From

the Learning of Tomorrow Association's website *******************************************

On October 28, 2020, the “2nd 5G × Education Working Group” meeting was held online.
This working group was established as a forum to foster in-depth discussion on the use of 5G in education by inviting stakeholders and experts.
At this meeting, participants shared information on recent developments at their respective companies and discussed areas where the benefits of 5G could be clearly highlighted.

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Summary

[First Half: Presentations]

Mainichi Shimbun—Mr. Otani: VR “Reporter Training” and Haiku Field Trips
; NTT—Mr. Kanekiyo and Mr. Seshita:
Qualcomm’s Mr. Doi: Advancing “Modeling of Speaker Intent”; KDDI’s Mr. Saito: “Connecting People”
with Always-Connected PCs;
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Mr. Murase: Creating a “Guidebook” Focusing on Ultra-High-Speed Capabilities

[Second Half: Discussion] Key Comments

・Which year is the target year for the use of 5G in education?
・Given the current state of implementation, it may take a while longer before we can fully leverage the three key features of 5G. When focusing on schools, small schools or those in areas with 5G coverage may be able to adapt more flexibly.・From a
replacement perspective, I imagine we’ll see a phased rollout over the next five years.

・Are there any examples of 5G being used overseas?
・5G is becoming widespread in the United States, South Korea, China, and European countries. Projects to introduce it into education are being launched in various countries.(*Note: Eight countries—Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, South Korea, China, and Brazil—have already taken concrete steps, such as allocating budgets for “one PC per student” initiatives similar to the GIGA School Initiative.)

・It would be great if multiple companies could come together to carry out the projects they want to test. ・We opened
iU (Professional University for Information Management and Innovation) in April. We hope you will use it for some kind of pilot project. Could we collaborate on joint research in areas such as 5G content production, esports, and entrepreneurship?

・How about conducting a pilot project for esports as an example of something that can only be done with 5G?
・Kyushu University is currently conducting a 5G pilot project, and the University of Tokyo is doing the same. ・Reaching out to
school communities and inviting them to this event could be one approach.

・When conducting online activities such as choir rehearsals or music sessions, 4G networks cause latency, making them difficult to use. To help the general public understand the difference between 4G and 5G, we should focus on low latency. ・Both
esports and ensemble music are fields where it’s possible to say, “This was only possible because of low-latency 5G.”
・Japan’s LTE network is high-quality. However, since there are things that cannot be done with LTE, bringing those to fruition with 5G is a meaningful trial.

• Does using 5G in VR make a noticeable difference?
• KDDI has set up a “Digital Gate” in Toranomon to provide a space where people can experience 5G firsthand. For example, they’ve arranged demonstrations to show how the tactile sensation in the hands differs between 4G and 5G during remote surgery.
• One possible approach might be to have opinion leaders in the education sector experience it for themselves.

・With two-way communication, such as in a choir, latency occurs in both directions.
We are hopeful that 5G will reduce latency. ・With VR, processing latency is added to communication latency, so that must also be taken into account.

・There might be a demand for this, such as having a light music band perform it.
・Since we can’t perform together right now, it would be really moving when we can. A band of 5 or 6 people would probably work well.

・The COVID-19 pandemic has changed sports days, cultural festivals, and concerts.
I wonder if we should rename sports days and cultural festivals to reflect the Reiwa era. ・I’m wondering where students will learn about group activities and interpersonal relationships now that we’ve entered the era of remote learning.

• I’d like to try conducting a 5G pilot project using either music or sports. •
iU does not currently have 5G capabilities. While we do have full-time faculty members, we’re still exploring our options.
• One issue is how to secure funding. • It’s difficult to roll out
5G across the board all at once. Unlike with LTE, there are some challenges we’re grappling with.

Next Steps

・Consider ways to utilize 5G in areas such as music, art, and physical education ・Plan
5G pilot tests (utilizing sites such as iU; recruit partner schools)

That's all.