Life skills (LS) training programs help individuals develop their mental health and stress-related attitudes. This study aims to build a versatile physical education program (PEP) to promote LS and examine its effectiveness. The subjects were first-year Japanese university students. We conducted the LS survey in April (pre-semester) and August…

Self-direction skill (SDS) is an essential 21st-century skill that can help learners be independent and organized in their quest for knowledge acquisition. While some studies considered learners from higher education levels as the target audience, providing opportunities to start the SDS practice by K12 learners is still rare. Further, practicing…

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a concept that is gaining a following worldwide as a cost-effective means for schools to provide 21st-century skills (Bell, 2010) with limited funding. The current paper shows the results of a survey into the opinions and perceptions of parents of Japanese K1-3 students' use of technology, specifically the…

The Japanese educational system is highly competitive and applies high stakes standardized admission testing. As this approach has led to student stress and a narrow instructional focus, the Japanese Government revised educational goals toward more holistic development of well-rounded citizens who are healthy, independent, creative, and work…

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology recommended the implementation of "Kyoshi-juku" by local Education Boards. "Kyoshi-juku" provide teacher preparation curricula, classroom observational experiences, and specific information about working in local school contexts as a supplement to the…

While no exact information on the prevalence exists, it is assumed that the overall incidence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen every year in Japan. However, given the lack of resources and services for families of children with ASD in Japan, there is a dearth of practical guidance for the support for those families. This…

Technological development offers language teachers a myriad of options for collaborative activities. Learners, in turn, benefit from increased opportunities to interact with people who can speak their target language. Research has previously highlighted the importance of developing learners' intercultural competence through such activities. The…

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a year-long reading while listening (RWL) program run for university first-year students at a private university in Japan. The program was developed to give students practice in listening to a large volume of spoken English--a practice that the majority of Japanese students lack. The…

Two years ago, the rapid retirement of the "baby boomer artisans" in vast numbers threatened to erode the competitiveness of Japanese manufacturers (i.e., the 2007 problem). This study proposes a practical process for extracting skills and designing a training system, to accelerate the learning of skills in production fields by younger…

Discusses Theory Z, the Japanese philosophy of work and job training. Examines the 13-step matrix of this theory. These steps include: knowing the company's organization and management philosophy; implementing the philosophy; developing interpersonal skills; testing oneself and the system; involving the union; and stabilizing employment. (CT)

This report is designed as a companion to a three-volume report that describes how education and industry skill standards systems operate in the United States. It provides an overview of international efforts to develop processes and systems to "harmonize" the recognition of an individual's competencies and skills across national…