What is Integrated Knowledge?
The
issue of knowledge integration in Japan in the 21st century starts from
the perspective of “What should the scientific community do to ensure
that knowledge contributes effectively to society? In its final report
(“Proposal: ‘Knowledge Integration’ as Science for Society”, 2011), the
Council proposed a way of knowledge integration.
The report summarized the three major perspectives as follows. (1)
promoting collaboration between cognitive science and design science,
(2) considerations for research management in mission-driven science,
and (3) promoting dialogue among scientists in different fields. One of
the excellent points of this report is that it properly positions not
only the state and industry but also consumers among the clients (i.e.,
customers/clients/beneficiaries) of science and technology. And the
Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011 was clearly a stumbling
block.
However, the OECD has been working much more quickly to address this
issue, this time from the basic education side: the International
Baccalaureate (IB), founded in 1968, has included “Theory of Knowledge
(TK)” in its diploma programs, i.e., subjects for university entrance
qualifications. Theory of Knowledge (TOK)” is one of the subjects in
the diploma program. The history of this subject is not clear from the
IB website, but it appeared as a subject name in 1970. The current
version appeared in its original form in the middle of the first decade
of the 2000s and is available on the Internet. This is much simpler and
easier to understand than the many admission policies of Japanese
universities, which are riddled with superficial principles and
rhetorical flourishes. I am always impressed by it every time I read
it, so I would like to reiterate it. The following are some of the most
important characteristics of a university: 1) inquirer, 2)
knowledgeable, 3) thinker, 4) communicator, 5) believer, 6)
open-minded, 7) compassionate, 8) challenging, 9) balanced, and 10)
reflective.
Remember, because it is a diploma program, a university entrance
qualification, TOK does not prescribe the tasks to be studied at
university, but rather what is required in middle and high school up to
university entrance. I am surprised here. The “integration of
knowledge” of the Science Council of Japan is a guideline for
scientific research at the highest level of Japanese researchers. Of
course, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology of our government, which prides itself on being a leading
country in the OECD, has an introductory page on the IB. However, there
is no indication that the IB will become a global standard for primary
and secondary education in Japan, and even the liberal arts education
at universities that accept students with such qualities is not
actively addressing the theory of knowledge. However, those interested
in translating the IB Diploma Program into Japanese are Japanese prep
school-related publishers and foreign publishers who are preparing
overseas editions. The Teaching Guide is available on the web and can
be downloaded free of charge, of course. What is the reason for this
passion to pass on the Theory of Knowledge to the next generation of
young people? My conclusion is this. It is backed by people's respect
for “critical thinking,” which is often used as a synonym for theory of
knowledge, their unbounded trust in Socratic dialogic communication to
fully demonstrate it, and their pragmatism that one cannot understand
its merits until one has actually used it.
So, what place does the theory of knowledge have in the diploma
program? It consists of a very simple but solid educational structure
with theory of knowledge as one of its core components. In addition to
Theory of Knowledge, there are two other components: Creativity,
Action, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE). Needless to say,
these three cores are compulsory. In other words, the theory of
knowledge is one of the pillars of the Trinity of the Western liberal
arts tradition.
Let's open a Japanese bookstore's database and search for “theory of
knowledge. You will see a few unrelated items at the bottom of the
search results, but you will find texts and guides in Japanese and
English, and some in dual-language editions. I have accessed and
ordered a few of these over the past year.
Now, if I were to talk to a liberal arts education specialist at a
Japanese university about this, I would be told, “I already know that
without you pointing it out,” “Japanese liberal arts education teaches
in more detail the various disciplines mentioned in various parts of
such theories of knowledge,” or “This level of knowledge is taught only
in high school education and is not included in the Courses of Study.
The Japanese liberal arts education teaches the various areas of
knowledge mentioned in various theories of knowledge in greater
detail,” and ”This level of education is not necessary for basic
liberal arts at universities, since it is already taught in high
school. However, can one really argue with such confidence?
At my current job, I provide advanced liberal arts education for
graduate students. Specifically, I teach fieldwork methodology
(“Visiting A”), methods of social innovation by citizens using ICT
(“Collaboration A”), critical reading of records about other people and
groups (ethnography and reportage) (“Visiting B”), and health
communication. Health Communication. I have taught these subjects using
active learning techniques--if you are interested, Google my name and
the “subject name”. My conclusion is that if the students in my seminar
had studied IB's “Theory of Knowledge” a few years prior to taking the
course, they would have the critical ability and insight to compete
with the world's businesspersons and civic activists in society today.
This is not a grandiose statement, but my honest feeling on the ground.
They are very realistic, yet ethically cleaner than teachers, and more
concerned about the betterment of society. But they are unable to find
the proper concept or terminology for the “theory of knowledge” that
underlies their practice. In short, IB's “theory of knowledge” is a
treasure chest packed with universal methods and wisdom that allow for
a sharp, critical, and accurate analysis of what is going on in society
for human beings.
In this connection, I am often reminded of an episode in a lecture by a
Nobel laureate, a famous university professor, which I often hear
elsewhere. The story goes like this. A prominent Japanese scholar has
first-rate knowledge in his/her area of expertise. Therefore, they are
able to explain their expertise in a question-and-answer session as
quickly as if they were standing on a plank of water. However, at the
wine party after the lecture, when the participants from Europe and the
U.S. start discussing jokes and stories about the classics and
historical events, most of the Japanese scholars cannot keep up with
them, and most of them end up on the side of listening. This is due to
the lack of a solid basic education in the educational process up to
that point, including at universities, according to the university
scholar in question. I agree with him.
Since the end of World War II, university and graduate school education
in Japan has been under pressure to catch up with and surpass Western
universities. Liberal arts education has been neglected and there has
been no follow-up in the upper grades. This has led to a wedge model of
specialized education (i.e., a reverse wedge model of providing liberal
arts knowledge). However, it seems that in Japan, it was not a question
of timing of course completion, as there is essentially no respect for
liberal arts education among specialists. The tragedy was compounded by
the abolition of the liberal arts programs at national universities
following the 1991 revision of the Standards for the Establishment of
Universities, and the simultaneous conversion of departments at former
imperial universities to graduate schools, which can only be seen as a
tickle to the pride of specialists (who are not well educated). We have
been mired in this malady for about 30 years now. Such a Japanese
university education will continue to fall in the world rankings in the
future.
However, those of us who are somewhat aware of these problems started
“communication design education” for graduate students more than 10
years ago. A few years later, we continued to position these courses as
part of advanced liberal arts education. And now, a year and a half
ago, we have been working on the redefinition and development of
advanced general-purpose education. As a teacher and a supervisor, I
have attended and observed many classes, and each time I have learned a
great deal from the creativity and ingenuity of the students and the
young, fresh instructors. In order for advanced liberal arts education
to take root in Japan in the true sense of the word, it is necessary to
nurture and motivate faculty members who feel joy in conveying the
significance of learning to students in a concrete way with passion,
using standardized educational methods that include “theory of
knowledge. It is also essential, albeit belatedly, to create an
educational environment in which questions and comments from students
can be refined and returned to the field of education in real time.
Osaka
Japan 2011.
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