Teacher Training, Pedagogy, and the Declining Birthrate: The Challenges Facing Japanʼs Teacher Training Faculties and Universities

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  • 少子化の中の教員養成と教育学
  • 少子化の中の教員養成と教育学 : 教員養成系大学・学部の挑戦
  • ショウシカ ノ ナカ ノ キョウイン ヨウセイ ト キョウイクガク : キョウイン ヨウセイケイ ダイガク ・ ガクブ ノ チョウセン
  • 教員養成系大学・学部の挑戦

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Abstract

<p> As its decline in birthrate continues and Japan enters a new stage of the ‘popularization’ of its universities, the natural foundations of teacher training are being eroded, and teaching is becoming a less attractive career for many in the labour market. The issue of securing the required ‘quantity’ of teachers is invariably linked with that of guaranteeing their ‘qualityʼ. The number of applicants for the National Teacher Recruitment Examination (Kyōin Saiyō Shiken) is falling, and in particular, the decrease in the number of examinees from national teacher training faculties and universities will necessarily lead to a decline in the quality of new teachers.</p><p> Education (neo-liberal market) policies based on school distrust and teacher distrust have accelerated the spread of ‘consumer behaviour’ towards school education, as well as the trend of ‘defensive education’ in response. As a result, Japanʼs teachers will be deprived of a sense of pride and value in the teaching profession, and talented young people will leave the field of teaching in even greater numbers.</p><p> This paper considers these critical issues concerning teacher training and discusses the excessively high expectations and disappointment in the training of practical teaching skills, as well as the responses from universities regarding their teacher training programmes and pedagogy. The paper also discusses the various issues currently faced by faculties of education at regional national universities in Japan, and their responses thereto.</p>

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