As the end of the year approaches, various events are popping up. I am also quite busy.

Well, next week on Wednesday, November 14th, I will be holding a seminar at the University Consortium Ishikawa FD/SD workshop on supporting active learning through social media. In recent years, active learning such as project-based learning has been introduced in many educational institutions, but it has been pointed out that how to provide support outside of class is a major issue. In this seminar, I would like to discuss how to use tools known as social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to support active learning.

If any faculty or staff members at nearby universities are interested, please feel free to join us. It seems that no registration is required. Thank you very much.

University Consortium Ishikawa 2012 Academic Year 7th FD/SD Workshop
Time: Wednesday, November 14, 18:00–19:30
Location: Ishikawa Prefecture Fourth Memorial Hall of Culture, 2nd Floor, Multipurpose Room 5
Lecturer: Masanori Yamada (Associate Professor, Educational Support System Research Division, Center for Educational Development and Support, Kanazawa University)

Theme: “Supporting Active Learning Connected by Social Media”

Purpose: The Central Council for Education report from August of this year, “Towards a Qualitative Transformation of University Education to Build a New Future,” pointed out that “human resources with the ability to continue learning throughout their lives and the ability to think proactively cannot be cultivated in educational settings that are passive from the student’s perspective. It is necessary to shift from conventional classes centered on the transmission and injection of knowledge to active learning, where teachers and students communicate, work hard together, create a place for intellectual growth while stimulating each other, and students proactively discover problems and find solutions.” However, how to provide support outside of class has become a major challenge. One strategy is the use of social media such as Twitter, SNS/Facebook, and YouTube, which many students use. Based on a Report on what changes are actually occurring in student learning through the use of social media, we will think about active learning in the new era.