Initiatives for DX education
To strongly support the growth of students
"Learning mechanism" evolves with DX
Using digital technology to greatly advance “learning”.
2021Years3Mon, Kansai University of International StudiesDX(Digital Transformation) Promotion Plan has been adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Plan for Advancement of University and Technical College Education Utilizing Digital Technology".
Stay tuned as we showcase the results of this program in the series.
The outline of the education DX promotion plan is as follows.
- Overview of education DX promotion plan
- Schedule of the overall plan related to the subsidy-eligible project
- Implementation promotion system
- Planned verification methods
- (XNUMXst) Kansai International University's Challenge to DX Education!
- (Part XNUMX) Learning DX accelerates student growth
(Second time)Learning DX accelerates student growth
In this DX, along with the renovation of the system, we have introduced many 360-degree video cameras as tools to promote active learning of students.We will introduce the voices of teachers who are actually using it.
For fruitful post-learning of practical subjects
When I heard that a 360-degree video camera was being introduced, I immediately raised my hand saying, "I want to use it!"I thought it would be perfect for reviewing practical subjects.
In the Child Studies Major Education/Nursery Course, which is mainly taught by students aiming to become kindergarten teachers and nursery teachers, I mainly focus on subjects that include practical childcare and practical training, such as "pre- and post-practice teaching at nursery schools and kindergartens." I am in charge ofPractical training includes “role-playing,” which is conducted in a university classroom assuming a childcare setting, and “on-site training,” in which children actually interact with children in an actual childcare setting.In either case, I teach with the hope that "I want you to fully demonstrate the knowledge you have learned so far" and "I want you to make use of your practical experience for your next growth," but there are also issues.
For example, in the case of role play, students have to play the piano or read a picture book even though there are no children in front of them.I can't really get serious about role-playing, and I'm embarrassed that my friends are watching me, so it's hard to get motivated.On the other hand, if you actually practice at a nursery school, etc., your motivation will increase, but it is difficult to look back on how good your movements were and what you lacked. Relying only on the “personal memory” will make specific points for improvement ambiguous.
Learning is deepened through mutual evaluation among students
A 360-degree video camera is perfect for reviewing such training.I've been shooting videos for a long time, but omnidirectional video has a completely different impact.Just by projecting it, I got excited, so I naturally got into role-playing.
On-site training was even more effective.Students were curious from the first day they used it.As soon as I returned to the university, I looked at the video on my computer, and I could clearly see not only the movements of the students, but also the reactions and expressions of the children. Mutual evaluations among students began naturally, such as, "The reaction of the children here is really good!"
It is also a great advantage that not only the performance of each individual but also the movement of the team can be verified.Childcare workers have a heavy responsibility to take care of children, and team play is important for safety.With XNUMX-degree video, problems with personnel allocation and coordination are obvious, so you can immediately see where you need to improve.At this time, the student who had a particularly good move was praised by everyone, saying, "Wow!"Students with a reserved personality tend to underestimate themselves.I think it was a good opportunity to learn about my strengths and gain confidence through the videos and peer evaluations.On the other hand, even if there is a student who has unfounded confidence, the poor behavior of the student will be clearly reflected, so there is no excuse.Either way, it will help you grow.
I myself have noticed.When multiple instructors watched the same video, they each focused on different points, which led to discussions on how to provide better instruction.We are still in the trial operation stage, so we are still in the process of accumulating data.
To a university that is more “practical”
Evolving “learning design” with DX.That was the big theme of this DX plan.As Director of the Research and Development Center for Higher Education at Kansai University of International Studies, I conduct research and implement better educational program development.In this DX project, I also participated in planning from the perspective of improving class design and teaching/evaluation methods.
A major feature of learning at this university is “practice”.In addition to the education welfare department and nursing department that train nursery teachers and nurses, other faculties and departments also offer service learning that combines social contribution and learning, and PBL (problem-based learning) in collaboration with companies and communities. Such practical and practical learning is very fulfilling, and students have acquired "the power to live in the future" in each field and are growing greatly.However, if the goal is to "input knowledge", the degree of achievement can be measured with a paper test, but it is not easy to "evaluate" such learning activities. Appropriate class design and the use of technology are effective in establishing indicators for measuring "knowledge mastery."
The "360-degree camera" introduced this time is one of the tools for that purpose.Currently, it is mainly used in practical training subjects such as mock classes, simulated childcare, and nursing practice, but we plan to expand it to all departments in the future.Now that we have an environment where we can store and edit a large amount of videos, students themselves can record their extracurricular activities on video, for example, reviewing them in groups to deepen their learning, or receiving guidance from teachers. You can also use it like .
In order to take advantage of this environment, we are currently reviewing class designs in all departments.The purpose is to provide as many opportunities as possible to use knowledge in a practical manner and to prepare a system for evaluation.We are trying to deepen "practical learning" from both soft and hard aspects.
Detailed guidance that focuses on each student
If the “learning” of students evolves, the “guidance” of teachers must also evolve.
Our university has its own compulsory course called “Evaluation and Practice”.Students review their learning every six months (reflection), self-evaluate how well each item has been achieved in relation to the learning goals stipulated as "KUISs learning benchmarks", and lead to further learning. is.
By repeating this process, 4) where you are going (goal), XNUMX) how far you have progressed (current location), and XNUMX) what you must do to achieve your goal (task). I can draw a roadmap for It's an excellent system for solid growth over four years, and since it reveals your strengths, it's also very useful when looking for a job.
