Expanding Online Learning Space and Its Impact on Social Education for Democracy : A Case Study of the Amagasaki Online Kominkan

Abstract

The space in which learning takes place is rapidly expanding into the online world. The Amagasaki Online Kominkan opened in May 2020. Although it calls itself a "Kominkan," it is not a Kominkan (community center) facility, nor is it a project hosted by an official education institution. But "Kominkan-like" means a place or function where people gather there and learn together as a result by communicating.

In this paper, the impact of expanding online learning space is analyzed through a case study, focusing on social education. Social education can be seen as a organized educational practice that aims to implement democracy. We examined the significance and characteristics of expanding online learning spaces brought about by the development of technology, compared to the programs in person conducted in Kominkan facilities.

The "Online Kominkan" is a form of communication for extending our daily lives, in which we interact freely, share mutual interests and gain joint experiences. Communication is the basis of education, and the Online Kominkan, as a social environment, provides an opportunity to form a community, which can become a place to integrate life and social learning. One of the strengths of online is that they can be accessed "anytime” and “anywhere" as long as there is an internet connection. While transforming the quality of our communication, this has the potential to expand the nature of social education from a form that relies solely on administrative and legal system maintained by government toward an informal, decentralized and participatory orientation.