This research aimed at developing an ESD material (a set of photograph-based functional clip materials) to enable a deeper understanding of the inter-connectedness/interdependence between developed and developing countries, between urban and rural areas, between global environmental problems and poverty/social exclusion problems, and among the three realms of sustainability (i.e., environmental, social, and economical aspects). It is expected that the use of such materials enhance participatory and verbal communication in the context of illiterate, multilingual and/or vernacular societies. Furthermore, this research also aimed at promoting the effective utilization of the materials on the occasion of JOCV’s training programs and other environmental, developmental and international educational activities. In this paper, the authors stress the importance of conditions in which the materials are effectively and efficiently utilized, focus on the functions of “Creative Commons” that maximize digital creativity, sharing, and innovation in educational settings, and contribute to the promotion of the flexible and applicable development and utilization of the materials.

  This research focuses on Kawasaki-City as a research field where collaborative activities for environmental conservation have been promoted, and discusses the functions and roles of intermediary organizations that support the collaboration platform. In particular, this research analyzes the functions and roles of the Act Kawasaki and Liaison Center for Creation of Industry & Environment (LCIE) as key players of intermediary organizations in Kawasaki City. For the analysis, “An Intermediary Support Function Model for Collaboration” (Sato and Shimaoka, 2014) was employed, and then a role-ordered matrix was developed. As a result, some differences and commonalities were found. In viewing the differences of the functions, they have different objectives, approaches, expected outputs and concerns for collaboration (i.e. Act Kawasaki respects solidarity in the community of Kawasaki City with consideration of improving civic life and the environment, whereas LCIE respects competitiveness in the community of Kawasaki City giving consideration to marketplace principles and Win-Win relations). On the other hand, in view of the commonalities of the functions, they have similar approaches in collaborative governance (e.g., forum exclusiveness, clear ground rules, trust-building, commitment to process, process help and resource links). Furthermore, they have promoted related activities under a shared vision for solving environmental problems, and have implemented these activities in the use of individual, institutional and civil capacities.

  In recent years, inheritance of kogai kyoiku (education against environmental disruption) has been pointed out. However, in areas that suffer the risk of pollution, education practice itself by teachers has become more difficult.

  In this study, while applying the framework of kogai kyoiku and research, for the region, which had the risk of modern environmental disruption, it is to analyze from the migration problem of adolescence for the point of view of education and environmental disruption. I discussed that education request of as a solution to the adolescence of the migration problem, rather than a straightforward education request of residents, come appear as a request associated with the pollution problem.

  Although it is desired that environmental education is conducted as a cross-curricular program, its relationship to school music classes has not been fully discussed. Accordingly, as a case study in a junior high school, an environmental learning program associated with school music classes was conducted to study the pre-learning of nature observation. The objectives of this study are to examine whether or not the pre-learning program has the effect of improving the auditory senses of students who participated in nature observation, and to examine the possibility of the pre-learning program being conducted in the school music class. A mainstay of the program was a task where students freely express what they imagine listening to Ravel’s “Lever du jour,” a part of “Daphnis et chloé.” A morphological analysis and clustering of the students’program impression report generated three clusters. Cluster 1 contains students who seemed to focus only on expression of music. Cluster 2 contains students who did not refer to either listening or expression of music. Cluster 3 contains students who seemed to understand listening and expression of music as a set of processes. In nature observation, which was conducted after about two months of the pre-learning program, the students freely expressed their discovery. The contents of their discovery was compared to that of the previous year’s students, who did not take the pre-learning program. As a result, there was significantly more auditory description only in the students of cluster 3. This study, while being based on appreciation learning in a traditional school music class, could present a case program with the potential of improveing students’auditory senses throug the nature observation.

