The Role of Informal Learning Spaces in the Japanese University Context

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09070:Educational technology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: berman naomi 東京大学, 大学総合教育研究センター, 特任講師 (60814407)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Young people / Pandemic / Informal learning / Campus / University / Pandemic

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Consistent with the original project scope and implementation plan, the combined data sets produced rich insights that have been presented across various conferences and publications. The interruptions and limitations accompanying the COVID pandemic, led to the an unexpected and innovative new ethnographic method being used and presented on in subsequent conferences. Over the project period there was a total of 8 conference/seminar presentations (international and local), 5 peer reviewed journal articles, 1 book chapter, and three invited university visits in Japan.The project culminated in a one-day symposium held at the University of Tokyo, November 2022. This hybrid event gathered academics,
educators, and experts from Australia, Japan and other regions to discuss the future of higher education as universities navigate pathways out
of the pandemic.These papers were then collated to form a special issues of the UNESCO Observatory Multi-disciplinary Research in the Arts Journal

Free Research Field

Youth/education sociology

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

This study showed that the material environment of a campus produces special meaning and unexpected attachments for students, and that there is a need for more consideration of the everyday needs of students with regard to meaningful interaction, connection and belonging in a post-COVID environment.