Development and evaluation of the community learning program to cultivate children's public sensibility

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a community learning program to cultivate children's "public sensibility," and to clarify its educational effects, based on a review of existing theories in the fields of education and developmental psychology regarding the way of relationship building between children and others. As a result, it was found that children can develop their public sensibility by encountering "Local people and nature" through walking around town and expressing what they learned and felt by making illustrated books and models with "Familiar others" who support the children's activities. In addition, the educational effects of the three activities of the program on children's public sensibility differed from each other, which could be grasped by the differences in the way the children interacted with familiar others and town.