About

Social Innovation of Our Learning Environment

Widespread social media that link diverse people by telecommunications technology is opening a new frontier in learning.

Fifteen years with the Internet has connected us all. It is time for people from various backgrounds to change society through networking.

Reconsideration of the merits of learning by social networking will open the door to organizing new learning contexts and promising growth.

The goal of BEAT (Benesse Department for Educational Advanced Technology) is the social innovation of our learning environment with state-of-the-art technology.

Benesse, the Japanese leader in the education business, is collaborating with the latest research findings on education and technology from the University of Tokyo in order to produce practical and original research.

We will keep on trying until the blue-print for future learning is in our hands.

Activities of BEAT

BEAT is implementing research projects under the following three themes:

• Ubiquitous
  Development of a ubiquitous mobile technology-based learning environment
• Contexts
  Development of an educational system that uses information on learning contexts
• Contents
  Development of learning environments that use dynamic generation or collective intelligence in educational contents

Projects

Conomi+ Project

The aim of Conomi+ is to construct an informal learning environment where people can easily get in touch with English using news in English.
The key feature is the provision of news in English that matches the interests of learners through collaborative filtering.
The installation of a cognitive and social learning support mechanism enables a comprehensive learning environment and continued informal learning. An original collaborative filtering technology for learning support is being developed based on a general collaborative filtering technology.

Mishap Support Project

The Mishap Support Project conducts research into support methods for learners in case of a setback, hitch, or mishap. “Mishaps” occur when students learn something new or when they do not have enough understanding and knowledge of the subject in advance. This project supports each individual, depending on his/her learning situation. To do this, their massive learning records are analyzed using data mining and information filtering technology. Based on research from the Learning Strategy Navigator, this project aims to provide a learning support system mainly for learners at the middle school level.

NARIKIRI English! Project

This is an English educational tool for training business people. It enables them to learn English by using their cell phones. The key feature is that appropriate usages of English phrases are compiled in story telling skits for the user to listen to. Without a doubt, “You will find whatever English you will confront in the future.”

In this project the advocated method is the use of a series of skits for listening comprehension. CESP: (Contextual English for Specific Purpose) is in fact “English matching your specifications: You will find whatever English you will confront in the future.” This means that this educational tool will let you master precisely the English that is necessary for your own business. In developing CESP, by interviewing CEOs and personnel directors, we investigated business activities, future prospects, management strategies and contextual English that had a high probability of usage by businessmen. Based on this research, scenarios were created and younger employers screened the substance of these scenarios in order to enhance the credibility of it actually taking place in their companies.

Content is installed in cell phones (smart phones) for use by businessmen who are busy but want to learn whenever they can.

In fiscal 2006, the process of development, practical use and format evaluation was conducted with Benesse Corporation. We now plan to verify the effectiveness of CESP.

Learning Strategy Navigator Project

This is a feedback system for learning that uses data mining. It analyzes massive data by data mining and based on the results, it diagnosis the learning plan for the individual student and provides information deemed to be favorable to his/her learning scheme.

Because our project aims to construct a total educational system, rather than adopting mobile ubiquitous technology that provides an interface much closer to the users, we take the opposite end of the spectrum, that is, we do research on the use of user server-side technology.

In fiscal 2006, we developed a system to prepare a commentary on more appropriate learning schemes. Based on the results of analyzing voluminous data with just data mining, we evaluated learning schemes for the users. With the data acquired through tests, we examined the system from the point of validity of the system. The result of this project is open to the public for actual commercial use and continues to be used.

Our present service relies on feedback from a single-point static data. In the future we will realize feedback based on analytical results of data compiled at multiple-points and create and offer dynamic contents that employ the specific data of the users.

Mono-Gatari Project

You may have never imagined it possible but now, objects (mono) will talk (gatari) to you! In the future, the whole neighborhood will become a museum of such objects.
What we propose is a new interface for learning. In this project, if you mount a wearable display, by just touching and grasping the object in your desired way, your wearable display will play pictures and sound. BEAT has developed a basic technology to make this possible with a “grip recognition system” (patent obtained) using an RFID (wireless IC tag).

Oyako de Science Project

BEAT has developed a teaching program for parents and children (oyako) to conduct science experiments. This relies on the support of mobile phones. These materials for the teaching of science have made it possible for students to comprehend the nature of “light.” Here “Oyako de Science” involves three weeks of all sorts of miniature science experiments that are conducted by parents and children at home. The key feature of these teaching materials is not the text of the experiments or the quiz function it has, but the use of mobile phones that report the child's learning progress to the parents. Mobile phones act as tools to provide parents with an opportunity to praise and think together with their children.

Kids K-tai Project

This is a research project on the usage of mobile phones (k-tai) in linking schools with homes. We want to investigate what changes will occur in day-to-day learning and communication with surrounding adults when the time comes that all children own a mobile phone and that it becomes natural for them to bring it to their elementary schools.
With the cooperation of Ochanomizu University Elementary School, mobile phones have been used in various situations in class and at home learning. We are studying the role that mobile phones will play if they serve to provide a link between school, home and elsewhere in extra curriculum as well as school activities.

e-CC Project (e-Learning for Curriculum Coordinator)

Our aim is to develop an e-Learning program for teachers who are leaders in developing curricula for classes that are geared for “innovative integrated studies.”
The object is to enhance the capabilities of such teachers as class coordinators.
Coordinators who live apart from each other are learning about class curricula through electronic bulletin boards and multi-site videoconferencing.

Skaal Project

In this society of aging and life-long learning, the focus here is on one crucial theme, the learning activities of the elderly. We have developed a program of learning through international exchange. In our present empirical experiment, seniors of Japan and Norway communicate and study with each other. After introducing themselves using video letters, they have exchanged e-mail and held videoconferences.