Abstract
The author has been engaged in the education of around 950 students who have returned from studies overseas for more than a dozen years. Generally speaking, the students who have returned from Great Britain are superior to those from other countries and create a unique and gentle atmosphere. They also have the potential for post-graduation careers. Do these characteristics stem from individual personalities? Or does British education or the school culture and the social system have an affect on them? The author examined, analyzed and studied various factors. With regard to three out of six factors that the author selected through factor analysis for evaluating students' awareness, a significant difference was observed between the students who have returned from Great Britain and those from other countries. The three factors include responsibility, independence and discipline. Similar results were obtained through other analysis. The British school system is a multiple-track system, while the Japanese school system is a single-track one. In addition, British school education has two other major characteristics: a flexible curriculum coordinated to each individual's capabilities and learning speed, and educational organizations independent of the central authorities. The author studied these characteristics based on experiences of students who have returned from Great Britain.
