Launch of “STEAM Library” project

1. Overview of the STEAM Library project

The term “STEAM” which is an acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, is a new key concept within education gaining global prominence. This concept represents the idea of shifting away from the existing educational approach that focuses on “subject-based, cram learning” tailored to the production of uniform labor forces in industrialized societies, to a new approach focusing on “interdisciplinary and creative learning” that encourages people to cultivate the capability to create value, in the century in which we are seeing the arrival of AI and the fourth industrial revolution.
 
In June 2019, METI compiled the Visions for the “Learning Innovation” project (*1) and presented the “STEAM-based learning approach” as one of the core pillars of future education reform. Following this, in August 2020, the Working Group (WG) on STEAM under the “Learning Innovation” project formulated an interim report (*2). In the report, expert members of the WG presented such ideas as: the need for dissemination to teachers and schools of [i] the idea that STEAM is an approach to realizing the learning cycle of “Knowledge” and “Creation”  which derives from a sense of excitement of the students, [ii] that the next curriculum guidelines and the “Learning Innovation" project are both initiatives pursuing the same goal and [iii] that STEAM is a viable approach which can be introduced into school curricula if teachers interpretate the curriculum guidelines accurately; and their expectations for proactive participation of companies and research institutes in the project as an effort for fostering the next generation which will lead to development of the industrial and academic sectors in Japan.
 
This project aims at pilot establishment of the STEAM Library based on these points above.
 
The library provides content which is organized into 17 subjects based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at children who will play a leading role in shaping future society. These contents will help students understand concepts based on comprehensive and interdisciplinary societal challenges which do not fall within any conventional subject categories, and on challenges facing people in their daily lives, which are more familiar to students.
 
Targeting students of elementary, junior high and high schools, these contents will consist of main educational materials (video clips, etc.) and supplementary educational materials. They will be well designed to help teachers and schools easily make use of them in school classes and during other opportunities, such as identifying the corresponding curriculum guidelines, and providing teaching plans / proposals. Through these efforts, METI will strive to expand and disseminate the STEAM-based learning approach. Moreover, the library will also focus on real-world issues such as AI, energy, mobility, disaster prevention and others , and identify the association with the SDGs topics. In this project, METI will develop these contents in collaboration with private companies, high schools, universities, research institutes and other organizations.
 
Furthermore, METI will publish these materials online not only as educational materials for teachers to make use of in schools, but also as individual learning materials accessible by students in a manner that they are able to view and utilize them whenever they like.
 
Notes:

• *1. Visions of the “Learning Innovation” project: Secondary recommendations by the Study Group for Learning Innovation- (released on June 25, 2019)(PDF:7,149KB)
• *2. Interim report compiled by the Working Group on STEAM under the “Learning Innovation” project: the Study Group for Learning Innovation (released on August 12, 2020)

2. Outline of the symposium within the Edvation x Summit 2020 Online event on November 4 (Wed.), 2020

METI will make a briefing on an interim report on the FY2020 “Learning Innovation” project, as a program within the Edvation x Summit 2020 Online event on November 4, 2020 (Wed.). This event will present briefings on practical case examples of STEAM-related efforts by teachers and schools and panel discussions, positioning “individually-optimized learning” and “STEAM-based learning approach” as the core themes. As part of this event, METI will hold panel discussions bringing together representatives from developers of the STEAM Library content.

Participation in the online symposium online is free. METI hopes that many of you will join the online event.

Date

November 4 (Wed.), 2020; from 13:00 to 16:00 (online)
Note: For a summary of this symposium, see the Appendix.

Reference: Overview of the “Learning Innovation” Project

Since its inauguration in FY2018, METI has been developing a variety of demonstration projects as outcomes under the various stated goals within the purview of the “Learning Innovation” project. In FY2020, METI will focus on “individually-optimized learning” and the “STEAM-based learning approach,” in particular, and will strive to realize some demonstration projects under the program.

Note: For an overview of the program, see the Appendix.

Appendix

• Project for Establishing “STEAM Library” (supplementary material) (in Japanese)(PDF:8,024KB)

Division in Charge

Educational Industry Office, Service Affairs Policy Division, Commerce and Service Industry Policy Group