This study aims to develop a program to support pre-school teachers by enhancing the efficacy of encouraging an experience in noticing, and examine the effectiveness of the scheme. We design the system to raise the sense of efficacy of noticing in the daily practice of childcare. The program works on the experience in noticing that takes the form of autobiographical memory of the preschool teacher. Yoshida and Nishiyama (2017) verified a strong sense of efficacy among preschool teachers who noticed and remembered an experience in childcare practice. Therefore, we examined whether or not such a support program would reinforce their efficacy by encouraging them to notice and look back on their educational episode, recapture it in a new framework, and retain the experience of the noticing as their autobiographical memory. As a result, the efficacy was significantly higher at the follow-up and the one-month after follow-up than before training. In addition, there was no significant difference between the follow-up and the one-month after follow-up, confirming the sustained effect of the support program. Furthermore, similar effects were observed for other related variables, confirming their effectiveness. Based on these results, we discussed future research issues.

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This study examined the factors that affected subjective adjustment in graduates of correspondence high schools, and analyzed the impact of the frequency of support school use, post-graduation career paths, and school evaluation on this adjustment. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to graduates of correspondence high schools, and 71 (39 males and 32 females) participants, who returned them with valid responses, were included in the analysis. The results revealed that there was no relationship between the frequency of support schools use as a place for building friendships and participating in group activities and subjective adjustment. Certain career paths after graduation had a partial effect on subjective adjustment. Graduates who positively evaluated their school in terms of friendships and group activities had higher subjective levels of adjustment. Thus, subjective adjustment was not related to the frequency of support schools use, but was related to students’ positive perception of interpersonal interactions. This suggest the importance of efforts to promote the recovery of students who have experienced maladjustment. In addition, we discuss the future of support schools.

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This article focused on the collaborative nature of childcare workers as their specialty in raising children's ability to interact with others. Specifically, we collected a wide range of casually spoken episodes about collaboration that led to improved efficacy, which is the intrinsic basis of childcare practice. Subsequently, we carried out qualitative analysis about the detail in the necessary support for childcare workers, primarily using the SCAT method. The results reveal the need for two categories of assistance. First category emphasizes individualistic support based on collaborative attitudes, such as spiritual support and help for childcare workers in upgrading their childcare ability. It also stresses cumulative support that would help feel the enjoyment of collaborative childcare and collective growth. Second category highlights respect for individuals, guidance, and collaboration as supporters' consciousness required to raise the sense of efficacy. It also highlights the need for assistance in facilitating efforts between individuals and groups to boost and complement each other. Finally, we describe the possibility of future development from the perspective of relationships with supporters and recognition of support.

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The purpose of this study is to produce a portfolio recording the summary and reflection of learning activities in a junior high school social studies class based on the theory of self-regulated learning. We also aim to examine the results in relation to the self-determination theory. Therefore, first, we created a motivation scale for analyzing students’ reason for learning social studies. Based on the descriptions that the students provided, we completed the analysis as a standardized scale through factor analysis. Then, we introduced the lesson in social studies (historical field) by introducing a portfolio and asked learners to collaborate and describe the existing learning content. We used the social studies learning motivation scale to verify the educational effect. The results showed improvement in two autonomous learning motivations, namely internal adjustment and identical adjustment. On the contrary, it demonstrated suppression of introjected adjustment, that is, heteronomy motivation.

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This study focuses on early childhood, when children begin to use information media including information and communications technologies (ICTs). The goal was to ascertain if young children are able to understand what information media is and if so, to determine at what age this understanding develops. Two hundred twenty-eight children 3 to 5 years old were selected and divided into two groups; one was given a lesson on this topic in advance by their childcare teachers, while the other did not receive a lesson. Findings indicated that information media awareness can be cultivated in these age groups if lessons are provided on this topic. Particularly, 4 and 5 year old children showed significant understanding. The information media identification test conducted with the same subjects in a follow-up study one month later showed that the efficacy of the education had been retained among the 4 and 5 year old children.

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