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A New Strategy for STEM Learning in a
Changing Society: Focusing on theUndergraduate Program
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B@I B M     E )J I @ 1@J1ü The Japanese have had ample reason to believe that the qualityof Rikei education would be well sustainedThe outcome ofRikei programs in Japanese universities, especially those forscience and technology, had been considered “world class.”
ü However, in the middle of the 1990s, industry began to question
the quality of the graduates.
ü At present, almost all university professors agree that the level of
STEM learning in higher education is declining.
ü In this study we shed light on the reality of student life and thestudents’ attitudes via analysis of statistical data obtained
through institutional research (IR) conducted in cooperation with56 universities.
2ü Statistical data were obtained from the University IRConsortium.
ü In this report, we call the original four IR members
Universities A, B, C, and D.
ü For the purpose of taking a closer look at the real features of
Rikei students in comparison with Bunkei ones, we focus
attention on the results obtained by University D, a traditional,
national university in the northern part of Japan.

3
ü To investigate the difference between Rikei and Bunkei students,
we conducted factor analysis of 19 questionnaire items about thefirst- and third-year students self-assessments of the abilities
acquired in their university life.
ü For the freshmen, three components (a, b, c) were found to be
principal components with each eigenvalue having a value of oneor more. For the juniors, four components (A, B, C, D) wereprincipal components.
Components A, B, C, and D are tentatively called in this report:
A: Communication Skills (CS)
B: Adaptability to International Environment (AIE)
C: Academic Skills (AS)
D: Mathematical Ability (MA)4ü It is well known that Rikei students have busy daily lives.
ü On average, one student attends two classes and one
experimental or practical training session per day. One classusually takes 90 minutes and one class lecture per week iscounted as two credits in a semester and one experimental orpractical training session as half of a lecture class. It follows thatthe total number of credits per semester ranges from 20 to 25
depending on the student’s choices.
ü Considering the fact that the credit number necessary for abachelor’s degree is 124, it seems that there are too many
subjects in the third year of undergraduate programs: a student
obtains as many as 40-50 credits a year according to thecurriculum.
5ü The University Establishment Law requires one lecture hourplus two study hours outside of the class for one credit.
ü It turned out in this study that Rikei students spent 9.2 hours aweek outside of the classes for credit, about two hours longer
than Bunkei ones, suggesting that the reputation of Rikei
students as hard-working ones is worth believing.
ü In short, Rikei students spend a longer period of time attendingclass and doing lab work and for their own free study; onehour and two hours longer a week, respectively. On the otherhand, they tend to spend less time on part-time jobs outside ofthe campus and show less interest in reading books of generalinterest.
6ü Factor analysis was made 0.4
on 19 questions about what 0.3
0.2
the students gained after
0.1
entering the university. In0
the histograms of the third- -0.1
year students of University -0.2
-0.3
D, Rikei students were-0.4
distinguishable from-0.5
Bunkei students by their-0.6
pattern.

Bunkei

Rikei

ASMACSAIEü Rikei students self-judged themselves to have developed solely on
MA, but expressed no clear confidence in other factors. In contrast,
Bunkei students had much more confidence about AS and a little
about AIE, although they feel a considerable drop in MA.
7ü When the new higher education system began in 1949, Japaneseuniversities were in the elitist stage.
ü According to some evidence, the elite nature of Rikei students
was lost in the 1980s, probably because of the expansion of theuniversities and changes in the society.
ü Despite all these changes, the departments have never changed
the traditional way of undergraduate training. They are
seemingly successful in retaining a hard-working attitude, but acloser look at the inside of the departments reveals many
conflicts in classes and laboratories.
ü The knowledge or skills are separated and fragmented in theirminds, a problem we must consider seriously.

8ü Because of the mismatch of the German research ideal and thepresent Japanese system, the course work is suppressed in termsof not only the hours of study but also the weight in thecurriculum.
ü It is time to reposition the research work in the undergraduate
programs and to decide whether research work should beincluded in these programs or not.
ü Eeach department should organize the course work so thatstudents can more easily learn the contents and meaning, with(1) reasonable subject distribution in the curriculum, (2) moreteaching and learning support, (3) modularization of the classes,and (4) introduction of a quality assurance system.
9
ü Engineering and technology are the main stream of STEM
education in Japanese higher education, but, the importance ofarts and humanities are forgotten. STEAM nature, such as
interface between human and science,“Problem-solving skill” as an essential part of the programs,
and comprehensive understanding of each discipline,
should be emphasized.
ü We are now living in an exciting era of science and technology.
In the university curriculum, the introductory part, at least, ofsciences and technologies should be integrated.
ü The world of science and technology is intrinsically one worldin which everybody, regardless of age, sex, race, and nationality,
can communicate with each other and enjoy its fruits.
10Thank you for your attention!

ogasawara.m@high.hokudai.ac.jp

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