Research Around the World: Japan




This week's focus is on the CHILD RESEARCH NET. First, however, the very name and the attractive logo of the website have caught my attention. The organization lives by the motto: "Children are our future," which was coined by the founder, Dr Noboru Kobayashi.

The motto reminds me of the famous song performed by the late Witney Houston.



Here are some of the main current international research topics of focus for CRN

  • Social and Emotional SkillsSocial and emotional skills have a great impact on children's development and learning. So here we discuss how to nurture these skills.?
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  • ECEC around the WorldFocusing on the trends of ECEC around the world, specialists discuss issues regarding children's growth and development.
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  • Digital Media and ChildrenICTs are making day-to-day advancement. Explore the discussion on how it should be used for the better in children's development.
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  • Children with Special NeedsHere we discuss building a sound environment where all children, regardless of their needs, can lead a safe and secure life.
    View posts 

Furthermore, here are some additional topics that are of interest to CRN

  • Health and Medical Issues
  • Childrearing
  • Education and Learning
  • Caring for Children after a Natural Disaster

Their website has a link to numerous Educational Research and Development sites. Various survey reports and regarding children are highlighted on these additional sites. Furthermore, most, if not all, are a non-governmental and non-profit organisation that defends and promotes the child's rights to education and care worldwide.  Besides, they have all established and build strong partnerships across the globe.

Here are some insights about early childhood that I gained from exploring this international early childhood website: From the article, "Research on Home Education from Early Childhood to First Grade of Elementary School" (Longitudinal Survey):

Global Trend in Early Childhood Education

Our social environment is rapidly changing internationally at an accelerating pace through globalization in the economy and informatization using IT. No longer sufficient to simply master conventional knowledge, it is also considered necessary for us to acquire attitudes and capabilities to flexibly adapt to our environments, continue to learn, and solve problems. Attention is also turning toward the importance of acquiring such attitudes and capabilities in early childhood for future individual development.
 
The transition from Early Childhood to Elementary School in Japan 

Children cultivate the basics of learning during the period from early childhood to elementary school. To ensure that preschool education and care and elementary education provide a smooth transition in line with children’s development, kindergartens, day-care centres, Early Childhood Education and Care centres (ECEC centres: nintei kodomo en), etc., and elementary schools have begun implementing transitional curricula. 

A Demand for Evidence-Based on Data 

Much research is conducted on activities and involvement with day-care centres/kindergartens and the home in Japan concerning learning processes in early childhood and environments that encourage learning. Moreover, nowadays, it is required to build up evidence-based data collection and analysis.

    Other noteworthy information discovered on this website

    The Director, Dr Yoichi Sakakihara, has a  Blog where he writes on topics related to children, his views and his daily activities. some of the topical issues are:

    Reference

    https://www.childresearch.net/data/ec/2016_01.html

    https://www.childresearch.net/data/pdf/home_education_2016.pdf

    Comments

    1. Itze Montejo-HyattJune 12, 2021 at 11:47 PM

      Wow! What a great review of the Child Research Net. What was your favorite resource or section of resources on this website? I personally found the social and emotional section interesting.

      ReplyDelete

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