2023 Volume 45 Issue 2 Pages 115-120
In Japan today, the “segmentation of high school-university articulation,” including the admission processes for university entrants, is becoming increasingly prominent. According to a report by the Science Council of Japanʼs Subcommittee on High School and University Articulation, “segmentation” refers to a situation in which the transition patterns of students from high school to university have become finely fragmented based on educational content, admission methods, and social attributes of learners. Various types of articulation between high schools and universities coexist. However, the report does not delve into specific cases of transition.
The purpose of this roundtable report is to elucidate the actual state of segmentation of high school-university articulation through qualitative and quantitative research and to consider how transition support should be provided. This report focuses on the transition of students from high school to university in an elite university, six high schools affiliated with one elite university, and two open-entry universities. It depicts the commonalities and differences in student transitions within and across segments. One finding is that the transition to an elite university focuses on research, while the transition to an open-entry university emphasizes employment. Furthermore, by comparing the actual situation of specific transition support provided at each type of university, we highlight the need to envision transition support that provides students with opportunities for appropriate challenges, rather than solely focusing on a “smooth transition” as has been the approach in the past.
