In March 2024, three students from Kanazawa University(KU) were sent to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) as part of the “School Education Collaborative Experience Program.”

Directed by Dr. Taku YAMAMOTO, Head of the School of Teacher Education, the program aims to foster a comparative understanding of education systems across different countries, allowing students to assess their own education objectively, identify areas for improvement, and further enhance the strengths of their respective educational systems.

Prior to their departure, participating students engaged with UCCS faculty and students through COIL classes, discussing their expectations for the program based on self-prepared entry sheets and actively participating in discussions while sharing presentation materials.

During their stay in the U.S., coordinated by UCCS, the students visited preschools, elementary schools, and junior high schools, exchanging ideas with principals, and experiencing differences in classroom environments and teaching methods firsthand. Furthermore, discussions with UCCS faculty members helped contextualize their experiences at each school.

To gain insights into the underlying philosophies of the educational field, students participated in seminars on contemporary American educational issues. Additionally, they served as Teaching Assistants in regular Japanese language classes, deepening exchanges with UCCS students majoring in Japanese.

The activities of this program, including a discussion session to review the results of their studies after returning to their home countries, resulted in a very high level of satisfaction from the participating students.

The School Education Collaborative Experience Program plans to host a group primarily consisting of UCCS students who participated in this program in May of this year, continuing the exchange initiated through this program.