Formative assessment has been long emphasised as a powerful means for enhancing science learning. However, there is still a lack of research to investigate the impacts of formative assessment on both students' motivational beliefs and behaviours in science learning. This study examined such impacts using data from six Western and six East Asian…

The increased focus on computational thinking has led to the acceptance of computer programming as one of the ways of teaching computational thinking. In 2020, Japan introduced programming education in elementary schools. To understand the current situation of parental involvement at the beginning of programming education, this study aimed to know…

Groupwork has become ubiquitous in language education, with the clear benefits of interaction and output on language acquisition. A body of research has investigated this interaction in pairs and small groups, and there is an increased understanding that individual group context is a key factor in determining the behavior of students. This article…

The development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its associated tools has revolutionised the learning and use of foreign languages (L2). One such tool is machine translation (MT), which has become increasingly popular among university students worldwide, spurring research on MT use in L2 writing. However, previous research has…

This study examined how to enhance the quality of students' question generating and to encourage their spontaneous information searches after classroom instruction in university. The teacher assigned One Minute Paper as homework, and students answered three questions; "Q1: What was the most important thing that you learned today?",…

This book reports on the use of behavioural support -- an evidence-based approach developed in the USA to meet students' special educational needs -- in Australia and selected thriving Asian countries. It brings together key issues and insights into how educational policy and practices in different societies and cultures influence the uptake of…

This study explored how kindergarten ESL teachers in Japan make use of emotion regulation strategies, as proposed by Gross, in their work. Four teachers at a single dispatch company in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture were interviewed via Skype about the emotion regulation strategies they used in the workplace. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of education for sustainable development (ESD) approaches in English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japanese higher education. Design/methodology/approach: A content and language integrated learning (CLIL) University-level course was run over two separate semesters--the first as a…

This study explored the longitudinal changes of Japanese EFL learners' psychological attributes of unwillingness to speak English in a task-based classroom. Thirty-three university students participated in this study. They engaged in a communicative task once a week for two semesters. They completed a questionnaire examining the psychological…

This paper reports findings from a large-scale student survey on their learning behaviors, and a faculty survey on their practices and beliefs in teaching, both in Japan. It was found that the Japanese students' time spent on learning fell substantially short of the required time prescribed by the Standards for the Establishment of Universities.…

Successful education systems are those that promote leadership at all levels, thereby encouraging teachers and principals, regardless of the formal positions they occupy, to lead innovation in the classroom, the school and the system as a whole. This report summarises evidence from the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey and the OECD…

Helping children to refine and coordinate old ways of thinking is based on constructivist teaching, which promotes children's introspection skills. Several Japanese early childhood teaching practices align with constructivism, and Muto (2002) recommends that teachers reflect on their teaching methods and on their assessment of children by focusing…

A recent study comparing Asian and American students identified three factors that contribute to superior performance of elementary school children. These are: (1) amount of class time devoted to academics and direct instruction; (2) parent support of academic activities; and (3) student effort. The study and its findings are discussed. (MT)

Patterns of instructional television use in elementary and secondary school classrooms in Japan indicate heavy use in elementary schools and diminished use in secondary schools. Factors that contribute to this phenomenon are discussed, including school environment, sociocultural patterns, educational philosophy, and teacher training. (MBR)

Defines self-regulated learning as a problem-solving or goal-directed process orchestrated by the student but influenced by others in the student's environment. Discovers that self-regulating programs in Japan and the United States are remarkably similar with some differences. Praises Japanese instructors' emphasis on effort over ability. (MJP)