Abstract
This paper investigates the meaning of 'media' and 'communication' from the viewpoint of both socio-informatics and the sociology of education. In order to connect both fields, I will consider the role and potential of learning activities in the age of pervasive Information and Communication Technology (ICT). As a first step in this multidisciplinary challenge, I will compare the usage of keywords in the both fields, and specify issues arising when we create knowledge in the context of the modern educational system in Japan. The paper will give a brief overview of the background of the problems found in Japan's modern education system, highlighting the social effects of the so-called meritocracy ideology. It will then shed light on new possibilities for ICT as a resource for learning by drawing on research based on the idea of 'social capital' as popularized in the work of Robert D. Putnam. The paper will also present a multidisciplinary comparison of 'media' and 'communication' as keyword that helps deepen our understanding of spontaneous learning activities, and then highlights a counter-perspective to the recent research on ICT covered in the previous section. Drawing on fieldwork data, the paper will explore ICT-driven changes to learning practices in Japanese society. In conclusion, it will reconsider learning activities in the context of recent ICT developments. By this token this will enable us to reinforce the imperative of a deeper exploration into the meaning of 'media' and 'communication' in contemporary society.
