In the 1970s when computers were introduced into education, two aspects of the relationship between computers and education emerged: education about computers and education with computers. In the latter, concepts and terms of CAI, CAL and CMI were used. In 1986, the second report of the Special Council for Education proposed three basic principles of information technology in education: enhancement of information literacy, use of information tools in education, and the light (positive impacts) and shadow (negative issues such as safety and ethics) in the informatization in education. In addition to computers, new educational tools and devices, internet, and ICT have been developed and. now ICT in education has become one of the most important factors in preparing students for contemporary society. This article deals with the concept of education about information technology and the use of ICT in education including informatics education as an educational content, the use of ICT in curriculum, the use of ICT for enhancing human competencies and abilities, and the use of ICT for school administration. In this paper, the present state of ICT in education in the world is discussed with examples from the UK, USA, Korea, Singapore, and Asian countries. The state of Japan is also described. In conclusion, the future trends and problems are identified and directions are suggested for better ICT use in education across the globe.

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[in Japanese]

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English abstract: "Subject-Management Practice" is one of the university/high school cooperation programs. The purposes of this program are: 1) Improvement in the lesson design power of the college student at the teacher-training course, and 2) Substantial educational service in a high school and a university. As results of the practice, high school teachers strengthen the recognition to their practical knowledge about subject management. Further more, university students come to perform a lesson design based on their experience knowledge about subject management. The ET (Educational Technology) researcher has recognized the practical/realistic problems about the information education in high schools.

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For improving the quality of a large number of testing problems, cooperative works of more than one expert are required to review them. However, the mental fatigue of revising problems is very troublesome, so computer support is of great help. We have formulated a workflow of cooperative review works by a state transition diagram (STD) for specifying the support system. By expanding the functions of Moodle's quiz modules, we have constructed a software system that supports the on-line review process of testing problems and keeps track of these processes. From the result of the trial experiment, it was confirmed that developed support system was effective in supporting of cooperative review works.

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The present study tested the Causal Model for the relationship among critical thinking on web browsing, skills of media utilization, positive attitude and preconception to media. The following instruments were used: the critical viewing skills scale; the skills of media utilization scale; the positive attitude information gathering scale; the scale of preconception to media. Simultaneous Analysis of several groups was also used to clarify the differences of school levels. Data were analyzed with the structural equation modeling. The results were as follows (GFI=.94, AGFI=.91, RMSEA =.02): (1) Positive attitude predicted skills of media utilization and preconception on media positively. (2) Preconception on media predicted critical thinking on web browsing positively.

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In order for the elementary school students to develop their skills to use information practically, we set the original goals of the skills, consisting of 7 elements, such as skills of problem detection and planning, collection, judgment, management, expression, creation and communication, with 22 concrete objectives. For each target, we made the criteria, as an index of evaluation, and the standards of evaluation. Based on them, we developed the learning programs which let children to make the standards of concrete evaluation through their collaborative learning activities. The study tried to discuss the effectiveness of the programs, which were conducted in regular classes of Period for Integrated Study and Japanese Language. The results using the scale of skill to use information showed practically that the activities in which children made the tables of the concrete standards of evaluation were effective in developing both the skill of problem detection and planning and the skill of communication.

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After a learning intervention, it is expected for participants to transfer acquired knowledge and skills to job performance. To enhance transfer of learning to the job, a model of action plan introduction called EAAP (Embedded Accumulative Action Plan) was developed. The EAAP model was then tested in an ICT skills training. Actions, due dates, and related subjects were listed in the action plan. These items were then reviewed for several times during the training, so that the action plan could be accumulatively developed. As the result, the authors found the following: (1) the action plans can be utilized as a tool for formative evaluation of training program by analyzing retrieved data from the action plans and giving feedback to instructors; (2) the action plans can be utilized as an application tool of learning results in trainees' job settings. To bridge between learning results and application behaviors, it is indicated that the EAAP model is an effective way to introduce action plan as a part of ICT training.

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We propose to incorporate "Informatical and Systematical Thinking" into Information Studies in high school as a part of the learning content. The present study aims to prove that "Informatical and Systematical Thinking" is not only helpful for students to find better ways to use information, but also is effective as a means of developing better understanding of information ethics. We began by giving students a certain problem to solve and then we taught them how to deal with problems using "Informatical and Systematical Thinking". After that we gave them another problem to see if what they had learned from us had made any difference in their approach to problem solving. Comparing the results we were able to confirm the effectiveness of "Informatical and Systematical Thinking"

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Since computers and internets have been introduced positively to school education in Nishimera town, advanced educational practices so far have been built up over many years. In the present paper, we carried out the follow-up survey intended for all 142 people who were students of elementary or junior high school in Nishimera-town in 1996 fiscal year. This survey aims to verify the educational effect, due to the rich use of multi-media in school education. As a result of analyses of the answers obtained from 101 people, it was found that the experience of using multi-media in school education significantly contributes to the educational effect, such as knowledge acquisition, deepening thought, understanding contents of lesson. Moreover, the result shows that the fundamental ability needed after school graduation was cultivated through use of multi-media in elementary school and junior high school.

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From a practical viewpoint, and as the result of an ongoing process, we have produced a curriculum of information literacy courses for departmental non-science and technology students whose background in computer and information technology differs somewhat. The curriculum has been effective for these particular groups of students. The curriculum has two characteristics. One, it consists of three domains; "Computer Literacy", "Network Literacy" and "Media Literacy". Two, it is comprised of a hierarchy of courses. In this article, we explain and evaluate the results we obtained from our practical implementation of the curriculum as well as the philosophy of the curriculum. Finally, we discuss the future of the curriculum in a university after information literacy has been introduced into the curriculum of high school, based on our educational experience so far.

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An educational program of information design is one of the important areas of informational education, as a means of learning of usability and good instruction. In this research, I designed a practice to facilitate practical usage of cellular phone in informational education and information design education, and tried to facilitate the learner's skill of critical thinking about artifacts and designs. The tasks for the learners were to take a photograph of unusable artifacts in everyday things by camera-equipped mobile phone, and present their consideration at their class using PC. As a result of the qualitative and quantitative research, we found the practice functioned as an informational education, and the usage of camera phone was accepted by the learners. In addition to these, I suggest that this practice affected improvement of the learner's awareness of unusable artifacts, a consideration of alternative ideas, and critical thinking about everyday things.

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We have proposed and demonstrated new information education for creating ubiquitous society. In this project, technical high school students try to develop tele-control systems such as robot, an electronic motor, small model house and so on over the IPv6 environment. During the project, the students can touch and explore one of the latest technologies. They will work as leading engineers, constructing new systems, applying them and developing them in the future. We believe the technical high school students are expected to play important role in the coming ubiquitous stage.

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Recently many researchers discuss the desirable curriculum of information education in undergraduate course due to the renewal of curriculum in high school. In order to reveal the learning opportunities in the previous curriculum, the authors conducted a survey regarding the initial learning opportunity before entering university in the previous curriculum. The results show that many students in the previous curriculum have not had enough learning experiences in expansive area. Even if students have learned such area, they have tended to study by themselves. Students who graduated from private schools tended to study expansive area by themselves much more. According to the survey results, the authors discussed the curriculum of information education in higher education should support students who have not studied expansive area. Also the authors stated that it is necessary to establish the system which supports the students who miscomprehended something they studied by themselves.

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[in Japanese]

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