This Week’s (9/20-9/26) Notable Education News [Course of Study, Proposal for Total Ban on Generative AI, etc.]

Hello! I’m back to summarize this week’s notable education news!
With the Silver Week holiday, there were only two weekdays, weren’t there? To all the teachers who had club activities and school events, thank you for your hard work! 🙇‍♂️

For those who were too busy to keep up with the news, I’ve summarized it so you can quickly check this week’s developments over the weekend. If a topic catches your interest, please try reading the linked articles and materials!

This week, I will introduce in a bit more detail the “Draft Summary of Deliberations for the Next Course of Study, etc.” presented on September 25th. Other topics include the abolition of class photos, a proposal for a total ban on generative AI in educational settings, and the “Browser Soccer Shogi” created by a teacher.

[Notable News] September 25: Draft Summary of Deliberations for the Next Course of Study—What Will Happen to AI Usage and Class Hours?

At the Special Committee on Curriculum Planning of the Central Council for Education, a draft summary of deliberations for the next Course of Study was presented and approved in principle. This builds on the “preliminary draft” from August 31st, and the points to keep in mind when using AI in each subject and the approach to securing time for information education have been made more concrete.

The Kyoiku Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun highlighted points of caution when using AI, while the Asahi Shimbun and Nihon Kyoiku Shimbun focused heavily on the adjustment of class hours for each subject. The Course of Study itself has not yet been revised or finalized.

Reducing class hours? How will time for information education be secured?

In line with the direction of establishing an area for learning information in elementary schools and a new “Information and Technology” subject in junior high schools, the allocation of class hours will also be reviewed. The draft suggests an approach of reducing the current class hours by about 3-4% across subjects and areas from the third grade of elementary school to the third grade of junior high school to secure the time necessary for information education. Subjects with a current standard of 35 class periods or less per year are excluded.

The policy is to maintain the current standard total class hours. The specific number of periods for each subject will continue to be scrutinized, and the selection of learning content will also proceed. The plan is for the new subjects and areas to be implemented in stages, starting in the 2028 school year for elementary schools and the 2029 school year for junior high schools, without waiting for full implementation.

Reporting: Asahi Shimbun, Nihon Kyoiku Shimbun

Do not leave summarizing, writing, and the child’s thinking process entirely to AI

In Japanese language class, caution is requested regarding the use of AI in activities directly linked to learning objectives, such as summarizing text, organizing structure, and writing down initial thoughts. The idea is to ensure that children’s own thinking, judgment, and expression are not replaced by AI, based on learning goals and developmental stages.

In arts, it was indicated that the process of expression should not be easily entrusted to generative AI, and in foreign languages, that homework should not be limited to just submitting AI translations.

Reporting: Kyoiku Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun

A mechanism for schools to adjust class hours at their own discretion

A “Adjustable Class Hour System” that allows schools to flexibly rearrange class hours has also been included. This is a mechanism to adjust the time allocation of subjects to enrich learning in other subjects or to establish school-specific subjects.

Furthermore, “discretionary time” will be established, which can also be used for teachers to conduct systematic and planned teaching material research and training. Both the discussion of the government reviewing the allocation of standard hours for information education and the system for schools to adjust time according to their actual circumstances are being debated.

Reporting: Kyodo News (published in Kobe Shimbun)

Original Source: Handout materials from the 18th Special Committee on Curriculum Planning, MEXT

September 22: Some elementary schools in Nagoya abolish class photos

Some elementary schools in Nagoya City have abolished class photos taken at the beginning of the school year. Against the backdrop of hidden camera incidents, schools are concerned about photo leaks and misuse by AI. This is not a city-wide policy, but a decision made by each school. Voices from parents who want to keep photos as memories have also been introduced.

On the other hand, since snapshots of school events will continue to be taken, there are questions from parents regarding where the line is drawn, as well as calls for the practice to continue. The Mainichi Shimbun reported on September 24 that the PTA president had expressed an intention to resign over the handling of the situation with parents.

Reports: FNN, Nagoya Broadcasting Network (9/21), Mainichi Shimbun (9/24 follow-up)

September 24: Proposal for a total ban on generative AI in educational settings by Kuniyoshi Sakai of the University of Tokyo

This is an article contributed by Kuniyoshi Sakai, a professor at the University of Tokyo, to the “Economic Classroom” section of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. He expresses concern that by leaving writing and brainstorming to generative AI, students lose the opportunity to develop their own thinking, reading, and writing skills, and he proposes a total ban in educational settings. Please note that this is presented as Professor Sakai’s argument, not as a decision on educational policy.
This article also became a hot topic on social media. Let’s take a brief look at the discussions that took place.

There were voices calling for caution regarding use before basic skills are developed, and reactions welcoming that such a discussion has emerged before children enter school.

On the other hand, some argued that banning it would only lead to children using it secretly outside of school, and that they should instead be taught how to use it and how to question AI-generated answers. Some also shared their own experiences of starting to learn new things, such as programming, because of AI.

While there was agreement regarding concerns about basic learning, there were also voices cautious about a total ban. It will likely become important to consider elementary school reading and writing separately from university-level learning, and to determine how to divide tasks between what is left to AI and what is thought through by the individual.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun

September 24: “Browser Soccer Shogi” created by a teacher

Elementary school teacher Tomoharu Fujiwara contributed an article to ICT Education News about the development process of a game that combines soccer and shogi. It is a game where players take turns moving pieces, choosing between passing, dribbling, and shooting to aim for a goal. It was reportedly created by leveraging his experience in special needs education.

No registration or installation is required, and it can be played for free from a browser. It supports two-player matches on a single tablet as well as matches against the CPU. In the original article, you can read about the process of creating teaching materials intended to connect the interests of sports-loving children to games that require thinking ahead. A link to the game is also provided at the end of the article.

Original source: ICT Education News – Contribution by Tomoharu Fujiwara

Play the game here