Overview
- Consists of elementary school, middle school/lower-secondary school, and high school/upper-secondary school ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- After completing lower-secondary school, students must choose whether to apply to upper secondary school or not ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- There are three different types of secondary schools in Japan including senior high schools, colleges of technology, and specialized training colleges
- There are three different types of secondary schools in Japan including senior high schools, colleges of technology, and specialized training colleges
- Most students continue in senior high schools which provide general, specialized, and integrated classes ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Japan's curriculum is divided into required subjects, moral education, and special activities ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Required subjects include Japanese language, Japanese literature, arithmetic, social studies, science, music, arts, programming, and physical education
- Moral education is then taught to educate students on "respect for one another and the environment, to understand the importance of life, to respect the rules of society, and to learn general self control ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Special activities compromise of activities that emphasize teamwork and cooperation
- After graduation students must prepare for the National Center Test for University Admissions which determines their admittance to a university ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- They also must pass individual exams that are administered by each university
- They also must pass individual exams that are administered by each university
Teacher Quality
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Government Funding & Intervention
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Juku
- Japanese society places a large emphasis on studying ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Schools are open six days a week with students spending additional hours in cram school, otherwise known as "juku"
- Prepares students for exams but also focuses on concepts students have learned in the classroom already ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Students may spend up to 12 hours a week in juku, especially as exam time gets closer ("Japan: Learning Systems").
- Jukus were the first to use "computer-assisted instructional technology on a daily basis, the first to incorporate principles of systems management into education, and the first to individualize and self-pace lessons" (Phi Delta Kappan 4).
- Students who pass a test at the end of their juku schooling receive a certificate stating their ability in a certain subject at a given level (Phi Delta Kappan 5).