  To sustain the involvement of private business in education for sustainable development (ESD), an objective and concrete evaluation is needed. This paper attempted to conduct an independent evaluation of a short-term ESD program provided by a private company as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity for primary school students aged between 10 and 12, and discussed proper evaluation methods of learning effects and effective designs for such short-term ESD programs. Evaluation items were selected in consideration of the skills that the program intended to develop as well as those that should be developed in ESD or environmental education defined by the North American Association of Environmental Education, National Institute for Educational Policy Research (Japan) and others. The evaluation consisted of pre- and post-questionnaire surveys with program participants (students) and their parents. Our results showed that the responses and feedback from not only participants, but also their parents were valuable for proper evaluation and continuity of the program. Our evaluation was utilized for making a “go” or “no-go” decision about the next year’s challenges of the private company that organized this program. We also found the collaboration between organizers, planners, and evaluators from an earlier stage improved the quality of the program and the evaluation applied. Short-term ESD programs can provide a good opportunity for participants to develop their interests in a new field or to find new ideas and perspectives, especially by utilizing the unique aspect of non-formal education programs that can create situations different from ordinary learning environments and with different members that stimulate the participants.

  A survey of elementary school students was conducted on preferences, catching behavior, and scariness (i.e., the child's impression for each wildlife creature commonly used for environmental education). As a result, we found that there were differences in children's impressions for each organism. The children's impressions of familiar wildlife can be shown in a triangular graph with the three sides representing likeability, playfulness, and evasion. Likeable creatures were, for example, fireflies, which were appealing, but difficult to capture. Typical playful creatures were pill bugs, which were not particularly appealing, but children would try to touch them when found. Evasive creatures were exemplified by spiders, which were not captured because they are scary; thus, not likeable. Furthermore, as a result of our analysis of the orientation of children's impressions of familiar wild creatures, as well as of groups possessed of similar cognate notional characteristics, it became clear that children's perceptions of Japanese rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles, as well as of lizards and mantises, were notionally similar. Results also showed that despite the different habitats of terrestrial grasshoppers and aquatic crayfish, terrestrial crickets and aquatic dragonfly larvae, and terrestrial cicadas and amphibious frogs, children imagined a notional affinity between the creatures in these respective pairs. Impressions also differed for creatures at different stages of life, such as dragonfly larvae and dragonflies or tadpoles and frogs

  In addition, experiencing nature can simply be lessons observing creatures outside the classroom, but the nature experience for this survey was “ecosystem experience-based learning” that included abiotic environments such as soil and water where the creatures lived. The results showed that regarding ecosystem experience-based learning, there were differences between boys and girls: the “likeability” score increased, particularly for boys; however, the “catching behavior” score increased for both boys and girls.

  Current science textbooks used in Japanese junior high schools deal with contents about invasive species from foreign countries; however, contents about domestic invasive species are lacking. So, there are few chances for students to understand problems related to domestic invasive species. In this study, we developed a class activity where junior high school students think about biodiversity conservation focusing on the case of the Genji firefly (Luciola cruciata), which is one of the most serious problems among domestic invasion. Results of questionnaires before and after the class suggest two findings. First, the students understood that releasing the Genji firefly without consideration of its genotype led to degeneration of the native population, and that maintenance of the habitats appropriate for the growth phase was effective for conservation. Second, the students realized what they can do to reform or defend their local natural environments.

  In this paper, the author reflects the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD; 2005-2014), and discusses the implications and perspectives of ESD in the context of post-2015 agenda. As for reflecting on DESD, it was based on: (1) a literature review of DESD main documents; (2) bibliometrics of ESD-related documents in the ERIC database; and (3) a comparative analysis using the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP, 1975-1995). On the implication of ESD in the context of the post-2015 agenda, it was based on (1) the UN Global Education First Initiative (GEFI); (2) Discussion on Education in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals; (3) Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda; and (4) Educational for All (EFA). Discussion of issues and perspectives regarding ESD in the context of the post-2015 agenda includes degree of contribution by environmental education in the DESD and the issues, limitations and issues of the ESD Global Action Programme (GAP).