Development of Curriculum for "Planning and Management of Integrated Studies" Centered in Making Things Education through Exchange Learning and Regional Alliance

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Technology education is a part of liberal arts through lifelong learning because everyone should gain the foundation needed to participate in and adapt to today's ever-changing technological world. Different from the system of technology education in many developed countries, the subject of technology education in Japan is just a three years curriculum implemented only in junior high school. Recently, off-school activities in technology education have been challenged to enhance children's potential of technological interests by organizing a Making Things Workshop named Kumamoto Monodsukuri Fair by regional alliances. As to form the foundation of technology education for students prior to junior high school stably, the workshop has been continued for three years successfully since 2005 at average of two times per year. It was a one day workshop held in Kumamoto public facilities during school break seasons or weekends. The announcement of workshop was advertised to schools with corporation of Kumamoto Public School Board. Staffs of the workshops are volunteers from Kumamoto University, public schools, local industrial sectors and education related organizations. They gathered together to plan and prepare various and suitable items for children to make, especially in the view of developing their liberal technological variety, and in corresponding to the distinct developmental needs of participants from kindergarten to elementary school. The items for participants to make were developed in the classes of "Planning and Management of Integrated Studies". Therefore, this off-campus activity for students, i.e., the pre-service teachers, is valuable indeed for them to learn from in-service teachers so as to accumulate experiences in practical and active instruction of making things. Of course, such workshop is useful to share educational means and resources for promoting industrial technology education efficiently and technological literate region widely.