2016 Volume 83 Issue 4 Pages 384-397
The aims of this article are to reveal historical problems of educational articulation, to clarify the concept of articulation, and to develop fundamental principles of articulation in educational reforms in Japan. Among the various definitions of articulation, I adopt the following 1929 definition in the seventh yearbook of the National Educational Association: “adequate relation of part to part of the educational system which makes for continuous forward movement of students.”
First, I point out the necessity of research on articulation, followed by a discussion of the challenges with articulation. I conclude the article by developing the fundamental principles of articulation from a perspective of child development.
The research on articulation for educational reforms is necessary for the following purposes: (1) to understand the education system holistically, (2) to prioritize children's point of view in their development, (3) to shift the concept of articulation from an issue of entrance examinations to one of the entire educational curriculum and teaching methods, (4) to consider both continuous and non-continuous aspects of articulation, and (5) to consider educational transition from the perspective of children's right to learn.
The challenges with articulation can be categorized into three aspects; structural, content, and operational. Articulation can be also considered through three types of relationships: vertical articulation, horizontal articulation, and diagonal articulation, which is the relationship between school and society or home.
Based on these conceptualizations of articulation, I developed seven fundamental principles. The structural aspect involves openness and choice, and the content aspect involves standardization, personalization, and individualization. The operational aspect involves affinity and collaboration.
Finally, I point out the importance of policy and administrative articulation through open communication among policymakers and administrators, and the urgent need for more research on articulation to inform educational reforms in Japan.
