2021 Volume 61 Issue 3 Pages 489-496
Nine years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it is necessary to consider the future treatment of radiation education in schools from the viewpoint of building a sustainable society as well as within the context of energy and environment education. In order to deal with radiation that exists around us and to incorporate this topic into cross-curricular educational content related to contemporary issues from the primary education stage, it is important to develop the qualities and abilities of elementary school teachers who provide guidance and to set up training for that purpose. In this research, we have summarized trends in the treatment of radiation education in the Ministry of Education, Fukushima Prefecture, and nationwide. Based on these trends, we investigated the development of a primary school teacher training program on radiation education in Shiga Prefecture including the UPZ (Urgent Protective action planning Zone) area. The purposes of the teacher training program were set out as follows: (1) To recognize the significance of radiation education (2) To acquire basic knowledge through experiments and observations (3) To recognize the self-situation in the UPZ as compared to the situation in Fukushima. To achieve this purpose, we conducted a training course for elementary school teachers in cooperation with external lecturers, incorporating experiments and observations. As a result of this training, the teachers were able to notice the significance of radiation education practice, and the importance of acquiring knowledge and skills related to radiation, regardless of where they live.
