日本とイギリスのカリキュラム改革に関する一考察

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An extensive curriculum reform has been experienced in Japan and England in the 1980s and it is still going on right in to the late 1990s. This paper explores several issues regarding the curriculum reform in Japan and England. Firstly, the paper clarifies that for both countries, the curriculum reform in the 1980s was a turning point for redefining their curriculum policies. In Japan, the reform meant changing emphasis upon education from uniformity to individuality. Diverse talents of individuals particularly in the field of natural science were to be seriously taken into account for the nation's future economy. Hence more diversity in school curriculum. Concerning pedagogy, child-centred approach rather than subject-centred approach therefore was welcomed. The reform in England was somewhat different from Japanese one as policy makers were desperate to strengthen basics in 3Rs. They tried to get rid of child-centred approach and re-introduce subject-centred approach instead. The emphasis was on memorisation rather than creativity. In order to introduce this change, the Government gave up loose control over school curriculum which had been a feature of English education since 1944. Secondly, some similarities and differences of their change in educational policy are discussed. A similarity is that both countries tried to adjust their school curricula to emerging globalisation and media-rich society. Another similarity is that education for the talented children was given the most priority in both countries. In Japan, early entrance to universities was discussed so that talented children could start their studies in specific fields earlier. In England, Tory policy makers decided to terminate the idea of comprihensive secondary schools and to maintain grammar schools for the most able students who would not go to public schools. Despite these similarities, the policies which these countries made for their curriculum reform were different. While Japan tried to move away from traditional ways of teaching based on clear subject boundaries toward integrated learning and child-centred approach which gives more flexibility in the selection of subjects England introduced more strict curriculum control with an emphasis on traditional subjects and pedagogy. In addition, the paper explains the difference described above with the theory proposed by Ronald Dore which concerns "the Diploma Disease". As Dore analyses, contexts preceding to the curriculum reform in these countries were different. Japan's attempt was to change the catch-up mode which had been maintained throughout its drive to catch up with industrially advanced countries since the Meiji Restoration. Japan's inability to break through into the new dimension was caused by its outdated educational system which failed to produce creative human resources which would be needed in the coming century. On the other hand, the problem in England was that able middle class children were not sufficiently given opportunities to develop their talents and join the club for social leaders. Hence educational system and curriculum which would enable such children to compete with public school students were needed urgently firstly to enter universities and subsequently in to the society. In concluding remarks, the paper stresses that curriculum reform in general is influenced by social contexts in individual countries. Even though Japan and England introduced the curriculum reform in the same decade, their approaches were different because their needs for the reform were based on their various existing situations. This implies that educational policy is conditionally correct but not all.
国際基督教大学の論文

日本とイギリスのカリキュラム改革に関する一考察

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