◆◇ Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council News ◇◆ Vol. 063

The cold has eased a bit, and the sunlight has taken on a spring-like feel.
These days, we’re eagerly looking forward to the arrival of this pleasant season.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many people who attended our recent symposium.
The entire Secretariat extends our heartfelt thanks.

In this issue, along with a report on DiTT’s activities,
we bring you the latest information on digital textbooks and educational materials.

Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council Secretariat

Table of Contents ——————————————————
・Topics
・Activity Report (Study Sessions)
・Media
・Information on Digital Textbooks and Educational Materials
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　　　　 Topics
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The symposium titled “Envisioning the Future of Education: The Future Envisioned by Pioneering Municipalities!” held on the 23rd of last month,
welcomed the mayors of Arakawa Ward, Tokyo; Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture; and Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.
and a lively debate unfolded before a packed audience, making for a very exciting event.

This fiscal year, DiTT held a symposium focusing on the current state of government, schools, and local municipalities.
http://ditt.jp/action/symposium.html

We plan to continue holding symposiums on hot topics next fiscal year as well.
We look forward to your continued support.

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　　　　 Activity Report
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≪Study Session≫
We held our 55th Study Session on Friday, February 13.

Guest Presentations

■ KDDI Research, Inc., Multimedia Division
Media Development Group, Group Leader: Mr. Hiroaki Kimura
　“An Introduction to KDDI’s Initiatives in the Field of Education”

■ Daisuke Fujikawa, Professor, Faculty of Education, Chiba University
　Ai Ogawa, General Manager, Social Contribution Department, IBM Japan, Ltd.
　“Mathematics Curriculum Program Focused on the Use of Big Data”

*You can view the study session report at the URL below.
http://ditt.jp/report/

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≪Study Session Overview≫

Professor Daisuke Fujikawa of Chiba University’s Faculty of Education and Ms. Ai Ogawa of IBM Japan delivered presentations titled “Mathematics Curriculum Program Focused on the Use of Big Data.”

Mr. Ogawa explained the background behind the development of “Understanding Math Opens the Door to the Future!
~Data Utilization in Society~” as part of corporate CSR initiatives to support education.
Development began in December 2013 in collaboration with the NPO Corporate Education Research Association, and following
, and released in November 2014. It was developed to spark interest in the profession of data scientist.
Next, Mr. Fujikawa of the Corporate Education Research Association introduced the curriculum content.
This program began with the concept of changing educational content rather than teaching methods
. Its development guidelines include: (1) limiting the data set to approximately tens of thousands of records, (2) focusing on “election predictions for a school of the future,” and
(3) utilizing digital teaching materials and inviting guest speakers.
The digital teaching materials introduced here are set in a school with a total student body of 35,000. Students take on the role of members of the newspaper club
and are tasked with a mission from their club president to report on election predictions.
This narrative-driven approach makes even complex topics easier to understand.
Results from a post-program survey indicated that students discovered the fun of working with data, analyzing it, and predicting the future,
and that seeing how numbers relate to society helped increase their interest in learning.

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　　Media Coverage Information
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http://ditt.jp/media/

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　Information on Digital Textbooks and Teaching Materials
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February 12, 2015
“One Device Per Student” by 2020: About 80% of Parents Unaware of the Policy
http://resemom.jp/article/2015/02/12/22877.html

February 16, 2015
“Tablets” Mastered by Children with “Severe Intellectual Disabilities”
……The “Power” of IT Technology to Overcome Disabilities and Unlock “Inherent Abilities”
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1502/16/news045.html

February 16, 2015
Niigata University Affiliated Niigata Elementary School / Elementary Education Symposium Held: “ICT Utilization Starts with Classroom Management”
http://ict-enews.net/2015/02/16fuzoku-niigata/

February 17, 2015
KDDI / Demonstrates Adaptive Learning Lessons Using iPads at a Fukuoka Elementary School
http://ict-enews.net/2015/02/17kddi/

February 19, 2015
Tablets to Be Provided to All Elementary and Junior High Schools; Expansion of Tutoring Fee Subsidies… Osaka City Announces Key Initiatives
http://resemom.jp/article/2015/02/19/23006.html

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　.:*:.:♪*:. DiTT—Now Accepting Members *:.:♪*:.*:.
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The Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council is currently accepting new members.
Executive members and general members are eligible to participate in study sessions and
committees organized by DiTT.

In addition, we provide information on digital textbooks and educational materials, and
organize social gatherings and other opportunities for members to exchange information.
For more details, please visit the page below!
URL: http://ditt.jp/join

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◆◇ DiTT NEWS ◇◆　vol.0063
Publisher: Digital Textbook and Teaching Materials Council
Publication Date: March 2, 2015
Editor-in-Chief: Nanako Ishido
Editor: Asaka Uchiyama
URL: http://ditt.jp/
e-mail: ditt@ditt.jp
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