Background of establishment

The Center for Advanced School Education and Evidence-Based Research (CASEER) was established in AY 2017 with the reorganization of the Center for Excellence in School Education, founded in AY 2006. Research activities, lectures, and other events were performed at the former Center with the aim of improving the professional quality of educators and promoting improved school-development policies. Its predecessor was the Center for Clinical Research on School Development (founded in AY 1997). Based on the principles of “actual practice,” “comprehensiveness,” and “collaboration,” CASEER has carried on their research traditions aimed at solving actual problems in school education, based on a cooperative relationship with the Division of Professional Development of Teachers. With this foundation, CASEER seeks to collaborate with universities, educator-training institutes, prefectural boards of education, schools, etc. throughout Japan. The Division of Evidence-Based Research was organized in AY 2017, with the aim of accumulating evidence regarding educational effects. The Division of Global Research was reorganized as the Division of Advanced Education in AY 2019, with the aim of further expansion and development of its activities.

Division of Evidence-Based Research

The Division of Evidence-Based Research is divided into two sub-units, the Higher Education Research Unit and Secondary Education Research Unit. This Division seeks to enable more effective education via empirical investigations of educational effects.

Higher Education Research Unit

The Higher Education Research Unit was established to examine the effects of the higher education on the university students before they graduate, and to make evidence-based policy proposals regarding practices in higher education. Specifically, in collaboration with the Center for Research and Development of Higher Education, the University of Tokyo, this Unit analyzes mutually interactive relationships between education received by students while attending The University of Tokyo, and their post-graduate education. The aim is to clarify the effects of education at the University of Tokyo, via implementation, analysis, and investigation of all types of student-based surveys.

Secondary Education Research Unit

The Secondary Education Research Unit was established for the purpose of undertaking empirical investigations of the linkages between proactive, exploratory learning experienced by junior high and high school students and their future experiences in university and broader society. Specifically, in collaboration with the Secondary School Attached to the Faculty of Education, panel surveys are implemented for students and graduates of the Attached School. A panel survey of the current students is performed each academic year (AY), beginning in AY 2016. Its purpose is to investigate whether and how the comprehensive study, one of the characteristics of the Attached School, has effects on the students’ values, perspectives, attitudes toward exploratory learning and citizenship. A panel survey of the graduates is performed every five years after five years of the students’ graduation. The panel survey investigates how studying at the Attached School is mediated indirectly through learning at universities on the social outcome such as employment.

CASEER-Hosted Symposium (January 2018)

Division of Advanced Education

The Division of Advanced Education performs research and practical activities for the promotion of further development of school education. This Division conducts research related to the globalization of education. Also, the Division runs Early-Career Scholar Training Program, in order to improve the academic skills of doctorate students in the Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo.

The “Division of Global Research” was reorganized and renamed the “Division of Advanced Education” in 2019. Two units were established in the Division, the Global Citizenship Unit and the Global Education Unit. Via links and collaboration with educational institutions and researchers in Japan and abroad, the Division aims to further develop its research activities.

Early-Career Scholar Training Program

The Division of Advanced Education calls for research projects by doctorate students in the Graduate School of Education, at the University of Tokyo every academic year. The program supports research projects from various perspectives regarding education. Past topics of the project have been as follows:

• AYs 2012 and 2013: Curriculum innovation for the formation of learning abilities required for living in society
• AYs 2014 and 2015: School Education in the era of globalization
• AYS 2016 and 2017: Education for diversity
• AY 2018 and 2019: Education and evidence

Research results have been presented in the joint symposium held with the Department of Education, Stockholm University, Sweden. The Graduate School of Education, the University of Tokyo has signed an academic exchange agreement with Stockholm University, giving young scholars an opportunity to enjoy academic exchanges, with the students and faculty of Stockholm University.

Global Citizenship Unit

The Global Citizenship Unit is involved chiefly in research related to education for sustainable development (ESD), and research on the globalization of education.

Projects (Examples)

•  Internationalization of Higher Education and the Promotion of “Knowledge Diplomacy” in Asia (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [Kakenhi], Kiban A, No. 15H02623, Head: Yuto Kitamura, AYs 2015-2019)
•  Innovation to Promote “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)”: A Comparative Study between Japan and Sweden (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi), Kiban A, No. 17K18612, Head: Yuto Kitamura, AYs 2017-2019)
• United Nations University Project: Strengthening social resilience through education for sustainable development (ESD) (United Nations University consignment research funds, Head: Takayasu Nakamura, Person-in-charge of research implementation: Yuto Kitamura, AYs 2018-2020)
• United Nations University Project: Strengthening social resilience through education for sustainable development (ESD) (Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) FY 2018 Government Development Assistance, UNESCO Activities Assistance Funding, Head: Shigeo Kodama, Person-in-charge of research implementation: Yuto Kitamura, AY 2018)

Global Education Unit

The Global Education Unit is involved chiefly with research related to pluralistic international models of education and the introduction and development of Japanese-style education in other countries. It also supports and carries out projects to promote international understanding of education through exchanges between elementary schools in Japan and the United States.

Projects (Examples)

•  The 21st Century International Education Models Project (Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi), Kiban A, No. 15H01987, “A Cross-National Research of Japanese Educational Efforts to Meet the Needs of the 21st Century and the Construction of International Models: Exploring Pluralistic Models (Head: Ryoko Tsuneyoshi, AYs 2015-2018)
• Olympic Friendships: Elementary Education for Global Competency in Japan and the United States (University of Colorado Donation Funding, Project Leader (Japan): Professor Ryoko Tsuneyoshi, AYs 2018-2019)

Young Scholar Training Program, Final Report

(at Stockholm University in February 2018)

Organization

Contact E-mail Address

Please replace [at] by @ before sending an email.

• Division of Evidence-Based Research　　c-kouka[at]p.u-tokyo.ac.jp／+81(0)3 5841 8734
• Division of Advanced Education　　　　　c-kodoka[at]p.u-tokyo.ac.jp／+81(0)3 5841 1749