Learning of Tomorrow [Announcement] “Utsuhono-no-Mori Gakuen: Realizing an Inquiry-Based ‘Glocal’ Elementary School in the Land of the World Heritage Site, the Kumano Kodo” For the online symposium on Wednesday, December 25, we will be welcoming Ms. Kyoko Sengoku, founder and representative director of Utsuho no Mori Gakuen.
Utsuho no Mori Gakuen is a private elementary and middle school set to open in April 2025. Located amid the natural surroundings of the Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage Site in Wakayama, the school focuses on interdisciplinary inquiry-based learning as the core of its bilingual education program.
Guided by the overarching concept of “connecting with the world, the local community, and nature,” we place a high value on student-centered learning and foster “interpersonal skills,” “inquiry skills,” and “creativity.” While providing a bilingual and global education, our curriculum thoroughly covers the content of Japan’s compulsory elementary and junior high school education, and upon graduation, students are awarded a private school diploma.
We will hear about the initiatives and future educational vision of “Utsuho no Mori Gakuen,” which aims to transform this bountiful land into an international learning environment where children from Japan and around the world come together to foster “glocal” leaders who will shape the future together. We hope you will join us.
https://lot.or.jp/report/14079
Professor, Keio University; Ph.D. (Policy and Media)
Director, B Lab
Chairperson, Learning of Tomorrow (General Incorporated Association)
Chairperson, CANVAS
After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, he served as a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab before founding the NPO CANVAS and the Learning of Tomorrow Association, a General Incorporated Association, and assuming the role of representative. He serves as an outside director for Matsuya Co., Ltd., Fuji Media Holdings, Inc., and Digital Garage, Inc.
He has served on various government committees, including the Information and Communications Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as the NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council. He also serves as a director of the Digital Signage Consortium, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy and Media.
His publications include *Turning On Children’s Creativity!*, *What Are Smart Kids Doing on Their Smartphones?*, *The Forefront of Online Education in Japan: Considering Learning in the Post-COVID Era*,“What Is Programming Education? 45 Questions Parents Want to Know,” and “Declaration on Digital Education.” He has also provided supervision for numerous works, including “Ah, I See! Programming Education for Parents and Children Through Manga.”
