Research on social education programs for local residents including foreign residents: Japanese language education as lifelong learning

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: Wakayama University
• Principal Investigator: Matsushita Keiko 和歌山大学, 日本学教育研究センター, 特任助教 (30883491)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 社会教育 / 生涯学習 / 日本語教育 / 在住外国人 / 成人教育 / リカレント教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Previous studies on social education or lifelong learning have often been conducted from the perspectives of "basic education and literacies" and "multicultural symbiosis". Local Japanese language education have focused on a specific subject and conducted surveys, such as "foreign nationals as residents" "technical intern trainees" making it difficult to gain an overall understanding of Japanese education as a social education project. In this study, detailed research on Japanese language courses as a social education project based on the "Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education" formulated by local governments. The survey revealed that there are few institutions that offer Japanese language courses as social education programs. In addition, interviews with educational institutions in Wakayama Prefecture, which were the target of the survey, revealed the negative effects of providing education free of charge and the need for interaction among participants across subject areas.

Free Research Field

日本語教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの研究では「外国人のための日本語教育事業」という観点からの調査研究がほとんどであったが、今回の研究では「地域住民のための社会教育事業」という立場から日本語教育を捉え、地方公共団体による「教育振興基本計画」に基づく「社会人の学び直し（リカレント教育）」や「多様な学びの機会の提供」といった生涯学習という枠組みの中から日本語教育に焦点を当てたことに社会的意義がある。