Title: NSF/Tokyo Report: The beginning of a Case Study of Japanese Science Teacher Education Date: October 22, 1997 The National Science Foundation's offices in Tokyo and in Paris periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the Foundation's mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF policy. Special Scientific Report #97-34 (September 26, 1997) THE BEGINNINGS OF A CASE STUDY OF JAPANESE SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION Ms. Katherine C. Wieseman, a graduate student in the Science Education Department at the University of Georgia, prepared the following report. Ms. Wieseman was a participant in the 1997 Monbusho Summer Program sponsored by NSF and the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (Monbusho). Professor Hideo Ikeda of the Faculty of Education at Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan hosted Ms. Wieseman. Ms. Wieseman can be reached via email at: kwiese@coe.uga.edu Research Objectives The broad aim of my research on Japanese science education was to begin understanding formal science education in Japan, as well as to complete a dimension of field work for a research collaboration involving the departments of science education in Hiroshima University and the University of Georgia. My research entailed using case study methodology to study the preservice science teacher education program in the Department of Science Education at Hiroshima University. Additionally, I assumed a role of participant-observer to investigate in-service secondary teacher training provided by the Hiroshima Prefecture Education Center. Methods A variety of methods were used to fulfill my research aims. These included analysis of documents, classroom observations, participant-observation, semi-structured interviews and conversations. Literature and documents consulted include: published reports and research studies, Monbusho WWW home page, English versions of the Courses of Study, junior high school science textbooks, and teaching handouts from class visits and inservice programs, and Hiroshima University Faculty of Education student handbooks. I visited science and science education classes at all levels of schooling -- compulsory schooling, upper secondary, and university. For four days I observed science classes at the senior high, junior high and elementary levels in the attached school associated with the department of Science Education at Hiroshima University. At the university level I attended three kinds of courses -- undergraduate level classes in the methods of teaching experimental biology and geology for future teachers at the junior high school level and a graduate level class in the methods of science education. I participated in five teacher in-service programs offered by the prefectural educational center. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers of science in the attached schools, teacher consultants and the director of the curriculum division at the prefecture education center, university professors and graduate students. Findings and Implications This report highlights several findings and their implications. An article for a monograph on comparative science education and presentations at science education conferences will present more comprehensive reportings of this research. Overall, Japanese science teacher preparation emphasizes the development of scientific understanding more than the development of pedagogical understanding or pedagogical content knowledge. Having this knowledge is preparatory for a teacher to cover the junior and senior high school level Courses of Study for each of the science disciplines. Perhaps not surprisingly, the professional development of junior and senior high school teachers (whether preservice or inservice) contrasted greatly from that which I was familiar in the United States. I highlight several points. 1) As long as teacher licensure requirements are fulfilled (and separate requirements exist for junior and senior high school teaching), an ergraduate student may choose one of multiple pathways to prepare to be a science teacher at the junior and senior high school level. In other words, future science teachers in Japanese junior or senior high schools have degrees in science education or one of many faculties of science disciplines. 2) Science content coursework is heavily emphasized and central in teacher preparation. Practicum (i.e., actual teaching experiences) and pedagogy coursework is peripheral. Future teachers of science at the junior and senior high school levels, therefore, have extensive backgrounds in the science disciplines but limited experience with the actual world of teaching. 3) The role of the university in the supervision and evaluation of student teachers is minimal. The schoolteachers supervising student teachers are responsible for student teachers' experiences and professional development. Therefore, continuity in teacher preparation and the university's knowledge of the student's abilities and talents as a future teacher are potentially weakened. 4) Completion of science content and pedagogical content coursework allows for an individual to be granted a teaching license. Actually attaining a teaching position, however, is more complicated and difficult, and involves passing marks on prefecture-designed and -administered examinations. 5) Teacher inservice is the responsibility of prefecture educational centers, teacher groups and the principal of individual schools. Universities have no formal involvement in designing, coordinating, or implementing teacher inservice programs. Most formal teacher inservice is administered by the prefecture educational center by full-time teacher consultant specialists for the science disciplines or elementary school science. 6) As teacher licensure is permanent or life-long, the motivation for teacher inservice is personal professional learning. Except for the compulsory "mentoring" program for first year teachers, teacher inservice is voluntary. Hence, it is possible that the number of teacher participants is small relative to the number employed to teach science classes offered in public schools. 7) Teachers involved in teacher inservice programs complete activities, and take equipment, supplies and biological specimens back to their classrooms. Some inservices also contain an intensive lecture component where scientific knowledge is presented about relevant topics.