The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between the development of the competency of novice elementary school teachers and advisory instruction from mentors. In this study, data were collected from 228 teachers of second- and third-year elementary school students.

  The relation between the development of competency of novice elementary school teachers and advisory instruction from mentors was examined, and the following four points were clarified. Novice teachers who 1）received considerable instruction and support in school activities from mentors tended to develop competency in building human relations and classroom management; 2）received considerable instruction and support in school activities as well as psychological support from mentors, tended to develop competency in teaching; 3）received considerable instruction and support in school activities from mentors tended to develop competency in communicating with children; 4）were shown extensive model teaching by mentors tended to view themselves as teachers.

  Many papers state that teachers should transform their perspectives in order to reform classes and to address current issues such as comprehensive education from elementary through lower secondary levels. However, how to promote the transformation of teacher perspective remains unclear. Moreover, there is no motivation to promote perspective transformation under the present circumstances. The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors which promote the transformation of teacher perspective.

  Drawing on P. Cranton's transformative learning theory, the author regarded teachers as learners as defined in adult learning theory. The data to be discussed were acquired from interviews with eight teachers. The analysis focuses on the process of reflection through which the values and assumptions of teachers are reconstructed and on the influence of self-directed learning and involvement with others.

  Analysis revealed four factors promoting reflection: “continuity”, “sharing”, “autonomy”, and “creativity”. When all four of these factors were present, in the learning situation or in the learners, teacher reflection was promoted. “Continuity” provides the opportunity for discourse to evoke reflection by others, and “sharing” similarly provides a field of discourse. “Autonomy” and “creativity” enhance quality of reflection through self-directed learning. It should be emphasized that the four factors are not separately stimulated, but mutually stimulated through self-directed learning and involvement with others. The four factors, and self-directed learning and involvement of others, are inseparable.

  This study concludes that self-directed learning is indispensable for promoting perspective transformation in teachers, because self-directed learning gradually internalizes their motivation, then internalized motivation advances the reflection phase, and finally the perspective is transformed. This paper proposes that the four factors should be fostered in the learning situation and in the learners to realize self-directed learning and thereby achieve perspective transformation.

  This study examines the need for collaborative learning design that is conducive to developing the competency of novice elementary school teachers, on the basis of the concept of intermediate conceptual tools in Engeström's theory of expansive learning. Extending beyond the framework of conventional tools, intermediate conceptual tools in expansive learning theories are tools newly created in the process of individual or organizational development. Specific examples of intermediate conceptual tools in educational environments include suggestions and visions for understanding children, models of understanding and utilizing teaching materials, and advice or introduction of tools for divided roles in schools. These conceptual tools are useful solutions to the challenges facing novice school teachers.

  In this study, the significance of collaborative learning design by school management personnel（designers and interventionists）is investigated on the basis of the author's experience of working for a year in the school education system as a supporter and instructor of novice teachers. Here, specific new collaborative learning design patterns are presented, and the role of management personnel in an educational environment is identified.

  The author hopes that the study will lead to changes in conventional thinking on how to approach the development of novice elementary school teacher competency and provide the opportunity to change training programs such that they promote active learning in novice teachers. Such changes would in turn contribute to the development of competency in novice elementary school teachers in an educational environment, as well as to personnel development in an organization.

  The purpose of this paper is to describe the common path followed by four trainees enrolled in an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education（ITE）course at a National University of Education in Japan and to clarify how they could enhance their reflectivity of lessons through participating in lesson observations and analyzing their reflection papers and essays about their educational views.

  The trainees worked under the following conditions during the latter half of the ITE course. 1）They had reflective discussions after regularly（at least twice a week）observing lessons with the author's senior trainees. 2）The trainees also wrote essays a few times per year on the topic, “Your image of the pupils that you want to produce through your own educational practices.” 3）Once a year, the trainees were required to complete the same reflection paper on their lesson observations. 4）In their fourth year, the trainees participated in a theoretical course on “Lesson Study.”

  It can be concluded that the four conditions above, implemented under the author's supervision, played vital roles in enabling the trainees to reflect upon their lessons from various view points for the following reasons: 1）Reflective discussions shifted their observation focuses to pupils and how they learned. 2）By considering the same essay topic a couple of times at different stages, the trainees were able to form connections between the classroom events and the contents of their own reflective discussions, and thereby began to establish their own firm philosophy of education as teachers. 3）The trainees began to consider their own alternative approaches to a lesson because they had opportunities throughout the reflective discussions to understand that different attitudes about the same classroom events could exist. 4）During the theoretical course of “Lesson Study”, they were able to understand more easily the importance of educational theory.

  The objective of this study was to explore optimal post-practicum guidance and the roles of educators in a kindergarten teacher training program in order to effectively reinforce their practicum learning, which is a requirement of the program. To encourage students to reflect on their experiences, asking them to describe various episodes during their practicum is widely implemented as a post-practicum guidance activity. Previous studies into on-the-job training for childcare professionals argue that group discussion about the reports of childcare professionals helps in promoting self reflection. This argument is applicable to professionals actually working, but group discussions based on episodes during their practicum may facilitate reflection in students, too. In addition, episodes written by students are effective in promoting active discussions from their own perspective.

  The author has developed a post-practicum guidance course that uses student episodes as teaching materials. This study focuses on the processes involved in student discussions based on one student-written episode. In the first class meeting, the author distributed description sheets to students, who were asked to write comments after reading the episode report and discussing it together. A review of the comments after the class revealed a wide range of student experiences and insights about their practicum. In order to share these comments among the students, the author prepared handouts that included the comments and distributed them to the students in the second class meeting, where they reviewed the different comments and obtained new insights. Thus, the role of the educator is to develop materials based on student comments and to provide opportunities for students to recognize and understand diverse insights. Observation of this process over three class meetings led to the conclusion that the class facilitated students in learning from one another, thereby reinforcing their practicum learning.