Japan OECD Joint Research
Globally Co-creation
project: Asobi-bA/ -bAfor playful learning
Japan OECD Joint Research
Tokyo Gakugei University, Secretariat OfficeJapan OECD Joint Research(2021-2024)
The overall goal of the joint research is for Japan and the OECD to work together in an effort to explore effective curriculum
design and implementation in ways in which students can learn to exercise their sense of agency and transformativecompetencies to their full potential and can thrive in the world of 2030, as suggested in the OECD Learning Compass 2030.
Through this joint research, Tokyo Gakugei University as a flagship university for teacher education/training is expected totake a lead in educating teachers who will be responsible for future school in Japan, and in changing the way of teacher
training in collaboration with the rest of the world.
OECD well-being framework

URL:https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/

URL:https://www.oecd.org/wise/measuring-well-being-and-progress.htm

Our Histrory
・Our history stared from OECD Tohoku School (2012-2014) . it was an education project tosupport a creative recovery from the triple disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami,
and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident occurred in March 2011. About 100 junior andsenior high school students from the affected regions by the disaster participated in the project andworked on the regional reconstruction/re-creation based on their ideas in collaboration with diverse
stakeholders such as teachers, private firms, and local governments. Based on the struggles
during the project for 2.5 years, the participating students proposed the future schooling in 2030.
The Tohoku school was one of the triggers to launch OECD Education 2030, and mutually
influenced the revision of national curriculums at OECD countries.
・In March 2021, at the occasion of the 10th memorial year of the recovery from Great East Japan
Earthquake, the workshop “Since Then. From Now On,” was organized. The global community
met and discussed how to “build resilience in the face of adversity”. We also revisited the futureschooling proposals created by Tohoku Schools students and questioned to the status quo ofschooling today. Then in March 2022, we continued the workshop "Open Dialogue: Learning from
Disasters to Build Resilience in Education”. With a concept of "overcoming barriers" whichcomes from division, dichotomies, and peer pressure felt by today's students inside and outside
the classroom, we addressed struggles felt by students and show some visions for the future ineducation by forming triangle partner teams with Japanese students and adult partners in Japanand overseas.

To create a better future for collective well-being
Many of the social issues that children will face, such as environmental issues, economic disparities, declining birthrate, aging population,
AI, and IoT, are unpredictable and complex, involving a number of different problems. In order for the youth to overcome such challenges
that even adults do not have answers/solutions for, adults, including governments, private firms, NPOs, etc as diverse stakeholders, arerequired to take actions seriously to co-create the future with the youth.
There are various walls and barriers in the current Japanese school system. These barriers make it difficult to develop and implement
curricula that foster agency and competency to address complex social issues and achieve individual and collective well-being.

Walls Within schools-teachers and studens-play/hobbies and study-Integrated learning and subject
based learning-Subjects and special activities-classroom and class etc.

Walls Beyond School Systems- School types-Continuity of learning (kindergarten, elementary school,high school and university etc)
-Places of learning (cram schools, homes, orphanages, etc)
-Schools and hospitals-Schools and businesses-Schools and daycares etc

Walls Beyond broader systems in life and space- Schools and communities- Urban and rural, rural and regional- In person and online- normal days and special days (Hare and Ke)
etc

Instead of breaking down walls /barriers, we change the way to look at things such as reversible,
revolving door, circulation, and upside-down, so that we would eliminate walls/barriers and create“bA” where everyone can enjoy mutual learning. We want to create a better future from education!

Aims of the Asobi-bA
With a playful spirit/mindset, globally co-creation projectAsobi-ba invites people with diverse background in ages,
countries and organization to co-create a ba (space) for
exploring and prototyping the education (curriculum
development and impact evaluation) in 2030 based onvoices of students/teachers in the field (bottom-up) which
eliminates the current barriers caused by the today’s statusquo,

Why playful learning?

Through this process, we aim to contribute to policy making
in education. By getting support from OECD, we would liketo take advantages from OECD Tohoku School; tight linkage
among field practice, research, and policy implications.

Learning and playing are seamless. With theplayful spirit in marginal space needed forinnovation, we're changing the concept ofwalls/barriers and going beyond them!

Kick off workshop on 27-28 August, 2022
Co-hosted by Tokyo Gakugei University and OECD
Special Support by The Independent Administrative Institution National Institution for Youth Education National Olympics Memorial Youth Center
Nominal Support by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT), Cabinet Office(CAO),
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)〜 Welcome to Planet ‘Upside Down’！〜▪
▪

Over the two days, about 140 people participated in person and about 100 people online from at least seven countries (Indonesia, Philippines,Australia, Estonia, United States, India, and Japan). We had very diverse participants such as children in kindergarten and elementary school,
junior and senior high school students, university/graduate students, teachers, people from ministries and local governments, business sectors,
researchers, pensioners, as well as Tohoku School graduates.
The survey result shows that over 90% of the participants answered yes to the question about whether there was a moment where they felt likesomething was different from what you consider “normal” or “natural” (in other words, “a surprise”, “uneasy”, “awkward” or “uncomfortable”)
or something didn’t sit right with you during this event. For this reason, we understand that the objectives of the workshop were achieved.

Video message from Andreas Schleicher, Directori for
Education and Skills, OECD = Chief of the Planet
Upside Down

MC role was taken by Japanese
student. a student from Canada via
online and hearing impaired
students

Keiji Matsuda,Vice Principal of Tokyo Gakugei
University= Captain of the Space Ship →collaboration work↓

Kick off workshop: Explore the planet! Booth Presentation on Day2
BoothPhotoBooth「OECD E2030」「my Being」time travel inthe following 1-4
stattions1．”The Past Being” inKobe （1950-1980 theclay statues made byvisually impaired
2．“The PresentBeing” in Ukraine（2020/2022)

3.“The Present Being”
in Evening JuniorHigh Scchool
in Osaka (2022)
4,”The Future Being”
at Metaverse（2030）

Kobe, Upside Down
Teacher

Photo

Booth

workation-x-educatio
n-x-learning

OECD Kotoba wa za

Creating School
Compass

Redesign math.
Education"Kawaii" can impact theeducation

Making classmates allaround the world!

Voices from various
generations

physical-physical witha teacher from USA
Ai’s Radio Show

PhotoTowards 2024 and onwards(Current Plan)
2022August
Kick off workshop(hybrid)
December 16-17(plan) 2nd workshop (online)
2023
March
AugustDecember

3rd workshop(hybrid)
4th workshop (online)
5th workshop (online)

2024
Marcht.b.d.

6th workshop(hybrid)
Paris event

2025

World Expo in Osaka←Wishes to the event in Paris,
participants wrote "barriers andbiases that I want to see disappearby 2024" on post-its and shared themon the the revolving door. (kick offworkshop in August 2022)

Do you feel any walls/barriers in yourschool life?
We look for students, teachers and partners
who would like to join us andco-create a journey to the Paris event
together with Japanese and international
students to show visions of education in
2030 without walls to the world!