However, in order to take full advantage of this system, it is important to provide not only subjective self-evaluation by students, but also objective evaluation by instructors and appropriate guidance as a set.In this DX, we have realized the evolution of the learning environment by integrating the e-portfolio system and the learning management system (LMS), and the enhancement of the server for 360-degree cameras and recorded videos.We are now able to record each student's learning achievements in more detail, and we are now able to provide higher-quality instruction.It can be said that the “learning system” unique to this university has become easier to demonstrate its true value.As one of the DX promoters, I will continue to do my best to ensure that this new system spreads smoothly throughout the university.
Related article:I tried using a 360-degree camera in my warm-up learning
(XNUMXst) Kansai International University's Challenge to DX Education!
About a year after its adoption, Vice President Yasuo Yamashita, who has led the DX project as a leader, will talk about the overall picture of the ongoing transformation and a vision that greatly expands the possibilities of "learning."
“Learning PDCA” that encourages student growth
Kansai University of International Studies is currently working on a DX project named <Realization of Active Learning by Promoting DX of the “Learning System”>. When it comes to DX, people tend to focus only on how to introduce advanced technologies and systems, but these are only means, and what is really important is the realization of active learning.
At the time of opening in 1998, our university established Japan's first Learning Support Center (currently the Learning Support Center) to support student learning.In addition, we were among the first to introduce a "study portfolio" that allows students to accumulate their four-year learning trajectory and look back on it themselves.In addition, we have established the "KUISs Learning Benchmark" as a common educational goal for the entire university as a guidepost for growth, and clearly indicate the evaluation criteria.
Using these systems, students review what they have learned and how they have grown each semester, clarify their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, set goals for the next term, and apply them to their daily practice.In other words, we can continue to grow while rotating the “learning PDCA cycle” of Plan, Do, Check, and Action.The aim of DX this time was to evolve this mechanism.
Of course, we have been actively promoting “digitalization” so far.In 2004, we built a learning support system (LMS: learning management system) that enables online lectures and assignment submissions via the Internet.All of them have a track record of more than 2006 years, and I think it can be said that it is a fairly early initiative.However, it is also true that there are some parts that are no longer suitable for the times because it was early.
Transform the system from two perspectives: offense and defense
Therefore, in this DX, we have made changes mainly from two perspectives.
The first is “defensive reform” to make the system easier to use.At our university, LMS and e-portfolio have been built as independent systems, so there was a problem that the two did not work together smoothly.For example, when remote lectures are held on the LMS, reports submitted there are accumulated on the LMS and the data is not automatically synchronized with the e-portfolio.We are working on system integration to improve this kind of usability and make it more seamless to use.
The second is “aggressive reform” that enhances the quality of learning and encourages student growth.At our university, we have a "Reflection Day" every semester to review and evaluate our learning in order to turn the "PDCA of learning".At this time, various learning data such as grades, reports, and participation records of various educational programs accumulated in the e-portfolio are used as the basis for evaluation.We are aiming to create an environment where these data can be further enriched with DX and objective and scientific “authentic evaluations” can be made.
For example, in practical courses such as the “simulated class” in the Faculty of Education and the “nursing practice” in the Department of Nursing, it is not possible to clearly understand “what has been achieved and to what extent” based on test scores alone.However, if you record the actual performance as a video, you can objectively evaluate details such as eye gaze, movement, and vocalization, clarifying areas for improvement. Reviews (mutual evaluations) are also possible.
Wearable cameras and 360-degree cameras have already been introduced and are being used mainly in practical training courses.In the future, we plan to introduce a dedicated server to create an environment that allows smooth video editing and large-volume data processing.
Towards a “learning platform” that can be relied upon even after graduation
The DX plan is still in progress, but if the learning mechanism is strengthened, there is no doubt that the possibilities for learning will continue to expand in the future.
Due to the corona crisis, remote lectures have become commonplace, and an environment where students can learn quite freely is being established, but this will accelerate further.Accumulation of high-quality on-demand lectures with a sense of realism will improve the quality of learning, and even during periods when you have to leave the university for extracurricular activities such as teaching practice, internships, and study abroad, you will be able to study well. will be able to continue.
At our university, we have already started offering remote lectures for international students who have been unable to enter Japan due to the COVID-XNUMX pandemic. We are also planning to improve the environment for mutual interaction.The world will be connected, and the range of learning that can be obtained during school days will expand dramatically.
Career development will also be more strongly supported. The e-portfolio has a function called "Learning Achievement Summary", and even now it is possible to visualize the achievements of four years of learning in an easy-to-understand manner.The data used here will also be enriched in both quality and quantity in the future, and will become easier to use for self-analysis and self-appeal during job hunting.
Furthermore, we plan to develop the e-portfolio into a system that can be used long after graduation.Graduates of the university will continue to accumulate activity results in the e-portfolio system even after entering the workforce, and will be able to use them as personal intellectual assets.
100 years of life.There is no longer one way to live and work, and "learning" is no longer something that is completed only during school days.Even if you get a job, you will need to learn new things every time you change jobs or become independent.At times like that, my alma mater has a life log of my learning, teachers I can talk to, and all the educational content I need, so I can "re-learn" at any time.If such an environment is in place, it should be a very reliable foothold for life.
Evolving the university as a “learning platform”.With this DX as an opportunity, I would like to take on the challenge of creating such an advanced system.
Achievements of Kansai University of International Education Reform
