Human Development
Hitachi Future Innovator Program
Hitachi Group employees offer on-site lessons at schools through inquiry-based learning to find and solve problems and nurture the innovators of tomorrow.
Human Development
Hitachi Future Innovator Program
Hitachi Group employees offer on-site lessons at schools through inquiry-based learning to find and solve problems and nurture the innovators of tomorrow.
Overview
In recent years, concerns have grown over a declining emphasis on science and logical thinking, and developing future science and technology professionals who will support manufacturing and innovation has become an important challenge. In response to this situation, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced its Strategy for Developing Human Resources in Science and Technology in March 2015.
As the skills needed for future science and technology professionals are developed in stages, it is important to work on these skills from primary and junior high schools.
Against this background, The Hitachi Global Foundation developed the Hitachi Future Innovator Program as part of the Science & Technology Human Resource Development Support Program, which leverages the expertise of Hitachi Group employees from a medium- to long-term perspective and serves as a core initiative in human development, one of the key focus areas of The Hitachi Global Foundation.
This program defines the attributes (Curiosity, Initiative, Challenging Mindset, and Creativity) and skills (Problem Identification and Problem-Solving Skills) needed for future science and technology professionals as "abilities to innovate the future" and aims to develop these attributes and skills.
To develop these skills, we established the Seven Key Skills: "Problem Definition," "Hypothesis Setting," "Plan Development," "Information Gathering," "Hypothesis Verification," "Organization and Analysis," and "Creation."
Children will develop the abilities to innovate the future through repeated skill training
as they work in groups on issues that they selected themselves, based on the theme of creating the ideal school.
Program Structure
- Length
- About 4 months (Second Term)
- Total
Hours - About 14 hours (using periods for Integrated Studies and related activities)
The program consists of Phase 1: Skills Training and Phase 2: Inquiry-Based Learning.
The program includes a total of four on-site lessons, from On-site Lesson (1): Motivation to On-site Lesson (4): Final Presentation. Hitachi Group employees participate in all four on-site lessons as corporate lecturers and support children's learning by providing advice on their ideas.
[Phase 1] Skills Training (About 1.5 months)
Children participate in training activities to develop the skills needed to become leaders who can improve their schools.
- The training is conducted during periods for Integrated Studies, homeroom activities, morning activities, or through learning at home.
- In the second lesson of Phase 1, "The Future Supporter" (a corporate lecturer from the Hitachi Group) will introduce the program during On-site Lesson (1): Motivation.
- After the first on-site lesson in Phase 1, teachers at each school will deliver the program using provided materials.
[Phase 2] Inquiry-Based Learning (About 2.5 months)
Children work together in groups to tackle issues they have set for themselves under the theme of "Creating an Ideal School" by making use of the skills they obtained in Phase 1.
- The program requires approximately 8 to 10 hours of learning time, using periods allocated for Integrated Studies and related activities.
- Children define problems and work in groups to develop plans for their ideal school, applying the skills learned in Phase 1.
- In Phase 2, on-site lessons with "The Future Supporter" (a corporate lecturer from the Hitachi Group) are provided for the first lesson, the Mid-Program Presentation, and the Final Presentation.
Materials
▼For Students
▼For Teachers
▼For Lecturers
