This study aims to examine the results of a social studies (civics) class for 96 junior high school students that incorporated collaborative learning and the use of an information device for each student based on self-determination theory, in relation to the need for autonomy,competence,relationships,and motivation for learning.Internal,identification,incorporative,and external adjustments were included as the learning motivation subscales. The correlation analysis revealed that internal and identification adjustments were significantly correlated with these needs.To improve autonomous motivation and meet these needs, lessons were conducted using one computing per student and collaborative learning. Consequently, internal, and identification adjustments, and the three needs were improved. In the free writing survey, 61.2% of the students expressed these needs. The results of this study highlight the importance of supporting the three needs of collaborative learning using devices.

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This study focused on the attitudes of others in discussing participation factors in collaborative learning, and examined the attitudes learners expect from their peers when expressing opinions during collaborative learning. Specifically, junior high school students provided free-form responses to questions regarding the attitudes they expect from their peers when expressing opinions in social studies and Japanese language classes. The study employed open coding to create subcategories and organize categories. The responses were subsequently classified into two groups: “pre-speaking attitudes,” which refer to the attitudes exhibited by other learners prior to expressing their own opinions, and “post-speaking attitudes,” which pertain to those that learners anticipated from their peers after sharing their opinions. Additionally, the most frequently classified subcategory in the free text was “attitudes toward listening to one’s opinions.” These findings pointed to the importance of educational interventions focusing on the listener rather than the speaker in educational settings.

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Two experiments were conducted to examine the following hypothesis regarding the relationship between how to hold a writing implement and writing posture: “Those who do not hold a writing implement described in the Japanese language ‘handwriting textbook’ will have a more forward leaning writing posture than those who hold in the manner described in the textbook.” Forty university students (Experiment 1) and 44 fourth-grade children (Experiment 2) were photographed individually using　KinectV2（Microsoft）, a RGB camera equipped with a depth sensor. Subjects were photographed while writing in both their usual writing style and textbook writing style (1st grader’s only). In both experiment 1 and 2, subjects were asked to fill out a list of questions after the experiment regarding writing posture and how to hold the experimental writing implement.Based on the subject’s handwriting style (how to hold a pencil) and the photographic images,the subject’s head positions were analyzed. As a result, university students who wrote using a method other than the “pencil grip” in their textbooks leaned their heads forward more than university students who wrote using the “pencil grip” in their textbooks. It was found that about half of the fourth-grade children were unable to write using the writing posture shown in their textbooks.The results of this study showed that the study’s hypothesis: 1) was supported by the observation data of university students but 2) was not supported by the observation data of elementary school students.

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Age disparity among children in the same academic year, whether measured in months or days,contributes to individual differences—that is, the relative age effect—across various outcomes including academic achievement, physical fitness, and mental health. This study examined the relative age effect on school rank among students across Japan, as well as indirect effects through academic performance in the third year of junior high school. Study 1 applied the rank of the schools in which the students entered. In Study 2, the rank of the first-choice schools that the students answered in the third year of junior high school was used. The analyses of both studies suggest that those with relatively older students were more likely to enter a high school or technical college with a higher rank, and were more likely to list a high school or technical college with a higher rank as their first choice for higher education in their third year of junior high school.Additionally,the relationship between relative age and school rank was mediated by academic performance in the third year of junior high school.

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This study investigates whether participation in a case study using the PCAGIP method experience enhanced awareness and motivation for child engagement, based on differences in years of experience. The analysis considers factors such as child comprehension, stress, and workplace interpersonal relationships. A total of 58 teachers from five kindergartens participated. The results showed that teachers with less than ten years of experience experienced increased “stress related to child interaction and understanding” but decreased “stress related to workplace interpersonal relationships.” In contrast, teachers with ten or more years of experience demonstrated increased “self-acceptance.” The professional transformation of kindergarten teachers followed a process in which exposure to diverse perspectives through case studies promoted reflection on childcare practices, recognition of shared challenges, commitment to professional growth, and improvements in childcare. Teachers with more than ten years of experience placed greater emphasis on understanding children and building collaborative frameworks, while those with less experience showed increased interest in improving their own childcare practices. Overall, the findings suggest that the PCAGIP method’s creation of a non-critical, psychologically safe environment fosters awareness and learning among kindergarten teachers.

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This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an educational program designed to promote autonomous self-esteem in lower grade elementary school students. In Study 1, the program was administered to second-grade elementary school students (80 participants) to examine its feasibility and measure its educational effectiveness. The results confirmed the positive impact of the intervention. In Study 2, the educational spillover and maintenance effects four weeks after implementing the program were examined with first-grade students (85 participants). The analysis showed that the intervention had a positive educational effect in Study 2 as well, and partial spillover effects were observed. However, no evidence of sustained effects was found. Additionally, the Q-U violation scores decreased by this program, confirming spillover effects. In these two studies, an educational program was developed to promote autonomous self-esteem among lower grade elementary school students. These findings suggest that the program, which emphasizes educational approaches such as “acceptance” and “experiential incorporation,” and involves activities that promote sharing of personal and interpersonal strengths, was partially effective in enhancing autonomous self-esteem. Given the absence of sustained effects and the lack of significant improvements in Q-U subscales other than “violation,” future studies should consider implementing booster sessions or increasing the number of lessons to further evaluate and enhance the educational impact of the program.

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