◆◇ Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council News ◇◆ Vol. 047

Happy New Year.
We hope you are all enjoying a healthy start to the new year.

Last year, Arakawa Ward and Takeo City announced the introduction of tablet devices in all elementary and junior high schools.
Furthermore, at the university level, online courses and flipped classrooms garnered significant attention, and the advancement of ICT in education
has gained momentum.
This year, the entire secretariat is committed to doing our utmost to ensure this becomes a year of significant progress in the digitization of education,
and we look forward to your continued support.

Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council Secretariat

Table of Contents ——————————————————
・Topics
・Activity Reports (Study Sessions/Steering Committee)
・Media
・Information on Digital Textbooks and Educational Materials
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　　　　 Topics
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December 7 (Sat) – 8 (Sun) at Keio University’s Hiyoshi Campus,
the “International Society for Public Economics – ICT in 2025” conference was held, and
Nakamura and Ishido, who served as the conference executive committee chairs, participated as panelists in a session titled “Digital Textbooks in 2025”
.
http://ciriec.com

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　　　　 Activity Report
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≪Study Session≫
The 41st study session was held on Tuesday, December 17.

Guest Presentations

■Mitsumura Tosho Publishing Co., Ltd., Planning and Development Division,
Mr. Koji Morishita, General Manager of Development
　 “Introduction to ‘CoNETS,’ the Development Consortium for a Digital Textbook Platform”

■ Mr. Koji Harada, Principal, Kanuma Municipal Minami Elementary School
“Special Education Tailored to Individual Needs and the Use of ICT”

*You can view the study session report at the URL below. (To be posted soon)
http://ditt.jp/report/

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≪Organizing Committee≫
At the 41st study session on December 17, Principal Koji Harada of Kanuma Municipal Minami Elementary School
delivered a lecture titled “Special Education Tailored to Individual Needs and the Use of ICT.”

Currently, there are approximately 660,000 students nationwide who show no delay in intellectual development but exhibit significant difficulties in learning and behavior.
This equates to 2–3 students per class of 40. If appropriate measures are not taken for these children
, if appropriate measures are not taken at school or at home, the risk of secondary issues—such as school refusal, delinquency,
job loss, or becoming a NEET—increases significantly.

Regarding LD (Learning Disabilities), which is one type of developmental disability, Japan has barely begun to address
the issue; urgent action is needed, and the use of ICT tailored to individual needs is considered crucial.

At Minami Elementary School, we are implementing the following initiatives:
• Gathering diverse information and assessing the actual situation
• Identifying specific challenges and offering a variety of learning styles
• Support systems tailored to specific types of learning disabilities
• Utilizing “Power-Up Time”
We are implementing the initiatives listed above. In particular, during “Power-Up Time,” we utilize digital learning materials, and as practical examples, we conduct reading and writing training using DS software and PC learning software, visual perception training using Frostig, and reading training using DAISY textbooks.
Digital learning materials are excellent at engaging children in learning and can be customized to meet individual needs,
resulting in increased motivation and self-confidence among the students.
They also help improve teachers’ skills in respecting individual needs, deepen collegiality, and foster relationships where everyone recognizes and appreciates the strengths of each individual.

Principal Harada’s lecture reaffirmed the effectiveness of digital teaching materials for children with learning disabilities, but he also noted that
“No matter how good the digital teaching materials are, a shift in mindset and educational training for all teachers, starting with the principal, are essential.”

At DiTT, we also intend to continue proposing ways to create effective learning environments for children with developmental disabilities.

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　　Media
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http://ditt.jp/media/

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　Information on Digital Textbooks and Teaching Materials
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December 8, 2013
Tablet Devices Gain Popularity in Educational Settings, Helping to Boost Motivation to Learn
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/131208/bsj1312080845000-n1.htm

December 8, 2013
75% of Parents Support the Use of IT in Education
http://resemom.jp/article/2013/12/10/16319.html

December 11, 2013
Saga Prefecture, Which Has Implemented a “One PC per High School Student” Program, Conducts Joint Research on “Educational Informatization” with the WiC Council
http://resemom.jp/article/2013/12/11/16335.html

December 11, 2013
Waseda University Begins Pilot Study of Flipped Classroom Using Digital Books for English Instruction
http://resemom.jp/article/2013/12/11/16340.html

December 24, 2013
CoNETS Conducts Pilot Test of Digital Textbooks at Ritsumeikan Elementary School
http://resemom.jp/article/2013/12/24/16477.html

December 27, 2013
[2013 Major News: Education ICT] MOOCs, Tablet Adoption, Flipped Classroom, and More
http://news.ameba.jp/20131227-93/

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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 and general members are eligible to participate in study sessions organized by DiTT, as well as
committee meetings.

In addition, we provide information on digital textbooks and educational materials, and
organize networking events 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.0047
Published by: Digital Textbook and Educational Materials Council
Publication Date: January 6, 2014
Editor-in-Chief: Nanako Ishido
Editor: Asaka Uchiyama
URL: http://ditt.jp/
e-mail: ditt@ditt.jp
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