenomena from the perspectives of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as educational sciences. It also seeks to systematically and interactively research various challenges and phenomena in the education and industrial sectors through the utilization of big data, proposing improvements and optimal solutions based on specialized expertise, and effectively outputting these results to educational settings and society at large.
(2) The curriculum offers an educational system that leverages the strengths of diverse specialties.
The curriculum enhances students' qualities and abilities as practitioners and proposers of optimal solutions, equipped with flexible thinking and creativity, through dialogue and discussion facilitated by collaboration among fellow students, faculty members from diverse specialized fields, schools, and the community.
Recognizing that there are individual differences in knowledge and skills related to data science, the program provides tailored content and learning levels for each student by utilizing e-learning materials through micro-step studies, on-demand systems, and hands-on exercises.
(3) Practical educational programs which are tailored to the development of the students are provided.
The curriculum is structured around three courses—Educational Data Science related to Human Aspects, Educational Data Science related to Societal Aspects, and Educational Data Science related to Cultural Aspects—in order to enhance objectivity and a comprehensive perspective by approaching the subjects from the three aspects of human, society, and education. In addition, students deepen their specialized knowledge through the study of data science-focused courses related to ICT and DS skills and enhance their creativity through the development of design thinking.
In lectures and seminars, content is tailored to each student’s data science level (DS level). The curriculum also incorporates active learning, small group discussions, and other methods in collaboration with companies and local governments to foster and enhance critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, all of which are clearly positioned and developed in a step-by-step manner.
Academic Performance Evaluation Policy
Rigorous Academic Evaluation
Summative assessments are primarily emphasized in lecture courses, while formative assessments are prioritized in seminar courses. Grades are assigned using a scale of A+, A, B, C, and F, with C representing the benchmark for achieving the course objectives. The evaluation methods for each course are communicated to students through the syllabus and other materials.
The Educational Data Science program employs formative assessments to evaluate transformations throughout the learning process and uses outcome reports and presentations to summatively assess each individual's level of achievement."
For the master's thesis, the first step involves presenting the research progress at the Educational Sciences Concept Presentation (interim presentation) held in the second year, where guidance and evaluation of the research progress are provided. The final summative evaluation of the deepening of specialized knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and comprehensive practical skills is conducted through the thesis review and final presentation (final examination).
Extracurricular Education Policy
Students are provided with extracurricular opportunities to help them realize their personal growth beyond classroom learning, such as through volunteering, overseas study programs, and conference presentations.