Going to School in Japan

Synopsis

Japan has had a unifed state education system since 1872 and like the UK’s, it is both free and compulsory and deals with approximately the same subjects: the three Rs, science, history, literature, physical education, etc. But schooling is an aspect of the cultural life of a country, and the actual school experience of children in Japan is very different from ours. Classes are large, orderly and seated in rows. The teacher uses a much talk-and-chalk as the preferred methodology. Unsolicited questions from students are rare. There are few teaching aids, and we saw no computers. The system is at the same time very competitive in its later stages, with students having to study at night-time ‘crammers’ in order to ensure the exam success for university entrance. While the Japanese themselves are critical of the strain this competitiveness puts on children, UK viewers may be equally critical of the old-fashioned teaching style which seems to ignore individual differences.

Series

Curriculum and Learning, Course E271

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 24 min.

Year of production

1991

Availability

OUT OF DISTRIBUTION

Subjects

Education

Keywords

Japan; schools; teaching methods

Credits

Producer

Meg Sheffield

Contributor

John Clare

Production Company

Name

BBC Open University Productions

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk